


Some Things Are Meant To Be

by BlueBayou



Series: His Girl Wednesday Universe [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: And also smut, Angst, Bromance, Delicity, Happy Ending, Love, Mentions of Bratva, Mystery, OTA missions, Olicity missions, Smut is here!, Then will get lighter, Things start angsty, no Green Arrow, olicity - Freeform, so much love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-07-29 17:25:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 52
Words: 432,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7693105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueBayou/pseuds/BlueBayou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years ago, Oliver went on a cruise on the Gambit and never came back, leaving Felicity devastated. She forced herself to move on with her life, trying to forget that the love they had shared was one she'd never get to live again. </p>
<p>Except Oliver didn't die on that boat. But no matter how much he wants to, he knows he can't come back. Too many things happened, and the only way to keep his loved ones safe is to stay as far away from them as possible. </p>
<p>It all changes when Felicity starts questioning the circumstances of the accident that took him away from her... </p>
<p>***The sequel to His Girl Wednesday*** You don't have to read HGW to understand this story, but it might fill in a few blanks ;)</p>
<p>***COMPLETE***</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [His Girl Wednesday](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4535685) by [BlueBayou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueBayou/pseuds/BlueBayou). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poster by @Victori96572376

 

 

“Would you like anything to drink, Miss?”

“No, thank you,” Felicity smiled at the flight attendant as she settled more comfortably in her seat. The plane hadn’t taken off yet, and she could hear that people were still boarding. The big advantage of travelling first class was that you didn’t have to wait any longer than necessary. And you barely had the time to sit down before they were already offering you a drink, apparently.

“I'll have a glass of red wine, please,” her neighbour asked the attendant. For the third time since she had boarded, Felicity glanced at him. He was probably around thirty, thirty-five, with short brown hair and green eyes. His suit was obviously tailored, and he had this elegant aura of someone used to wealth and comfort.

He must have sensed her staring, because he suddenly turned his head, smiling. “Leisure or business?”

A small blush crept up her cheeks at the idea of having been caught red-handed. “A little bit of both, actually.”

“That’s the best kind of trip if you ask me. What do you do for a living, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I work for Palmer Technologies, it’s a company that-” she explained, biting her lips.

“Palmer Tech? Awesome! I have one of your watches!” he cut her off, a small grin stretching his lips as he showed off his left wrist.

“I know,” she smiled, waving the new prototype she was wearing herself. “That’s… I’ll admit it bluntly, I was admiring it. It was my first project. I still get a kick at seeing people wearing it.”

“Oh, wow. You’re one of the creators?”

She saw the surprise on his face and she had to physically restrain herself from rolling her eyes. How many times had she seen the same expression on a man’s face? They usually had no problem visualising someone under 25 creating revolutionary technology… but that someone was somehow always a man. Not a blonde girl with a ponytail and panda flats.

She grinned politely, nodding. “Yes.”

His eyes travelled down her body and she sighed, still keeping the polite smile on her face.

_A douchebag. How lovely. I give him three seconds before he…_

“I’m sorry, I have to admit I never pictured girls like you working on all those techy things,” he chuckled, taking a sip of the wine the flight attendant had just brought.

_Bingo._

“You’re far from being the only one,” she tilted her head before grabbing her purse and ostentatiously looking for her earbuds.

He offered her a small smile, probably understanding the conversation was over and turned around, pulling up the small TV that was stored on the side of his seat.

_I’ll give him that. He takes the hint much quicker than the usual man._

Picking her favorite playlist on spotify, she spread the small blanket on her lap, turning to face the window. As the plane took off, she cast one last look at New York. She would miss the city, would miss the peace she had found there.

But it was time to go home.

She had a promise to keep.

  


A chauffeur was waiting for her at the airport with a little sign saying “Miss Smoak - Palmer Tech.” It felt weird to get such a formal welcoming, but she knew she should get used to it. Being Vice-President of a company like PT brought a lot of perks, including travelling first class and having a personal chauffeur to drive her to her small, one-bedroom apartment. When she had left Starling for Manhattan, she had been unable to let go of the place. She had kept it, paid the rent, and Dig had made sure it was taken care of while she was away. A cleaning lady would come once a month, and Dig would go every now and then to check that everything was in order. It was probably a waste of money, paying the rent for a place she didn’t use, but it was her home. Her first real home. It was where all her memories of Oliver were. She hadn’t been ready to say goodbye.

When she opened the door, the smell of fresh cleaner welcomed her. It was already night time, and she took a deep breath before switching on the light. She smiled when she saw the flowers on the dining table, directly to her left. Pushing her suitcase inside, she closed the door behind her, letting her eyes wander across the room. She felt the familiar pang in her chest, the one she always felt whenever she saw something that reminded her of Oliver. Here, in her home, there wasn’t a single thing that didn’t remind her of him.

The kitchen was where they had cuddled, waiting for the bagels to be done. The dining table was where they had made love, with the pizza guy standing on the other side of the door. Her secretary, that he had built himself on her birthday. The couch… oh the couch had seen so much action. And so much cuddling and soft kissing when they were too tired to move. If she closed her eyes, she could still hear Oliver’s heart beating underneath her ear, his soft voice always slower and deeper whenever he was in post-coital bliss. Which had happened… a lot.

The coffee table.

She gulped, taking a step forward, her eyes searching for what she knew would still be there, now protected by a transparent square of plastic.

The puzzle he had never been able to finish.

Biting her lips, she felt the tears burning her eyes. She knew she should get rid of it. She knew it wasn’t healthy to still hang onto those stupid pieces of cardboard.

Except she couldn’t. She had tried, but the idea of letting go of that had been beyond her strength. Dig had found her one day, months after Oliver’s death, sobbing in her living room, trying to force herself to put the pieces back in their box and throw it away, as far away from her as possible. He had explained to her that she shouldn’t force herself to do anything. If it was that painful, it was because she wasn’t ready.

The next day, he had knocked on her door with a square of plexiglas. She had felt better then, the puzzle protected, still there, but somehow distanced from her.

Taking a deep breath, she walked to her secretary, crouching down until she could reach a small basket. She took out a small tablecloth, then smoothed it over her coffee table. It was time to move on.

One step at a time.


	2. Because You Loved Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So, this is it... HGW2 is officially starting. Huge thanks to Pidanka and Mysticaldetectivepanda who are in with me for this journey as well. Thank you so, so much for your help, you make things so much easier for me ;)  
> Thank you, thank you to all of you who reached out to me, and overwhelmed me with positive feedback when I posted the last chapter of HGW. It meant the world to me.  
> Thank you to all those who kept asking for the sequel during those two months, it felt good to know you guys were impatient to see what was ahead of Felicity and Oliver.
> 
> Hope this will please you, and yes, buckle up... it's another big journey that is about to start.
> 
> Song; Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion

**"Because You Loved Me"**  


 

For all those times you stood by me  
For all the truth that you made me see  
For all the joy you brought to my life  
For all the wrong that you made right  
For every dream you made come true  
For all the love I found in you  
I'll be forever thankful baby  
You're the one who held me up  
Never let me fall  
You're the one who saw me through through it all

You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I couldn't see  
You saw the best there was in me  
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach  
You gave me faith 'coz you believed  
I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me

You gave me wings and made me fly  
You touched my hand I could touch the sky  
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me  
You said no star was out of reach  
You stood by me and I stood tall  
I had your love I had it all  
I'm grateful for each day you gave me  
Maybe I don't know that much  
But I know this much is true  
I was blessed because I was loved by you

You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I couldn't see  
You saw the best there was in me  
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach  
You gave me faith 'coz you believed  
I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me

You were always there for me  
The tender wind that carried me  
A light in the dark shining your love into my life  
You've been my inspiration  
Through the lies you were the truth  
My world is a better place because of you

You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I couldn't see  
You saw the best there was in me  
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach  
You gave me faith 'coz you believed  
I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me

I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me

 

 

 

“Wow. Talk about some changes,” Felicity breathed, her eyes travelling all the way to the top of the building where she would be working from now on.

Palmer Tech had moved into a much, much bigger building six months ago. They still had their branch in New York, which was important for their investors, but most of their executives were now based here, in Starling. Its Research  and Technology department had doubled in size, as well as their Engineering division. It was a booming company, now a worldwide leader in nanotechnology and environmentally friendly devices.

After her watch had been launched, the success had been phenomenal, much more than Felicity had expected. She had been sent to lead the Research and Technology department in New York, which had been a blessing in many ways. Moving away from Starling had been the right decision for her. She had needed time, on her own, to heal and accept the reality of what her future was going to be. Oliver was gone, and living in a city where every little thing reminded her of him felt like she was slowly but surely suffocating in her grief. In New York, she had been able to start over, even though leaving her team and her friends had been hard.

She had known it wouldn’t be forever. Starling had become her home and even if Oliver wasn’t there anymore, it still felt that way.

Her life in New York had been mostly centered around her job. She had made a few friends, mostly people she’d hang out with for the occasional drink after work, but all her energy was focused on her job. She had become quite close to Ray, their partnership growing up to the point where he had offered her the position of Vice-President two months ago. She had been surprised, because truth be told she was barely 24 years old and it was a huge responsibility. But she had more than proven her worth, and knew the company inside out. Not to mention, her projects had been what had propelled PT into its leading position in the first place.

The proposition had also arrived at the perfect time, when she had slowly started to consider asking for a relocation back to Starling.

So, here she was, on a Monday morning, gaping at a skyscraper that could rival that of Queen Consolidated. Taking a deep breath, she finally walked in, knowing a new life was, in a way, about to begin.

 

“Felicity!” The cheery voice that welcomed her in the gigantic hall brought a big smile to her face.

“Daniela,” she greeted her friend, hugging her. Her hair was black with blue streaks, slightly longer than it used to be. “How are you?”

“How am I? I am doing great. I just got promoted to Vice-President Executive Assistant, didn’t you know?” Daniela winked at her, already handing her a security badge. “The pay is great and I have my own coffee-maker in my office.”

“Oh, really? I heard something about that, indeed. You were personally requested by said Vice-President, apparently.”

“Well, what can I say? I’m the best.”

As they made their way to the elevator, Daniela kept her updated with some of the changes in the company. They had kept in touch, and her former assistant had even visited her a couple of times in New York, so Felicity already knew most of the gossip.

“Your office is gigantic, by the way. You have this gorgeous view of the city and I tried to have it decorated like your old one, but you can change it if you want too.”

Her office was indeed… quite impressive. A strong, sturdy desk made of white wood, a large table with room for at least six people, a couch and two leather chairs, as well as drawers and cabinets. The walls were a warm taupe, most of the furniture white or beige. It gave a comfortable, light vibe to the room, only accentuated by the sunshine that was pouring through the windows.

It took her the entire day to settle in, even though she would only be visiting the building and the other divisions with Ray the next few days. Daniela had offered to go get some drinks to celebrate her come back, but Felicity had declined. She already had a date, one she was really looking forward to.

 

She couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she walked inside Big Belly Burger, seeing Dig already seated at a small table in a corner. He grinned when he saw her, standing up and opening his arms and she didn’t hesitate, hugging him tightly. It felt so oddly comforting, his big arms just as reassuring as she remembered.

“Look at you, Miss Vice-President,” he chuckled as they eventually both sat down.

She winced, picking up the menu, even though she still probably knew it by heart. “Still don’t really know how I ended up there, honestly.”

“Well, knowing you like I do… I have no doubt that you deserve it. Not to mention… I’ve heard echoes of your successes. I think Palmer understood his company couldn’t afford to have you slipping through his fingers.”

She smiled shyly, accepting the glass of water that the waitress offered her. They quickly gave her their order, Felicity having dreamed so much of a Big Belly Burger for months that she already knew what she wanted.

“How was your flight? I still can’t believe you didn’t want me to pick you up, by the way.”

Rolling her eyes, she took a sip of water. “My plane landed at 10PM, on a Sunday. That’s not how you treat your friends.”

“Have you already settled in? At work?”

“Mostly, yes. But I’ll spend most of the week visiting other divisions and departments, getting familiar with my surroundings. It’s a much bigger building than the one where I used to work.”

“... and at home?” he asked her, his eyes soft and understanding.

She gave him a small smile, shrugging. “It was OK. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it’d be.”

“Still don’t want to move out? I mean it’s pretty small, you could find a bigger place.”

“No. I just… no. It’s my first real home you know. In Boston, I had a roommate, so it doesn’t really count. I feel like I need at least one familiar thing in my life, right now. Not to mention, I don’t have the energy to move out.”

They spent the evening catching up. They had stayed in touch during those two years, whether it was by phone or email and they were pretty much up to date with each other’s lives, but it felt good to be able to share a dinner with him. Avoiding the topic of Oliver, or Queen Consolidated, they focused on Dig’s family and it was only when they were in his car, en route to their building, that Felicity finally had the courage to ask the questions she’d been dying to get answers to.

“How… how are things at Queen Consolidated? Mrs Queen, Thea?”

Dig glanced at her before starting the car. “It was hard. Moira is still Vice-President, Walter still CEO. She never stepped up, and we even thought she would quit for a while. Thea… I mostly hear about her in the tabloids.”

“... what?” Felicity asked, snapping her head to face him. “Thea? She’s… she’s barely 18!”

“Let’s just say she’s a bit of a wild child…” Dig grimaced, keeping his eyes on the road. “She parties a lot. Managed to stay out of real problems so far but…we’ll see if she goes to College in August, though. Rumor has it, she hasn’t applied to any.”

Felicity stayed silent for the rest of the trip, deep in thought. She had no idea that Thea had been on a bad path. She could still remember the way Oliver talked about his baby sister, his reluctance to accept the idea that she was growing up. His hopes she wouldn’t walk into his footsteps, his fears she might not be surrounded by the right kind of people. How desperate he was to make sure she’d find her own way, and be happy.

And knowing that she was struggling… it made her insides churn. But what could she do? She didn’t know her, they had never even met. If only she had accepted Tommy’s offered hand, after Oliver had gone missing. But she had pushed him away, unable to face him or the rest of Oliver’s family.

As Dig parked his car in the garage, he gently pressed her hand. “Don’t be too harsh on yourself. It’s not your fault, Felicity.”

“I wasn’t there. I was so wrapped up in my pain… and then I left. Had I stayed, maybe I could have helped her? I know Oliver would have wanted me to help his sister.”

“What Oliver would have wanted is for you to keep on living your life. You couldn’t do that here. Thea wasn’t alone, she had her friends, Moira, Walter and Tommy. She still does. Maybe it’s just a phase, like… well like her brother.”

“Walter?” Felicity asked, surprised. She didn’t know Thea was friends with the CEO.

“Don’t you know? I thought I told you,” Dig frowned. “But then again, I’m not really into gossip. Walter and Moira have grown quite close ever since Robert died. They are getting married next month. Small ceremony, it was officially announced a couple of weeks ago.”

Felicity’s mouth opened in a small O. “Wow. I had no idea. They did seem to get on very well and… well. I’m happy for Mrs Queen. It must have been hard for her.”

Felicity was still trying to deal with everything she had just learned when they made their way back to their apartments. Despite Dig’s reassurance, and her own logic, she still felt guilty. She knew that there was very little she could have done, after all she was quite literally a stranger to Thea Queen. But it still didn’t set well with her to see Oliver’s beloved little sister losing herself.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she sat down on her bed, her tablet in hand. She quickly made some searches concerning the young Queen and it confirmed what Dig had told her. Lots of parties, inappropriate pictures, her grades in High School had plummeted in the last two years. She even found trace of an arrest, but she had been quickly released with no charges pressed in exchange for financial restitution to the owner of the shop she had raided with a couple of friends.

Sighing, she put the tablet back on her night stand and took off her glasses. Thea Queen was indeed going through a rough time and all Felicity could hope for was that she would follow her brother’s footsteps and eventually calm down and find her own place.

 

As she had expected, her first week back in Starling was mostly busy with meeting new people, getting accustomed to her new job. Ray had made sure the transition would be as smooth as possible and she couldn’t deny it felt good to see her old colleagues. The team she had originally been in charge of had changed, members being dispatched onto new projects or promoted. As the days went by, she felt much more assured concerning her new responsibilities. She realized that she had mostly been Ray’s second-in-command for a while now, even if it was unofficial. The two of them made a good team. He was good with all the engineering section, a bit of a dreamer and she was clearly the logical one, with a knack for technology - obviously.

When Saturday morning arrived, she put on her pair of panda flats, a nice shirt and, with the brand new car that PT had gotten for her as a bonus, finally took the road to the Queen Mansion, a pot of white daisies on the passenger seat. She had hesitated all week long, a part of her longing to go see him, the other dreading the inevitable pain it would bring her. What had made up her mind was that she needed to talk to him, somehow. It might have seemed futile to many people, but she needed to let him know that she had come back.

She had kept her promise.

It was barely 8 in the morning when she parked her car near the small spot of grass that was hosting Oliver’s empty grave. Unwilling to be interrupted, or to interrupt anyone, she had made sure to come early. Hands on the wheel, she stared at the tombstone for several minutes, trying to gather the courage to walk up to it. Her eyes travelled to the Mansion she could see further away behind a bunch of trees. It reminded her of the couple of nights she had spent there, and the time they had made love outside. It had been their last time, and so perfect, so beautiful, that she knew she’d never get the chance to live something like that again. She was clinging to every memory she had of him, some more than others, and the way he had whispered “I love you” that day was engraved in her mind. Drawing a shaky breath, she eventually opened her door, blinking the tears away. The sound of her steps on the gravel seemed so loud in the silence of the morning, comforting her in a way. It would only be the two of them.

There were flowers on his grave. Fresh. She put her daisies next to them, the plaque she had left two years ago still there, while most of the other ones were gone. Someone had been taking care of it too, she noticed. The black marble was still smooth, with no trace of the usual moss. Crouching, she let her fingers trace the words, biting her lips hard enough to draw blood.

“I miss you,” she eventually let out. “I miss you so much. There is not a day that goes by when I don’t think about you. Where we would be if you were still here. I hope we’d still be in bed, right now. Or you’d be making breakfast for us. I have a feeling you’d be the one cooking.” She huffed out a shaky laugh as she sat down on the grass, crossing her legs. “Sometimes, I wake up and… I forget you’re gone. For one second, I think that I just need to turn around and you’ll be near me but… you’re not there. And then I remember.”

She took a deep breath, her hands digging into the grass. “I brought you daisies. It’s the flowers you got me for my birthday. I can’t see them and not think about you, you know. And ferns. And puzzles. And a million other things that only remind me of you. A lot of people tell me that it’s time to let go and try to move on. But I don’t know how and I really wish someone could show me because I don’t know how to let go of you when you’re still a part of me. All I can think about is how unfair it is that we only got one week. If only I hadn’t been so stubborn, so proud and afraid of gossips. Those days with you were… they were perfection. You made me so happy and… I know I’ll never live that again and it’s hard to face the fact that this is going to be my life now.”

Felicity paused, the lump in her throat making it hard to speak. She dried the tears that were running on her face, her eyes fixed on his name. It was blurry through her tears, but still so beautiful, so elegant… so unfair that it was all that was left of him. A name. While he had been the most wonderful man she had ever met. Had loved her in a way she had never dreamed she would be loved, leaving this gigantic hole inside her heart that she knew would never be filled.

She told him about everything that happened during those two years. Her life in Manhattan. How she had climbed up the positions until becoming Vice-President.

“It’s funny because I still remember when you told me you couldn’t see me as just an IT girl. I never pictured myself as number two of a company like Palmer Tech, but… but you were right. I like it. It fills my life and it keeps me busy. I just… I wish I could share it with you. I hope you see it from where you are and… that you’re proud of me. I know I would have never gotten where I am if it weren't for you.”

Looking back on her life, seeing how much she had changed from that morning in March when she had walked into Queen Consolidated for the first time… she had often wondered how things would have turned out if she hadn’t missed her interview. Oliver had helped her grow. He had made her confident, assured. Stronger. He had always believed in her, always encouraged her to pursue her dreams. It wasn’t just the way he had loved her, but how he had always been by her side, right from the beginning. He had never doubted her, doubted what she could achieve. That faith in her had pushed her forward and it was to honor him that she had kept fighting.

When she was eventually done talking, she stayed where she was for long minutes, listening to the little birds chirping around her. She could feel the sun getting higher, heating her back and despite the tears, felt a bit better than when she had arrived, like a small part of the weight she had been carrying around for so long had finally lifted. The pain was still there. Just a little more bearable. Standing up, she brushed her pants, and after a small hesitation, kissed the tips of her fingers, then gently pressed them against his name.

She suddenly froze when she heard footsteps on the gravel, then straightened up, an apology already ready to spill from her lips as she turned around.

“Hi,” Thea said with a small wave of her hand.

“Oh. I’m so sorry. I… I should have asked but… I’m sorry, I was just leaving.”

“No. Please. I just saw you and… it’s mostly me who comes these days and… it feels good to see someone else.”

Felicity smiled at her, nodding softly. Thea was wearing a simple pair of jeans and an oversized T-shirt, her face make-up free. She was miles away from the girl she had seen pictures of in the tabloids, and Felicity suddenly felt a surge of protectiveness for the girl who was, in many ways, still a child.

“You… you’re Felicity, right? You were Ollie’s…” Thea huffed out a small embarrassed laugh. “I don’t know what you were exactly but… I know you were very special to him.”

“He was very special to me too. And yes, I’m Felicity.”

“Why did I never see you here?” Thea asked, a hint of suspicion in her tone.

“I moved to New York a few months after Oliver… passed away. I just came back. And… I tried to come for the ceremony but I couldn’t manage to get out of the car,” Felicity explained, her voice soft and quiet.

“You… you didn’t miss much,” Thea explained, her tone softer. “It was a bunch of people who… didn’t really know him that well, I think. I like the daisies. Two years ago, there was a pot of daisies, too. And the plaque. Did you-”

“Yes,” Felicity interrupted her. “I… I had to come and say goodbye before leaving. And I wanted… I wanted something to stay with him.”

“I like it. I made sure it stayed clean.”

“Thank you,” Felicity breathed, understanding that Thea had been the one taking care of it all these months. “I’m sorry, Thea. I should have asked about you. I was so caught up in my own pain that…”

“No. I mean, we had never really met. It wasn’t your job,” Thea shook her head. “I wish we could have met differently but… I’m glad I finally can put a face to your name.”

“Me too. Although, technically, I already knew your face,” Felicity smiled, twisting her hands. This was the perfect moment to talk to Thea. Let her know that Oliver had wanted so much more for her. But how exactly could she bring that up when they were visiting his grave?

“I don’t… I don’t want to force you or anything, but… you know, maybe we could get tea or coffee?” Thea eventually asked, shoving her hands in her pockets. “If you feel like it, I mean. Not today, you probably have things to do but if you want to talk about-”

“I’d love to,” Thea cut her off, her eyes lighting up for the first time since she had arrived. “You could come inside, if you want. Mom and Walter are gone for the weekend. It’s… it’s just me.”

Felicity’s heart sank at the loneliness in her voice. She nodded, and let Thea lead the way back to the Mansion.

“You know… Oliver talked a lot about you. He didn’t really like seeing you growing up, to be honest,” Felicity laughed slightly as they started to walk slowly. “He… he told me he was hoping you wouldn’t make the same mistakes he did.”

“... what kind of mistakes?” Thea asked, frowning.

“Losing yourself. He knew first hand how heavy the responsibilities could be and didn’t want you to struggle with them the same way he had.”

“Oh, I’m not. I don’t want anything to do with QC,” Thea snorted, her steps now faster. “That company cost me my father and my brother. I don’t want it.”

“Is that why you didn’t apply to College?” Felicity asked, biting her lips when she realized she wasn’t supposed to know that. Hacking into Thea’s personal High School file wasn’t something she should brag about.

“How… how do you even know that?”

“It… doesn’t matter. I’m not judging you, Thea-”

“Oh, really? Because it really sounds like that’s exactly what you’re doing. I already have my mother, Walter and Tommy lecturing me, I don’t need Oliver’s former secretary as well!” Thea snapped, stopping abruptly and facing her.

Felicity pinched her lips, forcing herself to ignore the pain Thea’s words caused her. She knew the young girl was hurting and lashing out. “All I’m saying is I remember Oliver telling me that if you didn’t want to get involved with QC, he would help you find your own way.”

“But he’s not here, is he? He’s gone, and so is dad. It’s not because you had an office affair with my brother that you suddenly get to tell me how to live my life.”

“I am not, Thea, I’m only trying to help,” Felicity tried to placate the young woman.

Thea snorted, rolling her eyes. “I don’t need your help. You know what? I thought we could just talk about Ollie, because you seemed like you cared too but guess I was wrong. You just wanted to scold Thea Queen about how she’s ruining her life. Well, news flash: you’re gonna have to wait for your turn, there’s a long line apparently.”

Felicity blinked, taken aback by the sudden outrage. She could see in Thea’s eyes that she was in pain, and lost and terribly lonely. But her experience in handling siblings or teenagers was… completely nonexistent. She forced herself to ignore the pain her words were causing, but she was too shocked to move when Thea started to stomp her way back to her home.

_“That’s why I’d like Thea to meet you.”_

Suddenly, she remembered with a perfect clarity the talk she had had with Oliver, here, at the Mansion. How he knew the danger of the privileged life he led and how he wanted her to help him ground Thea.

It was enough to make her move and before she even knew it, she was running after the young woman. She joined her while Thea was about to open the door and Felicity violently closed it back.

Thea looked at her, gaping, but Felicity cut her off before she even had the time to say anything.

“I knew your brother better than most people. And he loved you more than anything else. He spent half an hour in a souvenir shop in Vegas trying to find a gift for you. He talked about you all the time, about how you were the best of the family, how he hoped he was setting a good example for you. How he wanted you to be happy and choose your own way. I know you’re hurting, Thea. I am too. I lost him too. And I don’t pretend like I know what it’s like to lose a brother, because I never had any siblings. It was just my mom and I when I grew up. But I know that you must miss him every single day. Because I do too. And whether you like it or not, shoplifting, partying, and drinking isn’t going to make you forget. I want to help you. Because if Oliver was still here, that’s what he’d do.”

Felicity rummaged through her purse, fishing out a small business card. She shoved it in Thea’s hand, who was apparently too stunned to resist.

“Call me. We can go get coffee or lunch or anything you want. But if you think I’m going to watch you throw your life away and do nothing, you’re wrong. Unless you can look me in the eye and tell me that what you are doing is what you would be doing if Oliver was still here, I’m not going to walk away from you.”

Felicity took a deep breath while Thea was still staring at the small piece of paper in her hand. “Although, technically, I am going to walk away right now, but that’s because I have some grocery shopping to do.”

She turned around then, leaving a speechless Thea behind. She forbade herself to look behind her until she made it to her car, and only then did she allow herself a glance in the rearview mirror. Thea was still standing by the door, her head down.

 

As Felicity made her way to the supermarket, she replayed her conversation with Thea over and over again in her head. Had she been too harsh? Had she overstepped? She had no right to talk to her the way she had. But she couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. So she had done what she would have done with Oliver: forcing Thea to face her choices and handle the responsibility of her actions, while proposing to help her. It had worked with the brother, all she could hope was that it would work with the sister.

“Please, let them be similar in that aspect,” Felicity groaned as she waited at a stop light.

In all honesty, she still didn’t know why she had felt the sudden urge to grab Thea by her shoulders and shake her. Was it regrets? Remorse for not being there sooner? Or just overall sadness that Oliver’s sister was now without the support she knew he would have given her unconditionally?

Even if Felicity had been gone two years, even if in many ways she had forced herself to move on from her loss, even if she and Oliver only had a very short time together, she knew that something would always bind her to the Queen family, whether they knew it or not. She had loved Oliver so deeply that she still bore the marks on her soul. Their love had imprinted on her, and she just could not stand there and do nothing to help Oliver’s little sister. She would give Thea one week and if she didn’t hear from her again, she’d improvise. Maybe call for Tommy’s help? She hadn’t seen him in a long time. They had crossed paths once in Starling, shortly before Christmas and it had been quite clear that it had brought up painful memories for the two of them. They had made small talk in front of a pastry shop, both pretending to ignore how the Christmas decorations reminded them of another occasion, and how someone was clearly missing from the equation. She had apologized for not returning his calls right after the news of the Gambit sinking had been made public, and he had nodded, a gentle smile stretching his lips, his eyes soft and understanding. They had parted ways with a hug that, for some reason, had lasted more than conventions usually ask for, as if they knew there was a chance they’d never see each other again. No matter how heart-warming it had been to see Tommy’s friendly face, she could still remember the pain of being reminded so brutally of what she was missing. It had been getting cold in Starling that day, with even a bit of snow. If life had been fair, Oliver would have made her hot chocolate and they would have cuddled in front of an old movie. He would have probably begged for her help to get his sister a decent present and she would have tried to show him her own traditions. That’s what their first holiday season should have looked like.

Instead, she had been alone, sleeping in his hoodie, clutching his pillow and waking up with swollen eyes. That was when she had decided she needed some air. She needed to move on, to take her distance from Starling because every single day brought along a painful memory. It had taken another four months before everything could be settled down at work, and when Ray had offered her a promotion in New York, she hadn’t hesitated. She had left, left behind this city that only reminded her of him and what they had had. What she had lost, by a cruel twist of fate.

But she was back now. She had healed, or as much as she could. She was still missing him and she probably would for the rest of her life but she had finally reached the point where sadness and bitterness were slowly replaced by the gratitude to have known him, and been loved by him.

It was obvious Thea still wasn’t there. The young girl was still eaten alive by rage and pain and Felicity knew if no one stepped up to help her, it could ruin her life. She owed it to Oliver to help his sister.

She owed it to herself.

  


“You know what I think about this, Ray. Yes, it could bring a lot of benefits, but we would be going backwards in terms of our eco-friendly image. It would hurt us in the long run.” Felicity opened the door at Palmer Tech, welcoming the sunshine on her face. It was the end of a very, very long Monday where she had gone head to head with several executives concerning a new project of theirs. One she clearly didn’t approve.

“I know, but that’s why I’m asking you. Is there a way to make it more green? Maybe we need to create our own set of rules?”

“No. Relocating our factories to Bangladesh means our image will be damaged. Not to mention, the company is doing great, why do we need to have people lose their jobs here?”

“But the profit would go directly into the research department, it would be a win-win. We could hire more bright people to come up with bright ideas and so on.”

“Ray,” Felicity sighed as she stopped on the steps leading to Palmer Tech. He stopped as well, turning to face her.

“Yes?”

“Do you really think we will be able to have as much control over the quality if the factories are halfway across the world?”

“... Well, of course not. But we would send people there…”

“People who do not know the country, the language, the culture.”

“... OK you have a point there. But it still could be valuable.”

“Losing our image as a respectful, clean, eco-friendly, economically responsible company isn’t worth the profits we’re going to make. We would end up being exactly like everybody else, Ray!”

“We can still impose a certain set of rules regarding the factories, you know what Sean said.”

“Bangladesh doesn’t have the same technology and the same resources as we do here. We would lose the financial supports from the state.”

Ray sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, I thought about that too. I just feel like there are so many great ideas out there and we need more people to come up with them. Relocating would create a budget to hire those people.”

Pushing her sunglasses back on her nose, Felicity shook her head. “You’re a dreamer, Ray. And I’ll never hold that against you because you hired me on an impulse.”

“Exactly! Look how that turned out!” Ray grinned, his hands pointing to the enormous building behind them.

“But you also asked me to be Vice-President because you knew you needed someone to ground you.”

“... yeah, that too.”

“Let’s compromise. I would like a survey. Ask people why they buy Palmer Tech. Include all those reasons I told you about. And if those reasons really appear to be minimal in their opinions, then we have grounds to actually consider Sean’s proposition.”

Frowning, Ray seemed to ponder her words. “That seems fair. We’ll talk about it at Wednesday’s meeting?”

“OK.”

Felicity smiled as he took off, his usual bounce back in his steps. She was just about to follow him when  a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Startled, she turned around, her eyebrows reaching her hairline when she saw who was in front of her.

She gaped, blinking. “... Thea?”

The teenager smiled at her awkwardly, shifting on her feet. “Hi.”

“Hum… hi!” Felicity answered automatically, her throat feeling suddenly constricted when she saw how sheepish the young girl was. She reminded her so much of how Oliver had behaved when he had waited for her the first time at Palmer Tech that it took her a few seconds to gather her bearings. “What… what are you doing here?”

Thea winced, her eyes travelling past Felicity’s shoulder. “I saw you worked here. On the business card you gave me and… and I was passing by.”

Felicity tilted her head, observing her quietly. Thea was fidgety, and obviously uncomfortable. There was also a bit of shame in her eyes, and it only convinced her that Thea hadn’t just walked by.

“I’ve had a long day. Would you like to get a coffee?” Felicity finally asked, hoping her instinct was right and that Thea had indeed come for a purpose.

“I… I’d like that.”

They barely talked on their way to the small coffee shop Felicity had discovered on her second day, the street still busy with people going back home after a long day of work.

“I’m sorry,” Thea blurted out as soon as they were seated, each with a frappuccino in hand. “I was so bitchy and… you didn’t deserve that.”

“It’s… it’s OK. I understand I caught you off guard and as you said yourself... we never even met before.” Felicity smiled reassuringly, taking a sip of her coffee. Truth be told, yes, Thea had been pretty rude and borderline mean, but Felicity didn’t want to start their conversation with a blame game.

Thea stayed silent for a while, biting on her lower lip as if she didn’t know where to start. Felicity leaned back on her chair, knowing there was no point in rushing her.

“Ollie told me a lot about you, you know. When we went on our fishing trip.”

“The fishing trip that involved no fishing because both of you hate that?” Felicity grinned.

Thea huffed out a laugh, her shoulders relaxing. “Yes, that one. The very first thing he told me about you was that you were crazy smart. I knew you were special then because...well… you know how he used to be with girls.”

“Oh yes, believe me, I know,” Felicity snorted, a few mental pictures going through her mind. 

“I’m sorry you didn’t have a lot of time with him,” Thea murmured softly, their eyes meeting for the first time. “At least most of my life is filled with memories of him but… I know you two were very in love and it’s not fair you only got so little time.”

Felicity gulped, blinking the tears away. It was the first time someone actually pointed out how cruel it had been, instead of disregarding their little time together. And knowing it was his little sister, the one person she had met who seemed to be struggling with his death the most… it almost seemed as if the moment was binding the two of them somehow. Both recognizing that no matter how different their pains were, they were just as intense and brutal. “Thank you. He talked about you constantly, about the silliest things.” She snorted suddenly as she remembered a conversation. “Do you know he didn’t want to cut his hair because, and I quote, you used to play with it?”

“What?” Thea grinned. “I stopped playing with his hair when I was… twelve or something.”

“I don’t think he really liked the idea of you growing up. He almost fainted when I reminded him you were probably going to get a driver's license soon.”

And just like that, they broke the ice. They talked about all the memories they had of him, each one of them filling in the blanks and it felt good, it felt so good to finally share him with somebody else. She had spent two and a half years keeping him inside of her heart, cherishing him because no one could really understand. Dig had been there of course. Always there to listen and talk about him but it wasn’t the same. Dig had a lost a friend, a close friend. Felicity had lost the love of her life. Thea had lost her big brother. Both women had found themselves very alone in their pain because the relationship they each had with Oliver was unique.

Once they were done with their frappuccinos, they ordered a salad and what was just a coffee date took them until the closing hour of the coffee shop. They were walking back to Palmer Tech where they had both left their cars, when the conversation turned more serious.

“You know, you were right. About college, I mean. I didn’t apply to any.”

“Why?” Felicity asked in a voice as neutral as could be.

“I just don’t know what I want to do,” Thea shrugged. “I have no idea. Mom wants me to do something that could be useful for QC, like marketing. Which is what Ollie did. I… I don’t want to work for QC. I don’t think so, at least.”

Felicity noticed the change of tone compared to what Thea had told her at the Mansion. QC was where her dad and brother had worked, and she could understand it wasn’t exactly a happy place to her. But she wasn’t as virulent anymore.

“Oliver told me that… if you didn’t want to go to college right away, you both considered an internship. Maybe you should try that? It would keep you busy, and also maybe working there would help you at least consider your options? You might find a field you like, for instance.”

“Just the idea of working for my mom… she’s been so strange ever since Ollie died. Nothing I do is good enough, and we barely talk.”

“Well you could ask to work for someone else? I still remember a few people who were very decent and you could start with them?” Felicity asked, still remembering Mrs Grey and Mr Lewis. They had been good people, good at their jobs and professional.

“I don’t think I want to work there. No… I know I don’t want to work there.” Thea shook her head. “This company… it took my dad and my brother. I hate it.”

Felicity frowned, her steps slowing down. “I understand that your father died while on a business trip but Oliver…”

“Oliver died on a boat that had the Queen name on it, just like that helicopter. I mean what were the odds? My dad and then my brother a few months later, both in a freak accident involving a mode of transportation that bears the Queen name. The boat was apparently never found, and the helicopter was so destroyed they couldn’t find any element either. It’s like the Queen name is cursed. The company went into drama after drama until Ollie died. It’s almost as if karma was satisfied, because afterwards, it all calmed down.”

Something in Felicity’s brain came to life at that moment. Something blurry and muffled, as if her mind was trying to tell her something, trying to connect dots, but despite the tragic similarities, she couldn’t see any connection. She shook her head, willing herself to not go down that road again. She had accepted that Oliver’s death had been a terrible accident, with no one to blame. Trying to find a culprit when there was none would only drive her insane.

They had finally arrived at Thea’s car when Felicity suddenly had an inspiration. “So you don’t want to go to college and don’t want to be an intern at QC. You also don’t know what you want to do, right?”

Thea winced as she opened her door. “When you put it like that, my future doesn’t sound very optimistic.”

“... Well… instead of Queen Consolidated, what do you think about Palmer Tech?”

The surprise on Thea’s face was followed by a hesitant smile. “I’d work for you?”

“Technically, you’d be an intern for the whole company. I can pull some strings and have you work in several departments. You can take the year to explore what it’s like to work in the business world. Maybe you’ll find something you like, maybe you won’t, but at least-”

“At least I’d be doing something,” Thea finished for her. “Ollie… he told me I could work as an intern for him.”

“I know. I think he’d have liked that.”

“I think so too. And I wouldn’t have my mother hovering over my shoulder constantly, which is another big plus. I’m just… I don’t have many skills. Apart from shopping, I mean.”

“Maybe we should start with the Mergers and Acquisition department, then.” Felicity chuckled as Thea huffed out a small laugh.

“You’re not doing this just because you feel bad for me, right?”

“No. I’m doing this because I know Oliver would want you to find your way and if he’s not there to help you do it, I’ll gladly fill in. He helped me find my place too, you know. Also because I know how much a change of scenery can help. I didn’t move all the way across the country for no reason, Thea. I feel bad that I wasn’t there for you at first, too. And most importantly, you’re obviously smart, with great social skills. We all need a little help once in awhile. Plus… I’d like to get to know you better. If you want to.”

“Tonight was the first time in more than two years when I finally got to talk about Ollie without feeling angry or sad. Even with Tommy it’s… he’s trying to be there but… he mostly knew Ollie the party boy so it kinda pisses me off when he tries to lecture me. You knew a different Ollie and he was… he was so much closer to my big brother. So yeah… I’d like that too.”

They both shared a smile and, after Felicity promised to call her during the week, Thea took off.

 

 

When Felicity finally made her way back to her apartment, it was almost 10PM. The streets were dark and silent, but her mood was much better than it had been in the last few days. After a quick shower, she went straight to bed, happy about her day. She had finally been able to get to know Thea, and the two of them had spent a good moment, and it almost felt as if she was moving again, slowly catching up with the world of the living.

Feeling peaceful, she turned off the light and made herself comfortable on her pillows, exhausted by the emotional talk.

Only to switch on the light two minutes later when Thea’s words mixed up with Oliver’s.

_“... The boat was apparently never found, and the helicopter was so destroyed they couldn’t find any element either. It’s like the Queen name is cursed. The company went into drama after drama until Ollie died. It’s almost as if karma was satisfied, because afterwards, it all calmed down.”_

_“I found something last night… It’s about my dad. He left me a letter that he never got the chance to send me… I found out some things about… he wasn’t exactly the man I thought he was.”_

Her heart beating faster, she sat up, pushing the covers away. Something had always nagged her. How cruel fate had been towards the Queen family, towards Oliver, towards her. But Thea was right. After Oliver had gone missing… it had all calmed down. No more explosions, no more freak accidents. It was either karma… or something else.

What had Oliver found out about his father, that fateful night?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo... what did you think?!
> 
> I think most of you now understand why I never had Felicity and Thea meet in HGW. I was saving that moment so they could bond just the two of them, over their love for Oliver. Also, I wanted Felicity to help Thea and it wouldn't have made much sense if she had known her and had left for NY for two years, while Thea was obviously struggling. 
> 
> Find me on twitter @PimsiePim and tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com


	3. Thinking Of You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Here is chapter 2 (btw... it's very frustrating that AO3 started right away with 1. for the prologue. I know it makes sense but it messes up with me because, for AO3 this is the third chapter, but for me it's only the second one. Trying to force myself to rethink it but it's hard, cause I've been living with those chapters for weeks now), where you will find out more about... nah. I'm not gonna tell you, I'll let you find out yourself ;)
> 
> Special thanks to Pidanka and Mysticaledetectivepanda, my usual editers/beta/delta/moral supports/Diggle and Felicity to my Oliver.
> 
> Song Thinking of you - Katy Perry

**"Thinking Of You"**

 

 

Comparisons are easily done  
Once you've had a taste of perfection  
Like an apple hanging from a tree  
I picked the ripest one  
I still got the seed

You said move on  
Where do I go?  
I guess second best  
Is all I will know

'Cause when I'm with him  
I am thinking of you  
Thinking of you  
What you would do if  
You were the one  
Who was spending the night  
Oh I wish that I  
Was looking into your eyes

You're like an Indian summer  
In the middle of winter  
Like a hard candy  
With a surprise center  
How do I get better  
Once I've had the best?  
You said there's  
Tons of fish in the water  
So the waters I will test

He kissed my lips  
I taste your mouth  
He pulled me in  
I was disgusted with myself

'Cause when I'm with him  
I am thinking of you  
Thinking of you  
What you would do if  
You were the one  
Who was spending the night  
Oh I wish that I  
Was looking into...

You're the best  
And yes I do regret  
How I could let myself  
Let you go  
Now, now the lesson's learned  
I touched it I was burned  
Oh I think you should know

'Cause when I'm with him  
I am thinking of you  
Thinking of you  
What you would do if  
You were the one  
Who was spending the night  
Oh I wish that I  
Was looking into your eyes  
Looking into your eyes  
Looking into your eyes  
Oh won't you walk through  
And bust in the door  
And take me away  
Oh no more mistakes  
'Cause in your eyes I'd like to stay... stay.

 

 

_"Come on, sleepy head. Time to wake up.”_

_Felicity groaned, burying herself underneath the covers. Oliver was pressed against her back, his chin grazing the crook of her neck. He was peppering little kisses over her cheek, his fingers stroking the bare skin of her stomach. She was still mostly asleep, his warm hands relaxing her more than anything else._

_She hummed when his mouth closed on the tip of her ear, his tongue stroking the lobe._

_“I’ll make you a bagel,” Oliver whispered as she started to stroke his arm lazily._

_Keeping her eyes closed, she turned around, nestling her face against his chest, smelling the softener on his t-shirt. Her hands gripped the fabric, rubbing her nose against it while he pressed a soft kiss on the top of her head._

_“It’s Monday, honey. You have to go to work,” Oliver chuckled in her ear as she shook her head vigorously._

_“Don’t want to,” she mumbled, the sound completely muffled. She was so warm and safe in his arms, she just didn’t want to move. Mondays be damned._

_“You’re supposed to see Dig for lunch. And you have that meeting you told me about.”_

_“I can call in sick.”_

_“And what will you do all day?”_

_“I’ll stay here with you. It actually sounds like the best idea ever.”_

_“Alright… but if you want to call in sick, you’re going to have to open your eyes at least.”_

_“... I don’t want to.”_

_“Why?”_

_“Because then you’ll be gone.”_

_“I never really leave you, Felicity. You know that.”_

 

Sighing, Felicity finally forced her eyes open. It was Monday morning, the sun was already bright. And she was alone. Just like she had been for the last 32 months. She stared at the pillow she had been holding closely, and eventually loosened her grip. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes, exhaling loudly. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. The first few months after Oliver had disappeared, every morning had been similar, her brain imagining him so perfectly she could almost feel him next to her. Eventually, it had happened less and less but there were still some mornings where she could almost smell him by her side.

As she was waiting for her coffee to be ready, eating a bowl of granola, she glanced at the mess that had taken over her dining room. Since last week and her talk with Thea, she had spent most of her free time digging up everything she could find about the Gambit and Robert Queen’s death. Which wasn’t much, apart from scientific data. The investigation into the helicopter crash had been shut down quite fast, something that hadn’t really bothered her back then, but now seemed weirdly suspicious. Especially looking back at all the events that had happened to the Queen family before and after Robert’s death. When it came to the Gambit, the boat had never been found by the Chinese Coast Guard but what surprised her the most was that Moira Queen had never seemed to pressure the authorities. Felicity had assumed that after weeks of searching, the Chinese government had decided to cut the resources dedicated to retrieving what would only be a coffin but it came as a surprise to realize that the Queen family had seemed satisfied with that outcome, despite their public declarations. After a month, the private firm Moira had hired had stopped receiving payments and no one had tried to look for clues concerning the accident.

Back then, Felicity had been young and resourceless, not to mention unable to see past how she was going to make it through the next day. But she had always thought, based on QC’s official statements, that everything had been done in order to retrieve what was left of the Gambit.

Apparently, it hadn’t been the case.

Why?

It could be that Moira, after losing her husband and son in a matter of months, had felt overwhelmed and exhausted with grief, sensing that she would never find an answer to her questions. It actually made sense in a way except… that wasn’t the Moira Felicity had gotten to know. If anything, seeing how Thea had been struggling with the loss of her father and brother, Moira Queen should have pushed until they found an answer, whatever it was.

As she got ready for her day, Felicity forced herself to push the memories back in a corner of her mind. She wasn’t exactly in a position to judge anyone’s way of handling grief, and there might be things she wasn’t aware of. Not to mention, it had happened almost three years ago, and it would take much more than a bit of hacking to find out about everyone’s motivations. Maybe the Queens had been made aware of a few facts she didn’t have.

She was walking down the stairs, her flowy skirt playing across her legs, when she saw Mrs Branson, probably the nosiest neighbor in the whole building, waiting by the main door. Felicity groaned, knowing there was no way to avoid her, mentally preparing herself for yet another conversation about her love life, or lack thereof.  Mrs Branson had been a widow for two decades now, and a few months after Oliver’s death, had started to pester her about how someone as young as Felicity shouldn’t stay single. Her two years away hadn’t changed the old lady’s opinion in the slightest. Unfortunately.

“Felicity, you look lovely today,” Mrs Branson welcomed her with a smile, slipping a newspaper underneath her arm.

“Thank you. Is that a new haircut?” Felicity replied politely, hoping it would be able to divert the conversation.

“Well, yes. It’s a bit shorter, I figured it was time for a change. Also, my grandson is visiting me this weekend, I don’t want him to think I’m one of those old grannies.”

“Oh really? That’s nice of him to visit you.”

“Yes. He just finished his PhD. He’s a bright young man, you know. Actually, you two should meet up. He’s a few years older, and has a bright future ahead of him.”

_There we go._

Felicity pinched her lips, willing herself to stay calm. “Thank you, Mrs Branson but as I told you… several times already, I am not really into dating at the moment.”

"Nonsense!" Mrs Branson huffed, lightly tapping Felicity’s arm with her newspaper. “Look at you, you can’t spend the rest of your life alone and miserable. Go out, have fun! You’re barely 25 and my social life is busier than yours!”

“I am also the Vice-President of a big company. I do not have time for dates and fun times,” Felicity gritted through her teeth. “And I am not miserable.”

Mrs Branson looked contrite at her words, her face softening. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. But we both know it would be the same if you were still a normal employee. That’s not what Oliver would want for you if he was still alive, Felicity.”

“If he was still alive, Oliver would probably want us to move in together and get a dog. So I think we can agree that this is a moot point.” Felicity shook her head, trying to walk past the older woman. The last thing she wanted to think about on a Monday morning was what her future would have looked like if Oliver hadn’t gotten on that damn boat.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Mrs Branson sighed. “I just think that spending all of your time at work or in that same old apartment isn’t very healthy for a young woman like you. Go out, have a few drinks, it doesn’t have to be anything serious but at some point, you’ll have to start living again.”

Felicity squared her shoulders, feeling her temper rising. She was already getting scolded by her mother every time she had her on the phone, and having her neighbour follow the same path was really pushing her limits.

“Mrs Branson, I appreciate your concern. But it’s unnecessary. I’m very content at the moment and I also have a very busy life. I’m not looking for anything else.”

“Alright, alright,” Mrs Branson raised her hands. “It’s your life, indeed. If you change your mind, my Braddy will be here on Friday night.”

 

Felicity was still in a sour mood when she walked into her office, offering a small, tense smile to Daniela as she passed by her. Dropping her bags on the floor, she shrugged out of her jacket, setting it on a hanger with a deep sigh. It wasn’t the first time Mrs Branson had cornered her since she’d been back but she was getting more and more pushy each time. She knew the woman had only good intentions, and probably saw her as a daughter figure more than anything else but it still rubbed her the wrong way. People had been expecting her to move on from Oliver easily, the two of them having been together for barely a week before he died.

But she hadn’t been able to. People didn’t know that their relationship had started long before they had become a couple. They didn’t know that being loved by him was a once in a lifetime experience that she knew she’d never get again. They didn’t know how it felt to be 21 years-old and lose the love of your life, having this long path ahead of you that at first had seemed promising and bright, only to turn dark and lonely because he wouldn’t be by your side. Any other relationship seemed dull compared to what they had shared and she couldn’t bring herself to pretend she could move on from that and find someone she could love as much as she had loved him.

She couldn’t even fathom saying I love you to someone else, when she had never had the chance to tell him in the first place. It wasn’t right.

“Your face made me think you really needed a double shot of caramel in your latte,” Daniela’s soft voice interrupted her depressing thoughts as she put down a mug on her desk.

Felicity smiled gratefully, sitting down on her chair, already gripping the hot beverage. “You have no idea. And since when can you make lattes?”

“I… well it’s just coffee with frothed milk and a bit of that caramel syrup, you know,” Daniela shrugged, avoiding her eyes.

“I didn’t even know you knew how to make frothed milk,” Felicity huffed out a laugh, taking a sip of coffee. She paused then, frowning. “I didn’t even know we had a milk frother.”

Daniela bit her lower lip nervously. “I’m sorry… I…”

“What? What’s wrong? Did you steal one?” Felicity snorted as she started her computer.

“No. It’s… God, Felicity, I’m sorry but… do you remember, back in our old headquarters, you asked me to pack your things before you moved out to New York?”

“Yeah… what does it have to do with…” Felicity trailed off, her eyes clouding as she realized where Daniela was heading. “Oh.”

“Yes. I’m sorry. I found all of the presents Oliver had sent you and stored them in a box. I kept them, you know, because you had promised to come back and even if you didn’t, I thought maybe one day you’d be ready to… I mean you’d want them.”

Felicity smiled, nodding her head in reassurance. “I broke his coffee maker.”

“... what?” Daniela asked, obviously caught off guard.

“Oliver. Back when I was his EA. He pissed me off, asked me to make coffee for his guests because he knew very well I had refused from the get go to do so. So… I broke his coffee maker. With a milk frother.”

“That’s why he sent you one,” Daniela murmured in wonder. “Thank God, I really thought you guys had some very kinky fetish. Seriously, though… he didn’t fire you?”

“No,” Felicity grinned, remembering. “He actually liked it. He was also probably relieved I went after his coffee maker rather than his car, this time.”

“... You broke his car?” Daniela asked, gaping. She sat down, resting her hands on Felicity’s desk. “Your agenda is clear for the next hour, tell me more.”

“I didn’t break it. Just… sabotaged it. Because he had-”

“Pissed you off, yeah I’m kinda seeing a pattern there. Wow.”

Felicity shrugged. “We had a very unusual employee-boss relationship.”

“If you don’t mind me asking… the stapler?”

“I tried to assault him with it once. But only because I thought he was a thief!” Felicity giggled, remembering the day she had heard some noise in the archive room, thinking it was the private detective Laurel had hired.

It had been quite a while since she had thought about all those moments they had spent working together and it made her smile, realizing once more how unconventional their partnership had been from the get go. Of course, it only reminded her again of how special their relationship had been and how it had built up slowly, but in the end, she had no regrets. She’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Daniela spent the next hour with her. They didn’t talk anymore about Oliver or QC, but went through Felicity’s agenda and plans for the week. Felicity also mentioned Thea, asking if there was any progress on her internship. Daniela promised to look into it right away and get all the paperwork done as soon as possible.

Truth be told, Felicity wasn’t sure how seriously the young Queen had considered her proposition. She had been enthusiastic, yes, but that didn’t mean she would follow through. Yet, Felicity wanted to be prepared, just in case. She had a feeling Thea’s trust was very fragile and didn’t want to give her any reason to doubt how serious she had been when she had offered her that internship. At least it was something she could do, even if it didn’t feel like much.

“Alright, then. I’ll get right on it. I’m still not sure all departments accept interns, but at the very least she could work here or in Public Relations. Apparently, Human Resources would accept her, too.” Daniela stood up, pushing her chair back. She was about to walk to the door when Felicity called her back on an impulse.

“Daniela?”

“Yes?”

Licking her lips nervously, Felicity shifted on her chair, unsure of herself. Taking a deep breath, she eventually made up her mind and asked the question that had been nagging her ever since she had walked away from Mrs Branson.

“Do you think… do you think it’s time? For me to move on, I mean?” She eventually asked, averting her eyes.

For a few seconds, only silence welcomed her question and it was enough to make her raise her head and meet Daniela’s eyes. They were full of understanding, even if there was a hint of surprise in them.

“Is this what was bothering you?” Daniela eventually asked, leaning her hips against the desk.

“... yes,” Felicity admitted, then proceeded to tell her about her small encounter with her neighbour, as well as her own mother’s repeated sermons.

“Can I be really honest with you?” Daniela eventually winced.

Bracing herself, Felicity nodded. She had asked for her opinion, after all. She was ready to hear it.

“It’s been more than two and a half years since Oliver’s been gone. I think… I think if you moved on now no one in their right mind would be shocked. I mean, Moira Queen is getting married and she lost her husband barely a few months before Oliver.”

“I know. And honestly, I’m not shocked about her getting married. But I still feel like I would betray Oliver if I started dating someone else. Also… I don’t want to. I really feel like I don’t want to.”

“The thing is… are you sure you don’t want to, or have you grown so used to being celibate that you can’t actually imagine going out with someone? Maybe if you tried, you’d see you’ve missed it?”

“So you think I should give it a try?”

“No. Not really. I mean yes. Ugh… I don’t know,” Daniela huffed out a dry laugh, and her confusion brought a small smile to Felicity’s lips as well. “What I mean is that maybe at some point you should give it a try. Not force yourself, but hey a drink never hurt anyone, right? Doesn’t mean you’ll get into another relationship. See if the reason why you don’t want to do it is actually a good reason and not just you protecting yourself. But on the other hand, if it takes you another five years to be ready, then so be it.”

“I just don’t think I’ll ever want to be with anybody else. And it scares me so much,” Felicity breathed, leaning back against her chair. The familiar burn in her eyes was back and she blinked, trying to get rid of it. “I’m not even 25 and it just feels like… I already had my chance. I already had my love story and… it’s gone now. All that is left is second best. No one will ever compare to him. I know I should be thankful, because I had him, even if it was for such a short time. He was all mine and it was perfect and many people never get to live that at all. But… but how can you be happy with good when you had the best? I just have my entire life in front of me and… it shouldn’t be in front of me. It should be in front of **us**.”

“You still see yourself as his girlfriend,” Daniela smiled warmly. “You haven’t crossed that bridge yet. But I think it’s time for you to do so and start seeing yourself as just Felicity again. That doesn’t mean someone will replace him.”

Felicity sniffled, nodding. “You’re right. I know you’re right. God… I really have the most depressing thoughts on Monday, don’t I?”

Daniela laughed, tilting her head. “Yes, you really do. But it’s good that you’re starting to talk about it. It’s an important step. I think it actually calls for Margaritas tonight, what do you think?”

Felicity was already shaking her head, about to decline when she realized she would have to force herself at some point. Daniela was right. A night out, a few drinks, even a date, didn’t mean a relationship. It was just a first step. “Yes. I think I need that.”

 

Which was how both girls ended up in a bar later that night. They knew they wouldn’t make it late, but Felicity couldn’t deny that picking out her clothes, applying makeup, even if it was just for a girl night, felt good.

They sat at the bar, enjoying the music and making small talk, keeping things light and drama free. They hadn’t talked about Oliver after their little conversation that morning, and Felicity was grateful for Daniela’s understanding. She had needed to talk to someone, help her see things from another perspective, and preferably someone whose main goal wasn’t to set her up with her grand-son - like Mrs Branson, or any other male above 25 - like her mother.

It turned out that two margaritas was all it took to convince her to dance. And what had started as a small night out between two friends turned into a table of six sometime during her third drink. A few of Daniela’s friends joined them, and even if Felicity was uncomfortable at first, she soon relaxed once more. They were actually a friendly bunch, two boys and two girls who were mostly there for the music. Thankfully, Daniela never left her side and knowing she wasn’t alone put her at ease. Brett, the man who was sitting directly next to her, tried to make conversation with her but the music was so loud that they could barely understand each other. It was getting late anyway, so Felicity excused herself and stopped Daniela who had jumped to her feet. There was no reason her friend shouldn’t enjoy the rest of her night, but Felicity had an early video conference the next day and really needed the rest.

She took a deep breath as soon as she walked out of the bar, the muffled music now much more bearable. There were quite a lot of people on the sidewalk, either enjoying the fresh air or having a smoke. She quickly called for a cab, pacing as she waited for it to arrive. To be totally honest, she had enjoyed her night, more than she had thought she would. It felt good to be careless and just have a bit of fun. When she had been younger, money had been a struggle and once she had started to be financially comfortable, she had had other things on her mind. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be a party girl, but she could see the appeal of letting loose once in awhile. Well, if three margaritas could be considered as letting loose, she thought with a smile.

“Felicity?”

She turned around, her eyes wide at the unfamiliar voice. Frowning, she saw that Brett, Daniela’s friend, was smiling at her hesitantly.

“Hum… yes?”

He handed her a small bunch of fabric, shrugging. “Daniela told me you forgot it.”

“Oh. Oh damn. Thank you,” Felicity said, grabbing the pashmina she had indeed left on her chair. “That’s very nice of you, but you shouldn’t have gone all the trouble. I mean Daniela could have brought it to the office tomorrow.”

“I… I didn’t want you to get cold,” Brett grinned, his hands in his pockets.

Felicity smiled, genuinely touched by the gesture. A cab pulled onto the curb at that moment, and she pointed her chin towards it. “That’s my ride. Thank you and… have a good night.”

“Thanks. You too,” he waved at her, then paused awkwardly. “Hum…”

Frowning, Felicity stopped herself, her hand on the door handle. “Yes?”

“I was wondering… well we couldn’t really talk in there. Would you like to go for a drink? Just… you know just a drink?”

Opening her mouth, she was about to say no when she remembered her talk with Daniela. Maybe it was time to try. The guy seemed nice and not pushy, clearly not expecting anything more than a little chat in a bar. Maybe it was time to jump, she thought as she took a deep breath. “Yes. Why not? Does Friday work for you?”

“Friday is perfect,” Brett grinned. “8 o’clock?”

“8 o’clock,” Felicity nodded. “Only, maybe not here? I mean…”

“Yeah, clearly not the right place to talk, I agree. The wine bar on Blue Hill street?”

“Works for me. Friday, 8 o’clock, wine bar on Blue Hill street.”

“Awesome. See you then,” Brett waved at her as she slipped onto the back seat.

“Oh God. I have a date,” Felicity breathed as soon as he was out of sight.

“Well, yes, that’s good but what I’d really like to know is where I’m supposed to drive you, Miss,” the taxi driver explained patiently, searching her eyes in the rear-view mirror.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, blushing furiously as she gave him her address. The bar wasn’t very far from her street and the drive was short. She paid the driver, leaving him a good tip and quickly made her way to her apartment, her mind struggling to gather her thoughts.

What had taken over her? Was it the margaritas? Why had she said yes? The guy was cute and seemed nice but she hadn’t been blown away by him either. Actually she had been quite surprised by his proposition, because she didn’t feel like she had said or done anything that could leave an impression.

She was still thinking about it as she was lying in her bed, wondering if it had been the right call. She only knew his first name, hadn’t even asked for his phone number. She knew next to nothing about him, apart from the fact that he was somehow friends with Daniela. Maybe it was better that way, though. No expectations, minimum pressure.

_And maybe people will let me live._

 

Friday night happened quite fast. Between her work, getting in touch with Thea concerning her internship and the usual chores, Felicity barely had the time to breathe. She had been pleasantly surprised to see how enthusiastic Thea actually was to work at Palmer Tech. She had done plenty of research concerning the company and apparently couldn’t wait to start. Her first day would be on Monday, in Felicity’s office and she honestly didn’t know who was more excited: Thea or Daniela who couldn’t wait to have a new playmate.

Felicity, on the other hand, was too busy biting her nails concerning her date to be able to think about anything else. She had almost begged Daniela for Brett’s phone number, or even his last name - so she could find said phone number herself. And also do some research about him. Just a little bit, so she’d be prepared. Daniela had glared at her and resumed her typing, completely ignoring her, telling her once more that it was just a drink.

So, when the cab dropped her in front of Wine, 1982, all she knew was that Brett was a banker who used to date another of Daniela’s friends back in the day. Said-friend was still alive, so at least he wasn’t a serial killer.

Hopefully.

Thirty minutes later, Felicity was desperately wishing he actually was. It would have at least shortened her suffering because the guy was… boring as hell. Actually, no he wasn’t exactly boring. He actually liked to talk, which is something Felicity would never hold against anyone. But… there was about zero connection and common interest. And he mostly liked to talk about himself.

“So, you work at Palmer Tech like Dani, right?” He eventually asked her after a long summary of what his job consisted of - in short: making money. Very surprising for a banker, but hey, who was she to judge.

“Yes,” Felicity smiled, relieved to see the conversation going on to more familiar territory.

“You’re an assistant, like her? She told me that you work closely with the CEO? You’re his secretary?”

“Hum. No. I’m the Vice-President,” Felicity corrected, munching on a slice of cheese. At least the wine and the finger food were good. So there was that.

Brett paused, his mouth half opened and a pretzel in his hand. “Of Palmer Tech? **The** Palmer Tech?”

Exhaling slowly, Felicity let out a small laugh. “Yes. Unless there is another company with the same name, which I’d love to know about, by the way.”

“But… you’re like my age. I never heard of a girl Vice-President of a company like that one so … young.”

“Ray was actually only one year older when he became CEO himself,” she shrugged, taking a long gulp of wine. “It didn’t seem to shock anyone.”

“Yeah but the guy is a genius.”

Pinching her lips, Felicity raised her eyebrows and put her glass down. There was no way she could reply without being rude so she prefered to keep silent.

Brett seemed to realize how offensive his words were because he suddenly shook his head, a light blush growing on his cheeks. “Oh God, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that you look so young and you’re… you’re very pretty. And well, I actually considered myself lucky you agreed to go on a date and that was without knowing that you were… well you know.”

Tilting her head, she quietly observed him. His eyes were open and honest and she could see he was a bit ashamed of himself. She knew very well how nervous people could be, hell… she had been more than nervous herself and it wouldn’t be fair to hold that against him, especially since she was a champion when it came to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

“It’s OK,” she eventually smiled reassuringly.

His faux-pas seemed to have shaken Brett out of his nervousness, because he became a much more pleasant companion afterwards. Halfway through her second glass, Felicity even found herself laughing at some anecdote about a former client. In return, she told him how she had ended up working at Palmer Tech in such a high position. He seemed genuinely impressed, even if he apologized once more for his assumptions.

The date turned out better than she had thought, yet she declined a third glass of wine. She had had a good time but… she knew it was pointless to lead him on. He was smart, charming, funny and even had that cute little dimple on his chin but she knew things wouldn’t go any further than that.

He seemed disappointed, but quickly recovered, saying he understood and even offering to drive her back home. She declined, preferring to call a cab and they parted ways with a small, very awkward hug. As she observed him walking away, she groaned, cursing herself. She had had a good evening, and there was really nothing wrong with the guy.

But apparently there was something wrong with her.

“You look almost as miserable as me,” a voice said behind her.

She chuckled, turning around. “Ray. What are you doing here? I thought you were not a big fan of red wine?”

“I’m not. I just had a date. Judging by the way you were looking at that man walking away, so did you.” Ray explained, putting his phone back into the pocket of his suit. “Bad date?”

“Not really. That’s the worst, actually. It was a pretty good date.”

He raised his eyebrows, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I know I’m a bit rusty when it comes to dates, but I thought the goal was to have a good time. Although, you’re making me feel a bit better now, maybe my date is very satisfied with the way I spilled wine on her dress.”

Felicity giggled, adjusting the strap of her purse. “I don’t think anything could make a girl feel good about red wine on her clothes.”

“Have you had dinner?” he asked, rubbing his stomach. I stayed at the office so late I didn’t have time to eat and I’m starving right now. Cheese and crackers are good but…”

“I was actually too nervous to eat earlier, so I’m not going to say no to a real meal,” Felicity sighed. “If you don’t mind my bad company, that is.”

“I’ll give you a run for your money concerning the bad company.”

  


“OK. You go first,” Felicity told Ray as soon as they had given their orders.

He shrugged, playing with the rim of his glass. “I went on a date, didn’t go well. Your turn.”

Felicity raised her eyebrows, snickering. “Yeah no way. Spill the beans, I want details. This is a serious competition, you know.”

“OK. Her name is Kate, she’s a lawyer, very nice… unless you spill wine on her dress that is. We don’t have that much in common but we used to go to school together and we saw each other at a gala last week. I thought it’d be a good idea to go out and… well, you know.”

Felicity smiled softly, understanding what Ray wasn’t saying. Ray had gotten married a little more than two years ago to Anna, his high school sweetheart. Two months after their wedding, Anna had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and had passed away shortly after that. They hadn’t even made it to their first anniversary. It had been extremely hard for Ray, and that was when Felicity had gradually taken charge over Palmer Tech, first handling everything on the East Coast, then other responsibilities as well.  

“Everyone tells me I should go out. Not necessarily date someone, but at least meet new people. Although they keep insisting those new people should be female, so I assume there is a bit of dating in the back of their minds.”

“Everyone?” Felicity asked, frowning. Ray was even more of a workaholic than she was and she wasn’t aware he had that many friends.

“My parents. My idiotic brother. Even Anna’s parents keep repeating to me she wouldn’t want me to stop living. I’m not… I just... it doesn’t…” Ray trailed off.

“It doesn’t feel right,” Felicity finished for him.

“Yeah,” he raised his head in surprise. Their eyes met for a few seconds, an understanding passing between them. They both had gone through very similar traumas and Felicity would be lying if she said it didn’t feel good to have someone who understood exactly how she felt.

“I mean, I tried, you know,” Ray continued. “I really went there with an open mind, thinking it was just a drink, and I’d see where it would take me but… I mostly talked about Anna and then-”

“And then you spilled your wine,” Felicity cut him off with a smile.

“That sums it up. Your turn, now.”

“Ugh. I don’t know. Brett, that’s his name, was nice. Really. But…”

“... but?”

“Every little thing he did or said, I couldn’t help but think about Oliver. You know… Oliver would have laughed at that. Oliver wouldn’t have checked out the waitress’s boobs… well, actually there was a time he totally would have, don’t get me wrong but he had changed. I wouldn’t have had to repeat three times that I couldn’t have nuts with the cheese because Oliver was always the one triple checking everything when it came to my allergy. Oliver would have made me talk about my job for hours even if it made zero sense to him. And he would have leaned against his elbow… also probably stolen some of my wine. He wouldn’t have been OK letting me waiting on the sidewalk and leaving me when it’s getting dark.” Felicity smiled sadly, her eyes fixed on the small candle in the center of their table. “It’s funny because people also tell me to give it a try but the truth is… I never thought more about him than when I was with Brett. So I’m not sure it’s really helping me.”

“It’s the same for me. Being with Kate just reminded me that Anna was gone.”

“Look at us… we’re making Friday the most depressing day of the week,” Felicity chuckled. Truth be told, the fact that she was drinking her third glass of wine was probably helping her see things more lightly.

“To depressing Fridays,” Ray raised his glass for a toast.

“And to lame first dates,” Felicity concluded, clinking her glass against his.

 

A paella and a lemon sorbet later, Felicity was a giggling mess. Alright, the several glasses of wine she had had probably helped. Ray, on the other hand, had stopped after his first, because he was supposed to drive later. He hadn’t stopped her and she hadn’t held back, knowing she could trust him and also savoring the way she could be carefree just for once. She wasn’t exactly drunk, but was clearly on the tipsy side.

“I have to show you this new idea I had, Ray. I was thinking about improving the battery, making it as small as possible. I think I found several possibilities that could really lead to amazing applications, like in the medical field for instance.” Felicity was rambling as Ray drove her back to her place, her mind suddenly back to business. She hadn’t been able to really create anything lately, too busy handling projects that weren’t her own as well as other responsibilities. But she still liked to work on the side, find new things, improve old ones.

Once they had made it to her place, Ray walked her to her door, patiently listening to her long explanations concerning how PT should try to dig into medical things and not just focus on technology for the sake of technology. They had driven with the windows open and the burst of fresh air had sobered her up, and she was much more calm and collected when they made it to the main entrance.

“Thank you, for the dinner… and the talk,” Felicity pressed Ray’s arm before rummaging through her purse to find her keys.

“The pleasure was all mine. It’s been a while since I last had a fun Friday night.”

“Same, really. I usually stay home and have to go through yet another conversation with my mother about how I should not stay home and have a conversation with my mother on a Friday night.”

Ray laughed, nodding. “Been there… done that.”

Felicity hesitated, whatever was left of the alcohol in her system helping her find the courage to ask her question. “Do you think we’ll ever get to the point where… we’ll be ready? Will there ever be someone else for us or… Sometimes I don’t know if the idea of being with someone else repulses me so much because I haven’t tried yet and maybe if I did, I’d realize I’m not betraying him. A part of me is afraid I might never be able to move on, another part doesn’t want to move on and is ready to accept that this… this is going to be my life.”

“I don’t know, Felicity. I wonder about the same things, too. I guess we’ll find out at some point? I hope we will.”

They both looked at each other, a small smile stretching their lips. It was oddly comforting to find someone who could understand her that well or at least understand her struggles. She let out a breathy laugh, her hand rubbing her forehead.

“You know… I used to wonder… you and I. I mean we went through something so similar and no one really understands us…”

“I used to. Sometimes I still do, if I can be honest.”

She bit her lips, tilting her head because truth be told, she sometimes still wondered. Maybe it was a sign that they understood each other so well?

“There’s one way to find out,” she eventually blurted out.

Ray blinked, then frowned and she was ready to face his rejection, looking forward to it in a way, when he suddenly leaned down. Reaching up on her toes, she met him halfway, his lips warm against hers.

It was nice, and reassuring and safe and… it was like the kisses she used to exchange with her best friend when they wanted to imitate the grown-ups. And to be totally honest… she was glad she didn’t feel anything more.

She leaned back and so did he and for a moment none of them talked.

“Nothing, right?” Ray eventually laughed.

“Nope. Not a thing,” she giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hands. “But it’s good to know for sure.”

“Yes, I agree. Not to mention, we work together. And… yeah we work together.”

“That too,” she agreed. “Speaking of which, I finished the digest concerning Wendy’s project, if you want to check upon it this weekend? I have it upstairs.”

“Oh, yeah that’d be nice.”

Felicity knew alcohol had probably played a huge part in her behavior tonight but it had felt right to… try. She and Ray should have worked on paper and if even with him, with someone who was going through the exact same things, it didn’t feel right… then she knew for sure she wasn’t ready. Her heart was still too full of Oliver, and it was alright.

When Felicity finally opened the main door, she felt a shiver running down her spine. Looking around, she saw nothing out of the ordinary, except for Ray’s friendly face and she blamed her love for red wine. She let Ray in, closing the door behind them, knowing that even if the night had turned very differently than she had expected, it had been an important step.

 

As she was settling against the pillows of her bed, one hour later, she grabbed the small frame that never left her nightstand. It was a picture of him, that she had taken shortly after they had made love one night, in his bed. She had been setting her alarm clock, Oliver's fingers lazily tracing patterns on her stomach while he was gazing at her. He had been so perfect, his eyes so bright and loving that she hadn't been able to resist and had snapped a quick picture. It was her most intimate souvenir of him, not so much because of when it had happened, but because of the love that was so clear on his face as he was looking at her. The Oliver on that picture was hers, and hers alone, and for probably the millionth time, she lost herself in his eyes, lost herself in that love she wasn't able to let go of. Tonight, more than any other night, she had felt his presence by her side, for a reason that she wouldn't understand for another four months.

 

One day, she’d look back on this Friday night, and she’d wonder why she hadn’t listened to her guts when she had closed the door behind Ray. Had she paid more attention, she would have noticed the car parked on the other side of the road, the shadow of a man in the driver’s seat. And the reason she had felt that shiver down her spine would make sense.

Her body had sensed him even if her brain had been told he was gone two years, eight months and three days ago.

And even though she would get him back soon, if she could turn back time she’d rush through that door and jump in his arms because every single minute away from him had torn her soul apart and if the universe had decided to grant them another chance, she wouldn’t waste any second.

But she didn’t listen to her instincts and went on to continue her life without him, without his eyes and his smile, without the warmth she had only ever found in his arms.

And that would be another lesson she’d remember for the rest of her life.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I know... I know some of you cringed. (... especially you AMELLSRICKARDSS XD). But I had to do it. Why? OK, many, many reasons.  
> 1\. It's been almost three years. I want Felicity to really face life without him, even if it hurts. It shows her strength that she's willing to try instead of closing herself off and cherishing his memory. SHe's young, has her life ahead of her. At some point she has to give it a try. It wouldn't be healthy otherwise.  
> 2\. Now, she knows for sure that she still isn't quite there and has accepted it, has accepted she will eventually be, isn't right now, not because she is consumed by his memory but because she still loves him too much and that it is OK.  
> 3\. Why Ray? Because Ray, on paper, should work. He is going through exactly the same thing as she is, he understands her, they are good friends, they are very similar in many ways. Having her try with a random dude wouldn't have had the same impact. As she says "if even with Ray it's not working, then that means I'm really not ready." ALso... other reasons that you'll understand in the next few chapters, but probably might have a good idea if you picked up the clues :p  
> 4\. It was, to me, the best way to show that Ray and Felicity in this story really have no romantic vibe. Felt like those kisses we used to share when we were kids and "practising" (what you didn't do that? O_O XD). Zero sexual chemistry or anything. Moving on, nothing to explore in that area.
> 
> So yeah, I know you probably winced and ewww omg no!!! But... it was a necessary step for everyone. Again... things in the future might make more sense too.
> 
> Oh yeah, I know, that very first scene that I presented like a flashback? Cruel. I know :D
> 
> Oh, also, there will be a time-jump, we won't spend those four months in real time in the story, don't worry ;)  
> Next chapter will be Oliver's POV.
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi ;)


	4. Runaway Train

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So here is the Oliver chapter, that will bring more info about where he has been, what happened to him and... yes the kiss from his own POV.  
> I forgot to tell you in the last chapter, but thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the warm and enthusastic welcome that STAMTB received. I was blown away. For real. 
> 
> Special thanks to Pidanka and Mysticaldetectivepanda for their amazing work, once more :)
> 
> Song: Runaway Train - Soul Asylum (this is one of my own favorite songs ever, btw)

**"Runaway Train"** __  
  


Call you up in the middle of the night  
like a firefly without a light  
you were there like a blowtorch burning  
I was a key that could use a little turning  
so tired that I couldn't even sleep  
so many secrets I couldn't keep  
promised myself I wouldn't weep  
one more promise I couldn't keep

it seems no one can help me now  
I'm in too deep  
there's no way out  
this time I have really lead myself astray

runaway train, never goin' back  
wrong way on a one-way track  
seems like I should be getting somewhere  
somehow I'm neither here nor there

can you help me remember how to smile?  
make it somehow all seem worthwhile  
how on earth did i get so jaded?  
life's mysteries seem so faded  
I can go where noone else can go  
I know what no one else knows  
here i am just drownin' in the rain  
with a ticket for a runaway train

and everything seems cut and dry  
day and night  
earth and sky  
somehow I just don't believe it

runaway train, never goin' back  
wrong way on a one-way track  
seems like I should be getting somewhere  
somehow I'm neither here nor there

bought a ticket for a runaway train  
like a madman laughing at the rain  
little out of touch, little insane  
it's just easier than dealing with the pain

runaway train, never goin' back  
wrong way on a one-way track  
seems like I should be getting somewhere  
somehow I'm neither here nor there

runaway train, never comin' back  
runaway train, tearin' up the track  
runaway train, burnin' in my veins  
I run away but it always seems the same

 

_"You don’t understand. I have to go home.”_

_“No. I believe that you do not understand, Mister Queen. Going home is not a possibility at the moment.”_

_“Listen, I have no idea what is happening on that island, all I want is to go back to Starling and forget about everything.”_

_The woman in front of him stopped pacing, crossing her arms on her chest. Oliver took a moment to wonder, once more, how she managed to keep her hair so perfectly tied and her clothes so spotlessly clean._

_“Let me make it clearer for you then, Mister Queen. You either die or you prove yourself trustworthy enough to be valuable for my organization. There is no third option.”_

_“I’m… I’m a businessman, for God’s sake!” Oliver huffed out. “Unless you want me to teach you how to fix a tie, or to hold a conference call, I don’t see how useful I can be in the middle of nowhere!”_

_“You didn’t survive alone on this island for almost a year. Who helped you?”_

_“No one!” Oliver denied, struggling against the cuffs that were holding him prisoner. He was in a tent, on that bloody island. Surrounded by men in uniform and a black woman in heels. Heels in the middle of a deserted island. It was still one of the weirdest things he had seen since he had shipwrecked._

_“You’re lying, Mister Queen. And I wonder why.”_

_He forced himself to keep his eyes on her, his face as neutral as possible. “I am not lying. I’m the only one who made it to this island when the Gambit sank.”_

_Amanda smiled, sitting down on a chair next to him. “We both know I’m not talking about the shipwreck. This island is where the Chinese government used to send people it wanted to make… disappear. I am going to ask you one last time: Who did you meet?”_  


Oliver exhaled slowly, clearing his head as he sharpened his knife. “I am going to ask you one last time: Who else was in to overthrow Anatoli Knyazev?”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about!” The man he was interrogating, a boy really, barely twenty years old, pleaded with him. Oliver could see the fear in his eyes, but he also knew that fear wasn’t directed towards him. The boy was afraid of someone else.

Big mistake.

In the end, it only took five minutes to get the name he wanted. The name of the traitor who had tried to take Anatoli’s place in the Bratva and who probably wouldn’t live to see another day. But that wasn’t his job.

“It was Gregori, wasn’t it?” Anatoli asked as he joined him in the small, damp room underneath a garage.

“Yes,” Oliver answered with a short nod. They had both expected it, Gregori having been Anatoli’s nemesis in the organisation for years. All they had needed was confirmation.

“Is the boy still alive?”

Again, Oliver nodded. “He tried to resist. He could be valuable. He wasn’t holding the information out of loyalty but out of fear.”

Anatoli sighed, tapping his fingers against his chin. “I’ll consider it. Have a seat. We need to celebrate.”

“Gregori is still breathing at the moment,” Oliver let out with the ghost of a smile. “Don’t you think it’s a bit premature?”

“You know me. I like to celebrate,” Anatoli laughed as he poured them two shots of vodka. “I also need one last service from you.”

“Am I really the only interrogator you have?” Oliver quirked an eyebrow as they both raised their glasses and gulped them down.

“It’s a bit different this time. You know you’ve repaid your debt to the organisation, right?”

“Yes.”

“I only need one more thing from you… then you’ll be allowed to walk away, like we agreed to.”

“And what is that thing?”

“One of our members has gone rogue. Keeping money for his own benefit. You know what we do with traitors of this kind.”

“I do.” A bullet between the eyes. A warning for all the other ones. “But why me? You usually handle them.”

“He’s not based in Russia. I need someone with a perfect Yankee accent. Unfortunately… you are my one and only American friend.”

“He’s in the US?” Oliver asked, knowing his blank expression had slipped. He hadn’t set a foot on American soil in almost three years.

“He’s in your hometown,” Anatoly specified, his eyes never leaving him.

Starling City. His home. Where his family was. His mother, his sister…

Felicity. Just the vision of her blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes was enough to make him lose focus. He had buried his feelings for her a long time ago. Hidden them in a very, very small corner of his heart, where no one could reach them. They were still there, but he now knew they were futile. He wasn’t the one for her anymore. That man had died on the Gambit more than two years ago. But she? She would always be the one for him. That would never change. He knew he’d never love anyone the way he loved her.

“Is it my last test?” Oliver eventually asked, knowing it wasn’t by chance that one of his last missions would take him back to his city. In the year he had been in the Bratva, paying his debts as they said, he had had to fulfill several missions… or tests. Loyalty to the brotherhood was sacred and they would go to great length to test someone’s worth. The things he had had to do in order to not end up with a bullet between his eyes were tainting his soul.

Or whatever was left of it.

“It’s not a test, Oliver. I know your loyalty. But you know how things work here. It’s not me you have to convince. It’s everybody else. Then… then you’ll be free if you want to be. You will have paid your debt.”

“When do I leave?”

“In three days. Afterwards, we’ll go with our plan. A boat found you stranded, brought you to Russian soil and… Oliver Queen can officially come back to life.”  


***

 

They landed in Mexico. Two other men had come with him, presumably to verify that the job was done - or to make sure he was going back to Russia afterwards, he didn’t know. What was clear though was that they were useless. He had a mission, and he would do it. He also knew that he didn’t have a choice: he had to go back to Russia until he was finally allowed to walk away, after a year of services. Had it been anybody else but Anatoli at the head of the crime organisation, Oliver would have been forced to carry on much longer. And leaving would have been much, much more difficult. But Anatoli owed him his life and he had made a promise.

If there was one thing that Oliver knew the value of, it was the word of Anatoli Knyazev. He wouldn’t betray Oliver’s trust. Not to mention, leaving the Bratva now would put all his loved ones in danger. They would get to them as retaliation and Oliver would never take that risk. They were his only weakness and the brotherhood knew it.

Crossing the border was easy, the fake passports the Bratva used being more than efficient, especially for the Mexican border, where the officers were used to dealing with drunk citizens. He had no worry about being recognized, the chances he would stumble upon someone he knew being extremely slim. They made it to Starling during the night, resting at a small, shabby motel just outside the city.

Only Oliver hadn’t been able to fall asleep. He had stayed still in the uncomfortable bed, staring at the ceiling. He was in Starling City. In the very same city where he had grown up. Where his family still lived. Where Felicity still lived. All he knew was that they were all alive, and well. Safe, far away from the danger of his own life.

Yet, he felt like a stranger. An alien. He didn’t even feel like Oliver Queen anymore. He didn’t know if he ever would again.

And when, twelve hours later, he pulled the trigger and killed the man Anatoli had ordered him to, it almost felt like the last little piece of his old identity died too. That man was American, slightly older than him, had grown up in the same city, cheered the same baseball team. But Oliver hadn’t hesitated. If he hadn’t done it, someone else would have. Might as well be him.

His two companions had decided to celebrate with a night of booze with other Bratva members - and probably half a dozen prostitutes. He had declined, like he always did. He had had his wild years, in another life. They involved laughter, and stupid dares with his best friend, not gang-bangers  and violence. Even if Bratva was now his life, there were aspects of it he would never be able to share. Not to mention, getting drunk meant lowering your guard.

He never lowered his guard. He couldn’t afford to.

Instead, he did what he had promised himself he wouldn’t do. He stopped at the mansion. The house hadn’t changed, still as big and impressive, but what had once looked like home was now just a pile of bricks. He had observed, silently, the small family dinner. His mother, Thea, Tommy. They were all fine.

And then… then he went to Felicity’s place. He didn’t even know if she still lived there, but he needed to go. He needed to see the door, the steps, where he had kissed her, where he had last seen her, her beautiful smile as she had waved him goodbye, her small pout when he had promised he'd come back and finish the puzzle that had taken over her coffee table. A promise he hadn't kept.

He stayed there hours, safely hidden in his car, so tempted to walk to the door and check if her name was still on the mailboxes. For the first time in more than a year, he allowed himself to think about her, think about what she had become. Was she still working at Pamer Tech? Did she still meet Dig for Big Belly Burger dates? Did she still look the same, had she gone back to brunette?

He closed his eyes, and for a second he could have sworn he was able to smell her green apple scented shower gel. If he focused enough, he could still feel how soft her skin was underneath the tips of his fingers. For a moment, he allowed himself to miss her. Her smile, her laugh, her loud voice and every little thing that had made him fall in love with her. She had made him a better man, a man he was becoming proud of. But that man was gone.

A monster had taken his place. The hands that used to caress her body could now snap a neck. Or pull the trigger and put a bullet between a man’s eyes.

A sudden flash of light caught his attention and he lowered himself on his seat when a car stopped right near the entrance of her building. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a head full of blond hair leaving the passenger seat.

She was laughing when she closed her door, not giving her companion enough time to do it for her. Oliver gritted his teeth when he recognized the tall, dark haired man.

Palmer.

He knew he should leave, because he had no right to spy on her that way but he was glued to his place, unable to look away as they stopped right in front of her door, still talking. They were too far away from him to hear what they were saying, but she was smiling, that was pretty obvious. His hands gripped the wheel tighter when he saw Palmer leaning, knowing what was about to happen.

The kiss was short but it seemed to last a lifetime for Oliver and it felt as if someone was pouring acid on his heart. He should have been the one kissing her. It wouldn’t have lasted a few seconds, because he would have savored her, taken his time and engraved it to his memory. He would have held her close to him, because her body was made for his. And he wouldn’t have let go.

Oliver closed his eyes when she saw her opening the door, inviting Palmer in. The pain was brutal and invasive, twisting his insides, burning his soul. She was with another man. Another man who was making her laugh, a man who wasn’t tainted. A man who wouldn’t put her life in danger. A man who wasn’t dangerous, a man she’d never have any reason to be scared of.

She was happy, and that’s all he had ever wanted.

He started the car and left as discreetly as he came. Driving around Starling City, through the streets he once knew so well made him realize that things had changed too much. He didn’t belong there anymore. Being there only reminded him of all the things he had lost. It hurt him, in a way he didn’t even think was possible after all he had already gone through. So many things had been taken away from him and here, in his hometown, all he could see was how much out of place he was now. Never again would he enjoy a brunch on a sunny Sunday, with a beautiful blonde girl snuggling against him. Even if he came back, he’d never be able to live, to really live. He only knew how to survive now. And the only way for him to stop torturing himself was to accept it. There was no coming back for guys like him.

  


Going back to Russia afterwards wasn’t so painful. It actually made things much easier for him, bringing some kind of clarity. He didn’t really want to stay in the Bratva. But he also knew he couldn’t go back to Starling and his old life. He wasn’t Oliver Queen anymore, and he would never fit in. Truth be told, he had never really fit in this life, always struggling to find his place. Except with her but… he couldn’t go back to her. He couldn’t let her see what he had become. He couldn’t stand the idea of seeing fear in her eyes when she would realize how dangerous he was.

“I have to say I’m a bit surprised,” Anatoli said as they were in his favorite restaurant, waiting for their orders.

Oliver raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yes… I know you wanted to go home to your girl more than anything.”

“It wasn’t just Felicity.”

“Your family mattered too. But we both know you had one small pen and one small notebook and you filled the pages with letters to her and nobody else, Oliver.”

Shrugging, Oliver took a sip of water. All of this had happened a long time ago. At first, he had wanted to go back to her desperately, tell her he was fine and not leave her apartment for at least one week straight. But then… Amanda Waller had happened. Bratva had happened. The man she had loved was no more. He had slowly accepted that. He didn’t deserve her anymore and she was so much better off without him. She had a good life ahead of her, something he’d never be able to give her anymore.

“What about your father? You used to tell me you wanted to find out who killed him. I thought that was why you trained so hard with us.”

Oliver pinched his lips, remembering how torn he had been between his desire to protect the ones he loved and his promise to avenge his father. In the end, the idea of losing someone else because of his actions had won. “You told me there were rumors the Gambit was sabotaged too.”

“It’s not rumors… when we hear things, it’s because they happened, Oliver. We might not know who, when or how… but it’s not rumors. People don’t spread gossip to the Bratva.”

“The thing is… it’s almost been three years and whoever was after our family hasn’t struck again. Whatever their reason was, our family hasn’t been a target since the boat sank. Neither has the company.”

“... yes. Are you sure your father never told you anything or left you something else apart from that letter?”

“I am positive. Which only leaves me with two possibilities. One, they thought my father and I knew something and are confident that now everything has died with us. Or two, whoever went after us is dead. But from my father's letter, I know it wasn't just one person, so I highly doubt it's option number two.”

“And you’re not going back because…?”

“I saw my mother and Thea. They’re fine. I saw Felicity, she is safe. If I go back, I put them all in danger again. Whoever went after the Queens didn’t think twice about killing other people as well. And we both know I’m not the same man anyway. They are better off without me. All of them.”

“Very well. You know we always need men like you. For as long as you wish, this is your brotherhood as well.”

The brotherhood. Something Oliver had thought he would never feel a part of. When he had been rescued from Lian Yu, he had no idea it would come at a price. But Bratva had its own code of honor. He had a debt, he needed to pay it. He had accepted it, like he had learned to accept everything that had happened to him ever since the Gambit sank.

It almost felt like he was living somebody else’s life. Secret organisations, mob, trafficking, guns, executions. He had killed, and every single death had been easier for him until he could do it without even blinking.

It was him or them.

The choice was easy.

Sometimes, he wondered when exactly he had understood, and accepted, that he might not go back home. Probably the day he had snapped a man’s neck, the first day of his initiation. There was no turning back from that.

As Oliver made his way back to the small apartment he owned, above a small Asian restaurant in the heart of Moscow, he couldn’t help but think of how different his life should have been.

Felicity and he would have moved in together by that point. Maybe they would even start talking about engagement or marriage, even though she was still quite young.There would be a huge mirror above their bed… and another one in the bathroom. Maybe they would have gotten a dog. He had always wanted a dog. Their life together would have been a perfect mix of sex and laughter and bickering. Probably a few fights too, because their personalities were bound to clash every now and then.

But he would have been so happy. So utterly, ridiculously happy. The one week they had had together had been the best of his life, and he had blamed himself so much for the very little time they had had. Now, he knew it was probably better that way. The longer they would have stayed together, the harder it would have been for her to move on. And he wanted her to move on, to find her happiness. Of course, seeing her with Palmer had felt like someone was burning a hole through his heart. The idea that he, that anyone really, could put his hands on her, kiss her, hold her and make love to her… it was the worst kind of torture. Yet, if that meant she was happy, then he would gladly live with it.  

He wouldn’t be the man she would marry, wouldn’t be the father of her children, wouldn’t grow old with her. But she would be safe, and have a nice life, filled with love and laughter.

It was enough for him. Knowing she would get on with her life, achieve her dreams, was soothing the ache. Sometimes, loving someone meant accepting that you weren't the best for them. He had always wanted to give her the world, because that was what she deserved. Another man would do it. Another man would brighten her days, the way she had brightened his. 

It was more than enough, especially since he knew love and laughter had no place in his own life. His world was dark, and dangerous, a place where she didn’t belong. Just like he didn’t belong in hers. Not anymore. Felicity was light and joy and he would only taint her. 

When he walked into his room, he reached inside the pocket of his jeans, where he still had the small keychain that had kept him sane during his time on the island. Sitting down on his bed, he rolled it between his fingers, the tiny pen now completely useless, broken in several places. He could still remember the smirk on Felicity’s face as she had handed him the souvenir she had picked for him in Vegas. Opening his drawer, he fished out the small notebook that had, for some reason, made it to the shore a few days after him. Several items from the boat had washed up in the weeks following the accident, and for some odd reason, the small package his father had left him had made it safely back to him. At first he had thought it was a sign he would go back home and help find out who murdered his father, but it had become clear, after a few weeks, that this might not happen. So, he had written to her. Using the blank pages of the notebook, he had started to write to Felicity, hoping that maybe one day she’d be able to read it and see how he had only thought of her. All his hopes and wishes, the way she made him feel, everything had been set down on paper, in case he wouldn’t make it back to her.

Sighing, he opened the notebook, his finger tracing the outlines of her name. His handwriting was smaller than usual, because he knew he didn’t have much ink or paper, and messier, because the first time he had written her, he had already been weak, dehydrated and famished.

 

_Felicity,_

_I’m sorry. I’m sorry I might not come back to you. Back on the boat, Andrew told me about his wife, about how he had lost her all these years ago and all I could think of was that I couldn’t even envision a life without you. And now, I’m far away from you and the truth is, the idea that I’m gone might be crossing your mind right now. I wish I could promise you that I’ll come home but I’m not sure I will. I love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. That week we had was the most perfect time of my life. If I could turn around and change everything, I would. I’d never get on that damn boat, I would stay with you and I would hold you in my arms and never let you go. There are so many things I still haven't told you. How you make the cutest little sound just before you wake up every morning. I always kiss your forehead when I wake up before you. It's like a little secret, between your skin and me. I really thought I'd get to do that for the rest of my life, I wanted to do that for the rest of my life. Please forgive me, and know that-_

 

Oliver closed his eyes, remembering how and when exactly he had written those words. He had run out of clear water, had gotten sick with the fruits he had eaten and honestly thought he wouldn’t make it to the next morning. He had passed out mid-sentence, only to wake up the next day, with a blanket over him and a small fire warming him up.

Exhaling slowly, he eventually put the notebook back in his drawer. And this time, he added the small pen as well. He had to let her go. He had to let go of his past, his dreams, his hopes. There was nothing for him in Starling anymore. Everyone had moved on, and going back would only endanger them. It was time for him to make peace with that. 

There would be no happy ending for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... what do you think?   
> There are still many blanks in Oliver's story, I know. Totally did it on purpose :p The blanks will fill in gradually, throughout the story. There might be flashbacks but also the notebook will explain a lot.
> 
> Also, see the Ray kiss wasn't what drove him away... it actually made things easier for Oliver, because he thinks Felicity has moved on and is in a happy place and that's all he ever wanted for her. 
> 
> Oh also, btw, congrats to the one who guessed about the red pen! For those who haven't read HGW, Oliver and Felicity went to Vegas with Tommy and Sara a few weeks before Oliver disappeared. Oliver bought a puzzle as a souvenir for Felicity, and she got him a small red pen/key chain. That's what he had in his pocket when the boat sank ;) 
> 
> Next chapter will pick up in about three, four months, so time-jump :)
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi!


	5. Here With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So we are time-jumping nicely, around 3, 4 months happened since Felicity left NY.  
> Have I told you how happy I am with all the feedback?? Because I sure am!! I know STAMTB for now is *very* different from HGW in terms of tone, but we'll get to it, slowly ;) Humor will be back, lightness will be back and we're starting a bit now with Mr Tommy Merlyn who makes his very first appearance in this chapter :)
> 
> Song: Here With Me Susie Suh because Pidanka nagged me about it :p
> 
> Special thanks to her, as usual, and to mysticaldetectivepanda who even beta'd an extra scene at the last minute.

**"Here With Me"**

Caught in the riptide  
I was searching for the truth  
There was a reason  
I collided into you  
  
Calling your name in the midnight hour  
Reaching for you from the endless dream  
So many miles between us now  
But you are always here with me  
  
Nobody knows why  
Nobody knows how and  
This feeling begins just like a spark  
Tossing and turning inside of your heart  
Exploding in the dark  
  
Calling your name in the midnight hour  
Reaching for you from the endless dream  
So many miles between us now  
But you are always here with me  
  
Oh inside me  
I find my way  
Back to you  
Back to you  
  
Calling your name in the midnight hour  
Reaching for you from the endless dream  
So many miles between us now  
But you are always here with me  
  
Two words  
In your hands  
In your hearts  
It's whole universe  
  
You are always here with me

 

 

 

 

Felicity sighed, then pushed back her laptop, resting her elbows on the table and rubbing her eyes. Three months. It had been more than three months since she had started to dig into the Gambit’s sinking. And she still hadn’t made any significant progress. After a few weeks of fruitless results, she had turned her attention to the helicopter crash that had cost Robert Queen his life. Then to the gas explosion.

And had found nothing, apart from the nagging conviction that there was much more to those three tragedies than she had thought at first.

A knock on her door startled her and with a big sigh, she stood up, padding her way across her living room. Without checking, she opened the door wide, letting Dig in.

“Hi,” she welcomed him, accepting the large coffee he was handing her.

“Seeing your face… another dead end?” Dig asked as he closed the door behind him.

“Yup. I looked into Isabel’s actions these past three years and there's nothing suspicious. She has been very discreet. Went back to work for Stellmoor International six months ago.” 

“On the other hand, that woman is sneaky. She’s really good at having other people do her dirty work. 

“Tell me about it. I ended up in a hospital because of her,” Felicity groaned as they both sat around her dining table.

Diggle took a sip of coffee, then quietly put his cup down on the table. “Felicity… I don’t want to be this kind of friend but… don’t you think that if you haven't found anything, it’s maybe because there is nothing to find?”

“Do you really believe that?” Felicity asked him, her fingers drumming on her laptop. “I mean we both agreed that… there are coincidences and then there are… **coincidences**. And there is also what Oliver told me. Something about his father not being the man he thought he was.”

“I know. And I was on the same page when you told me all searches for the Gambit got cut short and we never really got answers about it. But you kept looking and you couldn’t find any evidence that could prove a connection, or anything about Robert Queen. Knowing you like I do, if you didn’t find anything, chances are it’s because there was nothing.”

Felicity bit her lips, frowning. “You’re right. I couldn’t find any evidence. Maybe I’ve been searching in the wrong place.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember back when we were trying to stop Isabel from getting the CEO position?”

“Yeah but what does it have to do with that?”

“I couldn’t find anything either.”

“Yes, you…” Dig started. “Oh.”

“Yup. I never found anything **online**.”

“But back then we knew where to look. Attorney’s archives. And please tell me you’re not planning to break into private buildings again.”

“We need to see things differently. The gas explosion happened. The investigation showed it was arson but they never found the culprit. What could be the motive? There was no real benefit, was there? Well… QC got rid of an old factory and the insurance paid for most of it but I don’t see Robert Queen murdering people so there must have been, somehow, another motive. If it was to weaken QC, it didn’t work so why did they stop?”

“Unless it was Isabel’s doing all along but once she realized she couldn’t get QC, she stopped with her… devilish plans.”

“Yeah… but then… why the Gambit? Why… why Oliver?” Felicity asked in a small voice. She had known Isabel was ruthless but had believed her innocence in Robert’s death. Could she have been fooled?

Diggle laced his fingers, his arms resting on the table. “Revenge? I mean, she managed to weaken QC enough to gain more backers on her side, then Robert dies and… she would have become CEO if it wasn’t for you. You were Oliver’s assistant and… Oliver was the heir to the throne. He was a direct threat, the reason why she didn’t get the job. People have killed for far less, Felicity.”

“It still doesn’t explain why the Queens stopped all investigations. They never tried to find out more about the Gambit, despite their public statements. There has to be a reason, but I found nothing. Do you think I should ask Moira?” Felicity bit her thumbnail nervously. Truth be told she had considered this several times already. Moira must have had some answers she didn’t have. Such as why all searches for the boat had stopped abruptly. Had they found something they couldn’t share?

Thea had also mentioned a few times how she was having issues accepting her brother’s death because she couldn’t grasp the fact that it was, just like for her father, a random freak accident. At first, Felicity had played it under the radar, not wanting her to know she was sharing the same doubts, mostly because it would have felt like she was siding with the daughter against the mother, in a way. She had mostly asked questions, only to quickly realize Thea was just as clueless as she was and she had eventually admitted to the young woman that she, too, had a weird feeling about everything that happened three years ago.

“You know, I saw that a lot in the army. People get tired of grief and want to stop thinking about it because it hurts too much. Maybe that’s the reason why Moira stopped everything. Maybe it was too painful.”

“Yes, that was actually my first thought,” Felicity nodded. “But it’s been almost three years and if that was the reason, then… I think enough time has passed. Thea needs to share that with someone, and I’m not enough. She needs to feel listened to by her mother or it’s going to eat her alive. There is nothing worse than having all those questions and no way to find answers, especially at her age.”

“What are you going to do, then?” Dig asked, leaning back on his chair.

“I’m going to have a talk with Mrs Queen,” Felicity answered, shaking her head. “I need to know, Dig. Thea needs to know, too. If there is something, anything out there that could bring us closure… we have a right to find out.”

Diggle sighed, lowering his eyes. He twitched his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

“What is it, Dig?”

“Just…” He took a deep breath, raising his head. “I remember how you were after… after Oliver died. I don’t want to see you like that ever again, Felicity. You seem to be in a good place right now. Just… promise me that whatever happens, you won’t let yourself fall back to that place.”

Leaning in, she pressed his hand reassuringly. “I know it must have been hard for you. I don’t remember much of the first weeks to be honest but… I don’t want to feel like that ever again either.”

“You just remind me too much of how you used to be. You’re getting obsessed, all of your free time is consumed by this. It’s not healthy, Felicity. I want the truth as much as you do, but don’t let it destroy how far you’ve come.”

“I’m not… I just…” Felicity groaned, her hands rubbing her face. “It’s killing me that I lost all this time, Dig. I shouldn’t have-”

“No. Don’t even go there,” Dig cut her off. “You did what you had to do to heal. And look where that got you. You made the right decision, and Oliver would agree. You chose to live, and I know that’s what he would have wanted above anything else.”

  


***  


“Grey.”

“Red.”

“Daniela…”

“Felicity…”

Felicity glared at her assistant, hands on her hips. “I thought we had agreed that red was too violent a color for the working environment?”

“Yes, but look how pretty it is, it’s all shiny!” Daniela squealed, her hands waving towards the catalogue that was currently spread open on the table between the two women.

“It’s just a new fridge, who cares if it’s all shiny,” Felicity huffed, throwing her head back and staring at the ceiling. “Thea, please, help me on this one.”

Thea grimaced from her seat. “I kinda like the red one…”

“Ha! See?!” Daniela smirked, grabbing the catalogue and noting down the item numbers.

Sighing, Felicity groaned, rubbing her forehead. “Alright, then. Red it is.”

Shaking her head, she walked back to her office, knowing it was pointless to argue. Thea had been working for her for four months now and, just as Felicity had expected, she had fit right in with the rest of the employees. At first, she had only been supposed to stay two months, until a spot was available in the HR department. But she had settled in so well that Felicity had decided to keep her a bit longer and she hadn’t regretted her decision. It had been such a joy to see the young woman getting more comfortable and assured, finally having a purpose in her life. Yet, she could see that Thea was itching to get her hands on other things and it was probably time to send her to another service.

They had taken the habit of having lunch just the two of them, each Friday, and going through their week together. As they were sitting at a table, in the very same café they had spent an evening all these months ago, Felicity didn’t waste any time before tackling one of the topics she wanted to approach with Thea.

“So… there is a position in Public Relations. You could start next Monday.”

“Really?” Thea asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Yep. I think it would be good for you, and more in line with what you like to do. Also, I feel like you’re comfortable in the company now, and know how things work. Don’t you?”

“Yes. I mean… yeah, I guess so. It just feels like it all started yesterday, you know?”

“Yes… but it’s been almost four months,” Felicity grinned, picking up her glass of water. “And you’re more than ready. Not to mention, don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’re starting to get bored lately.”

“I don’t think anyone could get bored working with Daniela,” Thea snorted.

“That being said, you’ll still be welcome in our office during your breaks,” Felicity reassured her right before the waiter came to get their order. She could see a small bit of fear in Thea’s eyes, but she didn’t let that stop her. The young woman was ready and capable, and she trusted her. Acting on that trust and sending her away was the best kind of message she could give her. “I love having you in my office, but I also want you to be able to experience other things. I know you’ll do an amazing job there.”

Thea grinned, a hint of pride in her eyes that only confirmed that this was the best decision for her.

They were almost done with their meal when Felicity suddenly realized that Thea was getting more and more quiet, which was extremely unusual for her.

“Is there something wrong?” she eventually asked as she was handing her credit card to their waiter.

“No. No, no. It’s fine,” Thea quickly denied, shaking her head. “Well, actually… I was wondering if you could come for brunch this Sunday.”

Felicity paused, caught by surprise by the unexpected offer. She knew that Thea implied ‘at the mansion’, and she couldn’t help but wonder what had prompted the invitation - and why she was so nervous about it.

“This Sunday? Is there something special or…?”

“Yes, this Sunday. And… not really. It’s just that Mom invited the Merlyns and a few other people and… well… I know she’s been wanting to have you for brunch for a while, I just figured it would be easier if it’s not just the four of us.”

“And that makes you nervous, because…?” Felicity asked as they were making their way out of the café.

“Well, I know you kinda avoided us after Oliver died and… also, last time I offered for you to stop by, I ended up blowing at you,” Thea winced, adjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder. “I also don’t want you to think like you have to, you know.”

“Actually… I wanted to talk with your mother. This might be the perfect occasion.”

Thea looked at her, her eyes widening in surprise. “About what?”

Wincing, Felicity bit her lips nervously. She didn’t want to appear like she wanted to interrogate Moira Queen but on the other hand, didn’t want to lie to Thea either. “It’s… it’s about Oliver. I’ve been thinking a lot about how… how the Gambit sank and I just don’t have many answers.”

“Oh. I wish I could help you but as you know, all I was told was that I was too young and it was just… a sad accident,” Thea shrugged. “I honestly don’t understand how someone can be satisfied with this kind of answer. I mean, I understand eventually accepting it. I don’t get being OK with it happening twice in a row but… maybe she’ll be ready to talk about it with you?”

“You know, I never questioned anything when I was told Oliver died. I didn’t… I was unable to see anything past his death. Your mother lost her husband and then her son right after. Everyone deals with grief differently,” Felicity explained gently. She also couldn’t help but notice the change in Thea’s behavior concerning her mother. She had been much more aggressive four months ago, but now seemed to understand that it might have only been that they both had had a different take on what had happened to their family.

Felicity had soon realized that working at Palmer Tech had changed Thea. As if she needed a break, needed to get away from her family, from the familiar surroundings. Felicity, who had always wanted to escape Vegas, could only understand.

 

***

 

“Thank God you’re here,” Thea welcomed her with a hug. “I’m getting cornered and I can’t even have mimosas.”

Felicity giggled, patting her sympathetically on the back, then letting her go. “That must be awful. I thought Tommy always sneaked one for you?”

“He hasn’t arrived yet. It’s just my mother’s friends and me.”

“Hence why you came to welcome me before I even had the time to get out of my car,” Felicity said as they made their way to the main entrance. She had been afraid of being late, picking out an outfit having taken forever. She was nervous, and had second-guessed herself all weekend. Was going back to the mansion a good idea at all? Was Dig right when he said she was diving head first into the past instead of looking forward?

Thea’s ramble about the cinnamon rolls Raisa had baked got lost in a white noise when she stepped inside the foyer, the smell of freshly washed wood floors hitting her like a train. So, so familiar after all those years, directly linked to some of the most beautiful moments of her life.

“... told her about your allergy, don’t worry.”

“What?” Felicity asked, forcing her attention back to the young woman.

“I told Raisa about your allergy,” Thea explained slowly, a slight frown on her face. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, sorry. Just… distracted,” Felicity replied with a reassuring smile as they walked inside the dining room.

Despite the sudden knot in her stomach, it was too late to go back. Especially since her hostess had spotted her.

“Miss Smoak, it’s lovely to have you here,” Moira greeted her with a smile. Felicity could see she had somehow… hardened over the years. Her grin was warm, but pain and grief had also made her stronger in a way that was obvious to anyone who took the time to observe her.

Which she really shouldn’t, she remembered with a start as the matriarch looked at her expectantly.

“Thank you for the invitation, Mrs Queen… Steele…. Queen-Steele…?” she eventually blurted out, her eyes searching for Thea for support. She really should have checked about Moira’s official new name.

“Call me Moira, it will be much simpler.”

_Oh, well that works, too._

 

There were only about a dozen people and Moira introduced her to the ones she didn’t know yet. She recognized a few familiar faces, including Mr Merlyn and a couple of board members. Soon enough, she found herself deep in conversation with Walter about the mayor and his accomplishments, or lack of accomplishments actually. The Brit was as charming as in her memories, but it still felt slightly weird to be on an almost equal footing with him now. When he had known her, she was just an assistant, and now she was Vice-President of a company as big as QC. In a way, it felt like going to a school reunion and still being impressed by your third grade teacher.

She was just about to agree with Walter’s statement concerning the public deficits when a hand landed on her back. She stiffened by instinct, because the gesture was intimate in a weird way, but she relaxed instantly when she heard the voice that accompanied it.

“Walter, Felicity.”

A small smile on her lips, she turned around. “Tommy.”

“The one and only, I’m afraid,” he winked at her.

Walter looked at them with understanding eyes, then pointed his chin to the other side of the room. “I’m afraid it’s time for me to mingle with other guests.”

Felicity saw Walter walking towards his wife, joining a conversation between her and Malcolm Merlyn.

“I noticed you were drinkless. It’s unforgivable,” Tommy smirked, handing her a mimosa.

“You didn’t put anything in it, did you?” Felicity couldn’t help but ask teasingly.

He froze with his own glass halfway from his lips. “Seriously? Have you… Have you seen this?” he said indignantly, his hand travelling down his body. “Not to mention, I like my women conscious and very… **very** active.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Felicity laughed, taking a sip of her drink.

“It’s good to see you here, you know.”

Grinning, Felicity tilted her head. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this but… it’s actually good to see you here, too.”

“I knew you’d miss me and my charming ways.”

The smile she was wearing slipped off her face as she nodded pensively. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay in touch. I just-”

“It’s OK. I… I probably wouldn’t have been great company either, you know,” Tommy reassured her, shaking his head.

“No, but really. I know you tried to reach out, my mom told me but… you just reminded me of him way too much.”

“I figured… I just knew that not many people were aware of your relationship with Oliver and that you must have been quite isolated. I would have been a shitty best friend if I hadn’t tried to be there for you.”

Felicity pinched her lips, holding onto her glass. She could see hints of sadness in his eyes, could hear how his voice dropped when he mentioned Oliver’s name and she realized she had made the right decision. Keeping in touch with him would have only kept on reminding her of their common loss.

“I appreciated it. I really did but it took me a while to…”

“To sort out your thoughts?” Tommy finished her sentence.

“... Yes. I guess you could say it that way.”

“It’s OK,” he reassured her once more. “Have you settled back into Starling? You’ve been back for a couple of months now, right?”

“Yes. Almost four months already and so far, things have been going great.”

“Thea loves working at Palmer Tech, you know. I can’t exactly say Moira was very pleased with that, but it’s definitely benefiting her greatly.”

“Well…” Felicity bit her lower lip, checking no one could actually eavesdrop and misinterpret her words. “Thea didn’t want to work for QC. She was very… decided about that. I just offered her another solution. Who knows if in the end, it won’t persuade her that the business world is indeed for her?”

“It’s hard to deal with the parental expectations, sometimes,” Tommy agreed, his eyes glancing to her left. Turning around discreetly, she saw his father and remembered how their relationship had been difficult. Apparently, it hadn’t really changed.

Felicity didn’t have the time to answer that before they got called to the table and she was relieved to see herself seated between Tommy and Thea.

“It feels so weird to see how far you’ve come since the last time I saw you, Felicity,” Alfred, one of the board members of QC, said loudly as their eggs benedict were being served.

She smiled politely, unsure if it was meant as a genuine compliment or as a condescending remark. “Well, it has been three years indeed.”

“I know, I know. Just imagine my surprise when I started to hear about you. Hard to reconcile the successful vice-president of a booming company with the little assistant I had met. Although we always knew you were a smart, dedicated employee.”

“Well, I, for one, always knew Queen Consolidated would regret letting her go. It seems she proved me right in only three years, so thank you for that,” Walter chimed in, raising his glass at her.

She smiled gratefully, his intervention efficiently keeping her from putting Alfred back in his place. _Little assistant, little assistant,... I’ll show you little assistant._

“All patriarchal speeches aside,” Tommy stated smoothly, making her bite back a smile, “I have to agree. I still remember the first time I met you in Oliver’s office and in retrospect, I should have known back then.”

“Please, I was underneath his desk,” Felicity snorted, cutting a piece of ham. She paused when she realized an awkward silence had welcomed her words. “Oh… no, not like that. I was just taking care of Oliver’s cable, don't worry!” Blushing, she replayed the words in her head, biting the inside of her cheek. “For his computer, I mean. He… he wasn’t even there,” she added with as much dignity as she could. 

“Felicity went to MIT,” Thea chirped, her voice slightly higher than usual. “Computers are her thing.”

A few chuckles erupted around the table and soon enough everybody started to talk with their neighbors. Thea was muffling her giggle in her napkin, while Tommy leaned in to whisper in Felicity’s ear.

“Well… that puts things in a very different perspective.”

“Shut up.”

“I mean, all I’m saying is-”

“That Tommy Merlyn will soon be known for his aptitude for poetry if he doesn’t shut up.”

“... That… that is kinda low, you know,” he muttered indignantly, his fingers reaching for his collar as if he was having a hard time breathing. 

“I know,” she grinned innocently, before biting into a small piece of biscuit. “Would you rather sort this out with a toilet brush?”

He glared at her, but she could see the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. He obviously remembered the scene quite clearly, despite how hungover he had been that morning in Vegas.

After that, the brunch continued without any more innuendos or freudian slips. She found herself having a better time than she had first thought, but her two companions were probably the sole reason for that. She did notice some stiff vibes coming from Thea and Moira’s interactions, but nothing that could be seen as abnormal between a teenager and her mother. 

 

By the time their last course was being cleaned off of the table, she still had no clue how to approach Moira Queen alone. Truth be told, she wasn’t so sure anymore that her plan was a good idea to begin with.

In the end, it was Thea who made the decision for her when she asked her mother to show Felicity the rose gardens in their last blooming.

It turned out that Moira Queen was quite a connoisseur of gardening, much more than Felicity had expected. They were almost reaching the end of the garden, and about to go back, and she still hadn’t found a way to approach the topic that had been bothering her for months now. Apparently, the gods were with her because Moira offered for her to sit on a bench, asking to know about Thea’s internship. Her question was devoid of any resentment, and she seemed genuinely curious and caring. Felicity quickly reassured her that she was more than satisfied with her work, and that she had no doubt Thea would be just as appreciated in her new service.

“That is good to know. I really hope that after this year, she finally accepts her responsibilities. I wasn’t pleased when she told me about that internship but since it’s a done thing, I would very much rather focus on the positive outcome.”

Felicity nervously pushed back a strand of hair behind her ear, noticing right away the undertone of bitterness in Moira’s voice. She was more than civil and respectful but it was clear she hadn’t approved of Thea’s decision at first… and probably of Felicity’s offer. Yet, Thea was an adult and it had been more than positive for her, so Felicity couldn’t really bring herself to feel bad about it. It just didn’t make it very easy for her to move the topic on to something even more potentially conflicting.

“Although, there is something I wanted to talk to you about concerning Thea,” Felicity eventually said, knowing this might be a now or never kind of situation.

“Yes?” Moira answered, a concerned frown on her face.

“It’s not just about her you know, it’s just that… she told me she had a hard time accepting Oliver’s death. Especially after Robert died so abruptly too.”

Moira pinched her lips, her eyes wandering to the opposite bench. “I know it hasn’t been easy for her. Losing her father, then her brother in such short time. But she got over it and she is much better now.”

“Well… yes, she is. But she still has questions without answers and I’m afraid it’s not healthy for her.”

“We all still have questions. But sometimes in life you have to accept the fact that you will not get any answer.”

“Is it really one of those cases? Because from what I know, there hasn’t been a lot of investigation concerning Oliver’s death.”

“Well, the Chinese government didn’t feel like pursuing the investigation as often happens in similar situations.”

“Isn’t that why you had hired a private agency?” Felicity asked, holding her breath.

“Yes, but their conclusions were the same as the ones we had been given by the authorities.”

“Really? They stopped the searches after a few weeks, how could their conclusions be significant if they barely had more time than the Chinese officials?”

Moira turned her head slowly until she was facing her again. “I wasn’t aware this was public knowledge.”

“It is not… not really. But people talk,” Felicity lied, hoping her poker face had improved over the years.

“There was nothing they could have found that would have made Oliver’s death easier to accept. It seemed like a waste of time.”

Felicity’s eyes widened. “Thea wasn’t accepting his death at all during all those years and-”

“Thea was behaving like any teenager. She had her moments of trouble, yes, but I don’t believe it had anything to do with Oliver’s death.”

“She told me it did. And even if not for Thea, why would you assure the public everything was done for a proper investigation when no one was actually investigating anything?”

“I don’t know what you’re suggesting, Miss Smoak, but I do not appreciate it,” Moira hissed. Felicity winced, understanding right away that Moira’s choice of calling her ‘Miss Smoak’ was definitely not innocent. But she was too far gone now, and couldn’t bring herself to stop.

“I… I am not suggesting anything, just wondering if you found something that you were not able to share with the world?” Felicity asked, her voice lowering. “About Oliver or… Robert?”

“So now you also have an interest in my husband’s death?” Moira asked, standing up.

“No. But Oliver told me that night… before the boat went missing. He told me that he had found a letter and that…” Felicity trailed off when she saw Moira’s shoulder stiffening, a flicker of nervousness crossing her eyes.

“What letter?”

“I… I don’t know. He just told me that his dad had done… things, or said things and that he wasn’t the man Oliver thought he was.”

Moira let out a small sigh, that Felicity was ready to bet was of relief. “Robert had made a lot of mistakes, as you’re… very aware yourself. I don’t know half of them, to be honest, and I’m sure most of them would have shaken Oliver. But… this has nothing to do with his death and…”

“And…?”

“Since you really wanted to know, we found the Gambit’s wreckage. That is why we stopped the investigation. Nothing out of the ordinary has been discovered but we decided it was best to keep it quiet, out of respect for the families who had lost someone. We wanted to respect their wishes. Officially, all their loved ones were lost at sea and it’s better if it stays that way.”

“What do you mean… officially? Some died in another way? … Oliver?” Felicity asked in a breath, her heart beating wildly.

“We only found one body of a crew member and they were… highly intoxicated. Now we do not know if that person was in charge of the boat when it sank or not, and we saw no reason to bring any more pain to their family. What is done, is done. It won’t bring my son back.”

“But… surely you can see that all those catastrophes happened in a short amount of time? And then stopped miraculously after Oliver died! Maybe he found something about his father and-”

“Miss Smoak. I understand that losing Oliver has been hard on you as well. But the only thing you’ll manage to achieve is to hurt yourself even more. You have to let go and stop digging up the past. It’s not good for you and he wouldn’t want that,” Moira said, her voice still tense. “Not to mention, I’d very much rather you didn’t fill my daughter’s head with silly theories.”

“Well, it’s hard for me to know what he would want or not… except for one thing: he wanted to tell me about his father. It must have been important.”

“Whatever Robert did, it’s in the past now. You care about Thea, I’ve seen it. Do you really want to taint the memories of her father?”

“... No. Of course, not,” Felicity murmured, folding her arms.

“Trust me. It’s better, for everybody, to let the past rest. It won’t do you any good to keep searching for answers,” Moira told her sternly, squeezing her arm firmly. “As the mother of Oliver, I am demanding that you stop.”

Felicity winced, because apparently the matriarch had quite the grip, but nodded nonetheless, sensing this conversation was going nowhere.

“Good,” Moira smiled, releasing her. “I would also ask you to keep your relationship with my daughter as professional as possible. She is finally in a better place, I won’t accept anyone ruining that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to attend my other guests. I believe you know the way out?”

Without waiting for an answer, she left, leaving a slightly fuming Felicity behind. Unsurprisingly, things hadn’t gone very well… but she hadn’t expected Moira to use Thea’s improvement against her, knowing she had been the one to listen to the young woman and offer her help. How could she be pleased about the change in her daughter’s behavior and blame Felicity for trying to help her in the first place? That was uncalled for, and completely unfair. She knew, from Tommy’s words, that Moira hadn’t been pleased with Thea’s decision, and a part of her wasn’t surprised about that. She could still remember Oliver’s tantrum when she had decided to leave QC herself, after all. But at the beginning of their conversation, Moira had seemed grateful and conscious of how positive the change had been for her daughter. And then, flash forward to five minutes later, she was politely asked to leave. Moira had changed, that was obvious. She wasn’t the gentle, understanding woman Felicity had met three years ago. Felicity knew that grief could really draw out the worst in people, but she would have never thought it would be the case for Moira Queen.

It was only when she was back in her car that she cooled down, replaying the scene much more calmly. There had been a tension in Moira’s voice. It wasn’t just concern over Thea... There was something more at play. What exactly, she didn’t know. Was it fear for her late husband’s reputation? Moira had tensed when Felicity had mentioned that letter. For some reason, Felicity felt like this was the key. Unfortunately, that letter was now probably destroyed.

Unless… unless it had been found with the Gambit. Who knew where Oliver had stored it afterwards. The chances were more than slim but… it was possible. And if Felicity’s instincts were right, and that all events were linked, that letter was probably the one thing that could lead her to the truth.

 

The first thing she did on Monday was to get an appointment with the private agency that Moira had hired. She was ready to finance another round of searches if necessary, or at least get some indication of what they had found. But she found herself facing a wall. After pretending they had no idea what she was talking about, they eventually confirmed that the Gambit had been found and retrieved and was now stored in a highly secured place. She could see in the face of the employee who had answered her that he knew he had said too much, and he then completely shut her out.

It didn’t matter. She had enough information. If the Gambit was stored somewhere, that meant someone was either paying a rent or had bought a storage space big enough to hide a boat. That meant there were money trails.

  
Felicity loved money trails more than anything in the world. They could never hide from her.

 

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

Oliver released his hold, the body dropping at his feet. The sound of applause that welcomed the motion echoed loudly in the silent room. His chest heaving, Oliver turned around, rolling his eyes when he saw Anatoli slow-clapping theatrically.

“Another one, really?”

Oliver smirked. These new recruits of yours are not the fastest learners, I’m afraid.”

As the young man he had just strangled started to come back to his senses, Oliver handed him a bottle of water, then grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat of his face. “But don’t worry, no one has died. Yet.”

“That is reassuring,” Anatoli grinned as he patted him on the back.

“What can I do for you?” Oliver asked as they both observed the three young men Oliver had been training making their way back to what they called the locker room. In reality, it was just a small room in the damp basement. They were in an old, shabby gym where athletes of the SU used to train. The place had been mostly abandoned in the 90’s, until the Bratva had claimed the neighborhood. Then it had become one of their unofficial training centers. Suffice it to say, what they were taught inside those walls had very little to do with pommel horses or parallel bars.

“Can’t I visit my friend?” Anatoli asked innocently once they were finally alone in the room.

Chuckling, Oliver shook his head. “Come on. We both know you only put me in charge of the recruits’ training because I don’t like to mingle with others. You wouldn’t come here if you didn’t have a good reason.”

“I do have a good reason. But it doesn’t concern me.”

“What do you mean?” Oliver asked as they both sat down on a bench.

“I believe your little Juliet is in trouble.”

Oliver frowned, confused. Juliet? He knew no Juliet and wasn’t even seeing any woman. What would cause Anatoli to…

He paled, snapping his head. “Felicity?”

“Mmhhmhh,” Anatoli answered, picking up a pack of mentos from his inside pocket. He presented it to Oliver who shook his head, before popping one in his mouth.

“What do you mean she’s in trouble? What happened? Is it her work? Did… did someone hurt her?”

_If that asshole Palmer hurt her, he’s going down._

“Nothing so far. You’re lucky. The ones who are after her contacted the branch in Starling to… give her a message.”

… What could the Bratva have to do with Felicity?

“And they told you, because…?”

“Because I ordered them to keep me informed about anything that could concern one of your loved ones, Oliver. You know me. Deep down, I have a mushy heart.”

“It must be a mistake. Felicity is a businesswoman, and knowing her like I do, she doesn’t hang out with… the kind of people involved with the mobs.”

“She doesn’t hang out with them. But it seems she’s been digging up things she shouldn’t. Mostly about a certain boat sinking and the death of your father.”

“... what?” Oliver breathed. People were after her because she was questioning his death? But… why? It had been three years, what had raised her suspicions? And most importantly… “Who? Who is after her?”

“That I do not know. That’s how my men managed to earn a few days, unwilling to deal with someone they didn’t know. But they might ask the Italians or the Chinese. Or one of our guys could go rogue again and take the contract. In short, I’m afraid she doesn’t have much time.”

“What do they want to do to her?” Oliver gritted through his teeth.

“Deliver a warning and… make sure she learns her lesson. Not kill her, though. It would apparently be too suspicious.” Anatoli sighed, reaching inside his jacket. Oliver took the small envelope he was handing him and, his fingers not as steady as they usually were, opened it. Inside were six pictures, all of Felicity. Leaving her building, entering Palmer Tech, sitting at a café with-

He paused, a lump forming in his throat. Thea. She was having a meal with Thea. Both women were smiling, obviously comfortable with each other. He could see a badge around Thea’s neck that looked similar to the one Felicity was wearing. His sister worked for Palmer Tech, he realized, raising his eyebrows. How did that even happen? And since when were they friends? He felt his heart swell as he looked at them, a longing growing in his chest. Oh, how much he wanted to be with them. His arm over Felicity’s shoulders, teasing Thea. The two of them probably stealing his fries up to the point where he’d barely get any. They had had the same habit that, no matter how irritating it had been, he had always found endearing for some reason.

He eventually forced his eyes away from the picture, looking at the last one, in what seemed like a garage, Felicity on the phone and opening the trunk of her car. She was smiling, her hair hanging freely around her face and he felt such a deep, violent surge of pure rage that he had to put the pictures down. Someone wanted to hurt her. Someone wanted to send a criminal after her who would do God knows what to get their message across.

He was up before he even had the time to realize it, throwing his towel on the floor. No one would hurt her. No one would ever hurt her as long as he was breathing.

He was already at the door when Anatoli’s voice echoed at his back. “Your plane will be ready to leave in two hours.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA!
> 
> Cliffhanger, kind of? You missed those, didn't you? :D :D  
> Things are moving on and speeding up now, the rollercoaster is about to start (like you're in the queue, still, but you know you're next on the ride O_O).  
> Also... I think I gave you more questions than answers with this one, right? *wiggles eyebrows*  
> THE PLOT THICKENS
> 
> Next chapter will be in Oliver's POV :) aaaaand small teaser, he will be a man on a mission.
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi!


	6. Start A Riot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Surprise, an early update :D You can thank my beta, mysticaldetectivepanda who is doing a terrific job with the editing ;)
> 
> (also pidanka, as you know :p)
> 
> Thanks to all of you for the comments (on AO3, on tumblr, on twitter), I love every single one of them!!  
> I know I was maybe a tiny little bit cruel with the ending of last chapter... Ready to find out what Oliver has been up to ever since he walked out of that gym? :)
> 
> Song: Start A Riot - Banners

 

**"Start A Riot"**   
  


I will march down an empty street like a ship into the storm  
No surrender, no retreat  
I will tear down every wall  
Just to keep you warm  
Just to bring you home  
I will burn this city down for a diamond in the dust  
I will keep you safe and sound when there's no one left to trust  
Will you take my hand?  
We can make our stand

If your world falls apart  
I'd start a riot  
If night falls in your heart  
I'd light the fire  
In the dark, when you sound the alarm  
We'll find each other's arms  
For your love, all you are  
I'd start a riot

I will wade through the fire and smoke like sunlight through the haze  
I will fight till the flag waves white until my dying days  
Through the bombs and blasts  
We will take it back

If your world falls apart  
I'd start a riot  
If night falls in your heart  
I'd light the fire  
In the dark, when you sound the alarm  
We'll find each other's arms  
For your love, all you are  
I'd start a riot

I'd start, I'd start a riot  
I'd start, I'd start a riot  
I'd start, I'd start a riot  
I'd start, I'd start a riot

If your world falls apart  
I'd start a riot

 

It was 6PM when he eventually landed at a small private airport not far away from Starling. Thanks to time zones, he had gone around the clock and back in time. He had used one of the Bratva jets to get to Mexico, then another private, much smaller plane to discreetly take him as close as possible to Starling City. He didn’t waste any time, throwing his bag on the backseat of the car that was waiting for him, and made his way to his hometown. His hair was longer, he was sporting a decent beard, and with a cap on, he knew he would just make himself invisible.

He had spent the flight researching everything he could find about Felicity, something he had always forbidden himself. To say that he was proud of her was an understatement. His girl was shining, like she had always been destined to. He had also checked his sister’s Facebook, once again regretting she didn’t keep the page private, and had found out she had started an internship for Palmer Tech almost four months ago, right around the time he had gone back to the US for his “mission”. Also right around the time Felicity had come back from her two years on the East Coast and he knew it probably was no coincidence. The question was why had Thea decided to work at PT instead of Queen Consolidated? Knowing his mother like he did, she probably hadn’t been pleased. Was it a teenage rebellion thing? Remembering his own teenage rebellion, he couldn’t deny he was more than relieved to see his sister hadn’t followed in his footsteps.

He didn’t waste any time once he reached Starling. His first destination was a small, dingy garage, the place where Anatoli’s tip had come from. He learned a bit more there. A man had gotten in touch through one of their usual contacts, offering $10,000,for the job. They had been given very few details, apart from her name, her address, her car’s license number and where she worked. The pictures Oliver had received had been taken by the same contact, and the only other instruction had been to not kill her or cause any irreparable damage… which had done exactly nothing to calm his rage. Alexi Leonov, the man in charge in Starling, confirmed they had tried to gain some time, but he hadn’t heard from his contact again, leading him to believe they had found someone else to do the job. His suspicion was that it was someone from their own ranks that had accepted the contract. After sharing the traditional shot of vodka, Oliver left, en route to Felicity’s apartment. It wasn’t night time yet, but it was way past the usual office hours and he was relieved to see her car parked on the curb. He couldn’t help but check if Palmer’s car was there as well but unless he had changed in the meantime, there was no trace of the man.

Oliver knew the Bratva’s usual MO. They wouldn’t attack her in her home, at least not when there were other options. An apartment meant neighbours, meant way too many potential witnesses. They’d first try to get to their victim where it would seem the most random. On their way to or from work, following them after a drink with friends, on their way to the grocery store or during their morning run. 

Although, knowing Felicity and her infamous love of sports, he probably could cross morning run from the list. He parked his car two streets away, near a small, abandoned shop. The place was discreet, quiet, close enough to her building so he could patrol, yet far enough so he wouldn’t attract attention. He smirked when he opened the trunk, lifting the false bottom. Everything he might need was there. Guns. Knives. Small electronic devices, phone, rope. He quickly grabbed a few things, then put the rest back. Going through narrow streets, he checked the perimeter, noticing a few changes in the past three years. Her neighborhood had been friendly and warm when he had left, but now it seemed much less welcoming. He could see more abandoned buildings, more homeless people, a few groups of teenagers hanging around. It wasn’t a bad neighborhood, but clearly it wasn’t what it used to be anymore. He winced, uncomfortable with the idea that this was where she lived, wondering why the hell, with the salary of a VP, she hadn’t moved out.

He went to check her name on the doorbell, confirming she was still living in the very same apartment, then went to grab a sandwich to eat. It was still too early for him to be able to do anything anyway and he hadn’t noticed anything suspicious. He waited until it was past 11PM, and every window was dark, to make his move. She lived on the second floor, in the back of the building where there was an old fire escape that led to her bedroom. Climbing took a few seconds at most, the only problem he had was getting rid of an obese cat that eyed him with clear disdain when he forced it out of his way. Once he was by her bedroom, he took a second to notice that she kept her windows closed, as well as her curtains. There was a very small ray of light he could see, meaning she was still probably reading. At least she was being careful and keeping the windows closed. Picking up a small knife from his pocket, he quickly carved a small Bratva star on the wall next to her window. It would warn anyone who’d try to get to her that she was under the protection of the Bratva - or that she was one of their contacts. Either way, it was a warning. Fishing inside his pocket, he pulled out a small amplifier device, pressing it tightly against the window. All he wanted to do was check if she really was inside and hopefully the little sound device would be enough. It took him a few seconds to be able to focus on the quiet noises, and he almost smiled when he suddenly heard a muffled curse that was unmistakably hers.

"Ugh! Damn it!”

For one second, he closed his eyes, savoring the sound of her voice. He had heard her laugh from afar that night, four months ago, but hadn’t heard her voice in three years. Three long years, and even hearing her curse was soothing his soul. He could see her behind his closed eyes so perfectly, her hair probably up in a messy bun on the top of her head, her glasses on her nose, biting her lips over whatever problem she couldn’t find a solution for. He eventually had to force himself to move, trying to extinguish the craving. She was right there, on the other side of that window. He could just tap the glass, and she’d see him.

No. She wouldn’t see him. She would see a man with long hair trying to break inside her home.

Gulping, he stored the amplifier back in his pocket, making sure to leave no trace of himself. The last thing he did was place another tiny device, no bigger than a chip, against the window. It would send him an alarm if it detected a movement.

Going down took him even less time, earning him a scratch from the now pissed-off cat who had been disrupted twice from its spot between two pots of hydrangea.

“Damn you,” Oliver hissed at the pet as he eventually left. The back of her building was secured.

He crashed down in his car, exhaustion finally taking over now that he knew she was safely home. He still didn’t really have a plan, only knowing he’d have to convince her to stop whatever she was doing. But… not as Oliver. He’d make sure everyone knew that going after Felicity Smoak would end badly, and warn her that she had attracted the attention of the wrong people. It wasn’t Oliver she needed right now, it was the man who could protect her.

After a few hours of rest, he made his way to a small motel just outside the city. He took a quick shower and stored all his equipment. He had given his phone number to Alexi, but he doubted he’d get anything from him. Despite being Bratva, and from a much higher rank, Oliver was a stranger to him. His loyalty would first go to his own men.

 

He spent the day following her, feeling like a creep. He hated the way he was stalking her, hated the way he was forced to witness her living her life, carefree, unaware of the danger she was in. He hated even more having to stay hidden, in the shadows, while there was this pull that was leading him to her. How he had missed her. How easy it would be to walk into her office, cap off, and tell her he was there, and fine. Maybe she’d even let him take her in his arms, feel her soft body against his, her hair brushing his chin. Maybe she wouldn’t be afraid of how cold his eyes had become. But the idea of having to wear a mask, pretend to be the same man who had gone missing three years ago was beyond his strength. And he knew that he would never be able to share with anyone what he had become, would never be able to live with himself if anything was to happen to her because of him.

He didn’t deserve her anyway. He probably never had and it was better that way. He’d go back to Russia once she was safe, go back to that life he hadn’t wanted, go back to where there was no second chance.

He knew now, for sure, that whoever had sunk the Gambit was still alive, out there, still on the lookout. Felicity wouldn’t be in danger if she wasn’t close to discovering something. It only convinced him once more that he had made the right decision. Had he come back, he would have been targeted right away and once they would have realized he wasn’t easy to put down, they would have gone after his loved ones. They would have gone after Thea, Felicity, his mother. He couldn’t let that happen.

And Oliver was a damaged, broken man, whose place wasn’t in the high society anymore. He didn’t want her to see what he had become. He didn’t want anyone to see what he had become.  
  


 

As he was guarding the entrance of her building that night, safely hidden in his car with a thermos of coffee for company, he almost choked when he saw her surreptitiously walking out of her building around midnight, completely dressed in black. He narrowed his eyes, his mind coming up with the memory of the last time he had seen her in that very same outfit. It was when she had broken into the warehouse holding his family’s archives. Whatever she was up to… it wasn’t good.

“You stubborn, stubborn woman,” he grumbled as he waited until she had started her car to follow her. Where the hell was she even going and what had gone through her mind to go out alone, in the middle of the night? Had she gotten even more headstrong with the years?

_… Knowing her, she probably has._

Tailing someone in the middle of the night was easier said than done. There wasn’t a lot of traffic and it was much easier to be spotted. Fortunately, Oliver knew the city very well and had also become very good at this kind of exercise.

“Where the fuck are you going,” he muttered under his breath as she drove into the Glades. She eventually stopped her car, parking on the curb. He kept on driving, keeping an eye on her from the rearview mirror, then turned around a corner and parked his car, quickly putting on his balaclava. Picking up a couple of guns, he swiftly made it out of the car, his steps carrying him to her. He saw a flash of blonde hair disappear down a narrow street and he picked up the pace, thinking that she’d deserve a good spanking for being so reckless.

_A good spanking followed by a good-_

He stopped his thoughts right then, shaking his head. He knew being around her was enough to mess with his head, but this might have been a new low. His girl was in danger, alone in a very unsafe neighborhood and he was picturing her bent over a bed. He had been celibate for too long and seeing her everyday was clearly affecting his ability to focus. He hadn’t allowed himself to be distracted in at least two years.

As he followed her, he realized she was walking the length of a warehouse that didn’t look quite as old as the rest of the neighborhood, and he slowed his steps, not wanting to be seen. Instead, he climbed up, preferring a higher position as usual. The building wasn’t high, but he’d still get a better view of his surroundings from up there. Once on the roof, he laid down on his stomach, observing her. She had found a small entrance on his right, and was busy on her tablet. The small light was showcasing her blonde hair - which she wore in pigtails he realized, his mouth twitching. Only his Felicity would go on a dangerous mission wearing pigtails. She had a balaclava on, though, so at least she was being cautious. Why did she even own a balaclava, now that was a mystery. While she was occupied, he dug into one of his pockets, finding his small pair of night vision binoculars. He could see everything was quiet around them, barely a movement, and he shifted his attention back to her, once again wondering what exactly she was doing here.

He felt a sudden shiver on the back of his neck, his instincts tingling in warning. His eyes wandered around the perimeter, at first seeing nothing until a tiny movement attracted his attention. There, in the shadow behind a dumpster, were two silhouettes. They were apparently coming from where he and Felicity had arrived themselves and he froze for one second, praying it was just a coincidence. He had been careful, checking that no one was following them but… what if this had been a trap for her? Maybe they had been there before they had even arrived. As quietly as possible, Oliver stood up, making his way across the roof until he could go down discreetly. He was forced to step away from Felicity and lose visual contact but it was the only way for him to go down from his position without being seen. He was just going around the corner, adding a silencer to his gun, when her small cry reached him, making his heart skip a beat. Peeking out, he saw she was backed against a wall, her hands raised, rambling something that was too low for him to understand to the two men facing her. Both men had their backs to him, and Felicity probably couldn’t see him either from her position. Quietly, his steps as light as possible, he made his way to them, noticing right away that only one man had a firearm. After all, to them, Felicity was an easy target. He heard perfectly what the armed man said to his accomplice and it made his blood boil. Rage took over his body, running through his veins and he let it take over. They saw her as a prey.

_Too bad you’re gonna have to go through me first. And I am no prey._

Felicity’s scream echoed loudly when the man dropped on the ground, a bullet in the head. He saw, from the corner of his eye, the way her hands covered her mouth to stifle the sound, and how her gaze was glued to the corpse of the man who had threatened her.

His companion turned around, reaching inside his jacket, but he didn’t have the time to grab his weapon. Oliver pounced on him, the loud noise of his skull cracking against the ground utterly satisfying. Oliver’s fist landed on his face, once, twice, breaking his nose and splitting his lower lip open. He stood up then, grabbed him by the jacket and threw him against the wall. Panting, not with exhaustion but with pure unadulterated wrath, Oliver punched him in the stomach until the guy couldn’t stand up anymore. His hand around his neck, he forced him up again until he could meet his eyes.

“Please,” the man begged, blood bubbling from his mouth. Oliver knew he hadn’t hit him hard enough to cause damage, but enough to quench his thirst for revenge.

“I am letting you live,” Oliver gritted through his teeth, lowering his voice and making it much more growly than it normally was. “And you’re gonna go to your boss, or whoever hired you, and tell them that she got the message. Do you understand?”

“They… they’re gonna check and if-”

Oliver growled, tightening the hold he had on his throat until the man started to choke. Emphasizing every word, he repeated, “Felicity Smoak is off limits.”

Leaning in, Oliver whispered, “Or I’ll put a contract out on your head myself and it won’t be pretty.”

Struggling to breathe, the man nodded, his hands scrambling over Oliver’s arm.

“Is there anyone else after her?”

The man shook his head, struggling to speak. “No… not that I know of,” he squeaked.

After one last squeeze around his throat to send his message across, Oliver finally let him go. The man took a few gulps of breath, then didn’t waste any time, limping away as quickly as he could.

Oliver took a few calming breaths, sensing Felicity still behind him. She was at least ten feet away from him and he knew she couldn’t have heard what he had said. She was probably in shock but he still had one thing to do.

Finally, he turned over, and took a few steps toward her, raising his hands to make her understand he wouldn’t harm her. She was holding her small messenger bag protectively against her chest, her eyes wide. Her chest was rising up and down, frozen to her spot. Thankfully, between the darkness of the night and his ski mask, he knew that she couldn’t see anything apart from his silhouette.

Oliver kept his voice down, so deep that it barely sounded human. “You have to stop. You are messing with the wrong people and you will find nothing. I won’t be there to -”

He was so focused on not scaring her that he didn’t even notice her hand moving and pointing the taser to his torso. He groaned in pain when it hit him square on the chest and he bent forward, squeezing his eyes shut to ignore the burn.

“I’m not gonna hurt-”

A blinding pain erupted from his temple - where she had just clocked him with her taser.

_God damn it, Felicity._

He heard her steps as she ran away and he forced himself to follow her, trying to catch his breath. He saw her get in her car, start the engine and speed through the streets. He didn’t follow her, knowing she’d be safe for now, but went to his car and left as well, going back to his motel. He took a long shower, his ribs aching. His head wasn’t bleeding, despite the strength with which she had hit him. He changed into new clothes then went to check if she had made it home safely. The way those guys had found her was way too suspicious. Either it was a trap, which he actually doubted - Felicity was nothing if not smart. Or she had been followed, which he deemed improbable. The last possibility was a tracker. As he got out of his car, ignoring the slight pinch of pain in his ribs, he spotted her sedan right away on the other side of the street. He jogged there, checking his surroundings, then kneeled down, his hand searching underneath the car. He finally found what he was looking for behind the back tire. He considered destroying it but then thought better of it and went to put it underneath his own ride. If someone else was after her… they’d find him.

Circling the building, he noticed right away that there was light in her living room. He quickly climbed up, checked to see if the small chip was still securely in place and, after hearing her mumbling to herself through the small opening in the window of her living room, he left, reassured. He’d have to stay around for a little while to make sure no one else was after her, but he was already more at ease. He didn’t doubt his message would be delivered.

 

The next few days followed the same routine. Felicity didn’t leave her building the whole weekend, which didn’t surprise him, with the close call she had had on Friday.

On Monday, he was surprised to see Dig accompanying her out of the building. Had she told him about her close encounter? Oliver doubted Diggle would have been fine knowing she was out in the middle of the night, but maybe he hadn’t known her plans before-hand? They were in the middle of an animated discussion, keeping their voices down, and Oliver laid down on the backseat, thankful once again for the tinted windows that kept him safely hidden.

“Felicity, this is serious. You can’t go out in the middle of the night, next time you won’t be that lucky.”

“I know. Believe me, Dig, I know. There is just this other warehouse I have to check-”

Diggle held his head in his hands. “No. You need to stop. That dude, whoever he was, told you to stop looking. You won’t find anything, Felicity. Oliver is gone. The only thing certain is that you’re annoying the wrong crowd. From what Oliver told you, it seems like Robert Queen might have been involved in some murky business and believe me, that’s not the kind of people you want to mess with.”

“But… I can’t just do nothing, John. I… I can’t. I’ll be more discreet. Also maybe you could teach me how to use a gun? I mean, I think I did quite well with the taser-”

Oliver couldn’t help but smirk proudly as his fingers probed the small bump he still had on his forehead. _You did quite well, indeed._ His girl had never been a damsel in distress, after all.

“Yes. I’m all good with teaching you how to defend yourself. But not so you can go all Jack Bauer in the Glades. Listen, I have contacts, I’ll try to dig up some stuff, try to find out who the guy who died was. It could give us some info but… you keep a low profile. You told me the men wanted to deliver a message but got interrupted, so the good news was that they probably didn’t want to kill you.”

“I shouldn’t have gone to the private agency,” Felicity said so quietly that Oliver barely heard her. “Someone must have warned them that I wanted to take a look at what they had found.”

“Yes, that wasn’t…” Diggle muttered something Oliver couldn’t make out.

A car sped by next to them, and Oliver couldn’t hear the rest of their conversation as they parted ways, each going to their cars. He stayed hidden until each had pulled off, Diggle apparently following her to work. It was only when they were out of sight that he slipped to the front seat again, his mind buzzing. He had listened to every word they had exchanged, storing every bit of information he could, and now was time for a debriefing.

So Felicity had taken it as her personal mission to undercover what had been going on with the Queen family three years ago. What Dig had said, about Robert probably being into some shady stuff, made him think that Felicity might have told him about that last Skype session, where he had mentioned the letter Robert had written. She was assembling the pieces, realizing that there were too many coincidences.

And she wasn’t planning to stop.

He sighed, dropping his head back on his seat, then decided it was better to go get some sleep. Diggle was driving her to Palmer Tech and she’d be at her office all day. He had a few hours to rest and come up with a new plan.

 

 

A three-hour nap and a shower later, he was pacing in his room, his hand fidgeting with his cellphone. He eventually made up his mind, and as he knew he didn’t have to wait long before the familiar voice answered.

“My favorite American. I was expecting your call,” Anatoli greeted him right away.

“Really?”

“Well, yes, especially since one of our brothers was found executed two days ago. His partner told us of a man taking them down. American accent.”

“... I didn’t exactly have a choice,” Oliver murmured, sitting down on his bed. He’d deal with the consequences of his actions later. He had killed a member of the brotherhood and he knew he would have to pay the price for that.

“Well, lucky you, they had both gone rogue. All bets are off when you don’t follow direct orders. Just be more… cautious next time.”

At least one thing he wouldn’t have to worry about.

“I’ll try to,” Oliver answered. “Did you find more info about who put that contract on her head? Alexi doesn’t seem… fond of me.”

Anatoli laughed. “You are a stranger to him. He doesn’t trust you. But no. We found nothing more. They probably hired the brothers you already took care of and we haven’t heard anything else. All we know is that it was a man, american accent.”

“... That helps,” Oliver dryly said. Not to mention, he strongly doubted whoever had gotten in touch with the Russian mob was the real culprit he was looking for. They probably had used a messenger.

“Well, the good news is your message got delivered. Our man said he had a phone number to contact. He did it, the number got disconnected right afterwards. I’m surprised you didn’t check yourself.”

“I was going to. I was going to follow the guy but then..."

_Then I got tased and clocked and Felicity was running away and I just had to make sure she was alright._

“It was a dead-end anyway. One of those… burner phones.”

“Of course.” Just his luck. He’d have to check that agency Felicity had mentioned. Apparently that’s where the mole had been. “Could you ask Alexi to look into which private agency was in charge of recovering the Gambit? I’d ask him myself but he probably won’t do it.”

“I will. Why do you need that?”

Oliver sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Felicity… she’s not stopping. I warned her, told her she had to stop but…”

“But she’s a stubborn one, isn’t she?” Anatoli chuckled. “The good ones are always stubborn.”

“She’s gonna get herself killed, Anatoli. I can’t be behind her 24/7.”

“Maybe try to scare her? For her own good, of course.”

“She got attacked by two men, one got a bullet in the head, the other got beaten and I thought she had spent the weekend locking herself in her apartment shaking in fear but apparently it only made things worse. Now she knows for sure there is something going on. Scaring her won’t work.”

There was a silence on the line, so long that Oliver thought Anatoli had hung up.

He eventually heard a deep sigh. “Do you think there is a chance you might find out who is behind all of this before she gets more involved?”

“I have about zero leads. Neither does she apparently, she’s just looking everywhere. I can hope I’ll find them before they find her but-”

“But that’s a big risk to take, isn’t it?”

Oliver exhaled slowly through his nose. The risk was way too big. He wouldn’t play russian roulette with her life.

He didn’t answer, but then again, he didn’t have to.

“You have to accept it, Oliver. If that girl loved you half as much as you love her… she’ll never stop.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Oliver admitted quietly.

“I think you do. There is only one way to make sure she stops looking for answers.”

Oliver’s index finger drummed against the cellphone as he closed his eyes.

“How am I going to tell her that…” Oliver huffed out a bitter laugh. “How am I going to tell her anything, actually?”

“You’ll find a way. You’re very good at keeping secrets, Oliver.”

“Not from her…” he whispered. Felicity had always read him like an open book. He was quite confident he’d be able to fool almost anyone around him except for her.

“Once again, you know the solution.”

Sighing, Oliver ended the call. He had been looking for help, but the only thing Anatoli had been able to do was confirm him what he had thought deep down. He couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer.

 

As he laid down on his back, staring at the ceiling, Oliver let his mind wander back to the past three years. He had killed. Tortured. Had made enemies. He had been played, used, manipulated, betrayed until the point where he knew he could only count on himself - and, in some measure, Anatoli. At least for now. He wasn’t fool enough to believe in undying loyalty with anyone from a brotherhood like the Bratva. Oliver was unfit to go back to the world of living, that much he knew. His nights were haunted by so many faces that he barely ever slept.

He could still remember that one night when he had gotten hammered, right after the end of his initiation in the Bratva. The recruits that had made it out alive had been taken to a bar and Oliver had drowned himself in alcohol, trying not to think about the blood that was still on his clothes. He had passed out, only to be waken up by a hand on his arm. He hadn’t thought, just reacted, and the next thing he knew, he had both hands around the neck of a young woman who had been there to “entertain” the guests. It had taken three men to make him loosen his grip, unable to realize she wasn’t a threat.

The girl was still a teenager. And he had almost killed her with his bare hands.

He would have to wear a mask, he knew it. Everyday, constantly. Would have to slip back into the life of a socialite. Stay as far as possible from the ones who knew him well. Make sure he was the only one targeted. Because he would be, he had no doubt about that. All he had to do was take them down before they got to him. And make sure no one got caught in the crossfire.

Especially not the love of his life.  
Felicity. She had been with Palmer the last time he had checked. He hadn’t seen any mention of that in his searches, but he knew she was very private when it came to her personal life so it didn’t mean much. He’d have to reassure her. Tell her it was OK she had moved on, that he was happy for her, even if he still felt like dying every time he thought about them together. He would also have to make up some lie about the letter from his father, so she could really put the Queen family behind her. Get back to her life, focus on what really mattered. He knew how she was when there was a mystery, he had witnessed it first hand with Isabel. But once Oliver was back, he'd tell her to let go. That would be his gift for her. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooooo... what did you think?
> 
> Big chapter next... yup... very important chapter... mmmhmmh   
> I guess you can all figure out that Oliver is "officially" coming back to life ;)
> 
> Find me on twitter @pimsiepim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy come say hi ;)


	7. Unchained Melody

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Happy Labor weekend thingy for people in the US :D
> 
> Here is the big chapter (drumroll, please). It might be emotionnal, or not, depending on everyone's tolerance for tearful reunions :p
> 
> Big thanks to Pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, who probably curse my name everytime they read a chapter lately :p
> 
> Song: Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers (if you want to die, just listen to the orchestral version from Ghost. I had to stop it because I couldn't write anymore because of all the tears. That song doesn't even need lyrics to be heart-wrenching.)

**"Unchained Melody"**

Whoa, my love  
My darling  
I've hungered for your touch  
A long, lonely time  
  
And time goes by so slowly  
And time can do so much  
Are you still mine?  
  
I need your love  
I need your love  
God speed your love to me  
  
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea  
To the open arms of the sea  
Lonely rivers sigh, "Wait for me, wait for me  
I'll be coming home, wait for me"  
  
Whoa, my love  
My darling  
I've hungered, hungered for your touch  
A long, lonely time  
  
And time goes by so slowly  
And time can do so much  
Are you still mine?  
  
I need your love  
I need your love  
God speed your love to me

 

 

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” Felicity panted as she ran to her car. Not stopping, she jumped behind the wheel and started the engine, leaving the Glades behind her as fast and as safely as she could.

She forced herself to focus on traffic, which thankfully was more than light since it was the middle of the night. It was only when she had parked her car in front of her building that she realized she still had her ski mask on. She took it off, grabbed her bags and rushed to her apartment, relief flooding her when she was finally inside her safe haven. She locked the door, switching off the alarm that Dig had forced her to install a few weeks ago, then made her way to the kitchen, her legs wobbly. Grabbing a glass, she opened a bottle of tequila and poured herself a generous amount. She gulped the glass down, slamming it back down on the counter. Her heart was still beating wildly, the image of the man who had dropped dead at her feet dancing in front of her eyes.

So, OK, he had been threatening her with… things she’d rather not think about ever again. And OK he was pointing a gun at her. But still. She had never seen anyone die before and… she really hoped it would be her one and only experience in that field.

It took her another shot of tequila and half a pint of ice-cream to finally get a grip on herself. She sat down at her dining table, replaying every detail of her night. She had found out that Jones and Lewis, the private agency hired by Moira Queen, had bought two warehouses six months after the Gambit went down. At first, it had been hard for Felicity to trace any money back to the Queen family but she had eventually found an offshore account often linked to the Deardens. Said account had transferred half a million dollars to another account, based in Switzerland. The money had been diverted several times but had eventually arrived in Jones and Lewis' bank account. It had confirmed her suspicions that those two warehouses, or at least one of them, could be linked to the Gambit and maybe the wreckage was still kept there.

Unfortunately, her first attempt had been quite the failure. She hadn’t thought there might be guards… if the two thugs could be classified as guards. Well, two or three. Because the third one sure as hell didn’t seem like a choirboy. She didn’t know if she had stepped into a turf war between two gangs or if…

She froze, her spoon inches away from her mouth. When she had seen ski-mask dude - for lack of better word - pouncing on the second guy, then turning to her, she had reacted on instinct, sure he was coming after her as well. So she had tased him. Then clocked him because she liked to be thorough. But now that she had calmed down, she could actually remember his words. He had told her to stop looking, and that she wouldn’t find answers.

How did he know what she was doing there? Who was he? Was he on her side? Or maybe he was searching for answers himself? She hadn’t heard what he had told the guy who had wanted to attack her, but from the few words he had… growled to her, she had recognized a clear American accent, not Russian, unlike the other two.

She pinched her lips, dropping the spoon back in the tub, feeling guilty all of a sudden. He had raised his hands reassuringly and yet she still had attacked him.

… Maybe he was a cop. Maybe he had infiltrated an organization.

“Oh no. What if I assaulted a cop?” she exclaimed, her eyes wide.

Yet, even if it was indeed a police officer… it still didn’t answer how on earth he knew why she was there.

 

In the end, she stayed up all night, way too fidgety to go to sleep. She waited until it was 8AM, then went to Dig’s apartment. To say he wasn’t pleased with her midnight adventures was putting it mildly. She had to sit down while he lectured her, pacing in his living room, and it really felt like she was seven years-old again. He had eventually asked her to wait for him in his apartment while he was running an errand. One hour later, he was back, carrying a bag. He had checked her place, making sure there were no hidden cameras or mic. Fortunately, there was nothing.

“You should stay inside this weekend. And for the love of God, don’t do anything reckless. Do you want me to stay over?” Dig asked as he came back after having checked her car as well.

“No. I should be fine. I have the alarm anyway,” Felicity answered, yawning. Now that she felt safe, the adrenaline rush was fading, leaving her exhausted. 

“Alright. I’m just a phone call away, OK? I’ll go buy some groceries for you, do you need anything special or just the usual?”

“If by usual you mean coffee and ice-cream, then no I don’t need anything special,” she smiled tiredly.

As soon as Dig left, she locked the door, and went straight for a shower. She barely took the time to grab an oversized T-shirt, one that Oliver had left behind, before falling down on her bed. She was asleep in less than a minute.

 

She didn’t spend her weekend cleaning up the mess that was her living room. There were papers everywhere, as well as a giant board where she had added every piece of evidence she had found concerning the death of Robert and Oliver during these past four months. Which… wasn’t much. Everything had sped up after her talk with Moira Queen, but she still had found nothing that could really prove anything.

She had all those pieces of information but she couldn’t assemble them to get a clearer picture. Couldn’t find how they fit. And that was so ironic. It was a giant puzzle.

Diggle had offered to follow her to and from work until they were sure no one was really after her, and she couldn’t deny she felt safer. Yet, her close call hadn’t been enough to convince her to stop. Quite the contrary, it had only confirmed that something more had been at play in Robert's and Oliver’s deaths. But she had learned her lesson, and wasn’t planning on another night mission any time soon.

Her week was tense, to say the least. She was nervous, fidgety, despite Diggle’s reassuring presence every time she had to leave her place or work. Her nights were short, filled with nightmares and she often woke up after a few hours of sleep, gasping, a sheen of sweat covering her body. She couldn’t remember exactly what her dreams were made of, but the man who had saved her was always there. The way he had held out his hands in reassurance was haunting her for some reason. She dreamed a lot of Oliver, too and it convinced her to step away from her searches at least until after she'd gotten proper nights of sleep again. Dig was right. She couldn’t let herself be consumed by what had happened three years ago.

The anniversary of his death was fast approaching and that wasn’t helping. It felt like she was seeing him everywhere, constantly feeling his presence in her everyday life. She was missing him, so much, with an intensity she hadn’t felt in a while. She missed his arms around her, the way his hand felt in hers, the scruff on his jaws underneath her fingertips. She missed his laugh and his smile, the way he always held her close at night. But he was gone now, and she had accepted that. Yet, for some reason, she was feeling closer to him than she had in a long time.

She woke up very early the following Saturday, shaken out of her sleep, reaching out for him in the dark room. Unable to fall back asleep, she did some much needed house-cleaning, before heading to the farmer’s market. It was a beautiful September day, the sun was bright and the air was clean and crisp, foreshadowing the fact that fall would arrive by the end of the month.

She bought a small basket of strawberries - the last ones of the year according to the merchant, as well as a nice bouquet of flowers to spruce up her living room a little. One quick stop at a bakery for some freshly baked croissants and a latte, and she was already back home. 

With her windows wide open, she ate her breakfast leisurely, munching on strawberries and playing crosswords, promising herself she would spend the day away from anything work related - whether it was PT or her own personal investigations.

“Now, come on, movie with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze, in five letters,” she snorted, rolling her eyes at the simplicity of the question. “Even if I hadn’t watched that movie a gazillion times, I’d know the answer.”

She quickly scribbled down Ghost in the correct spaces, still shaking her head. She hadn’t watched that movie in years, but could still remember the ugly sobbing that always took over when Molly could finally see Sam again. It didn’t take long at all for her to finish the crosswords and eventually settle down on her couch with a nice cup of tea and a book. A real, physical book where she could turn pages. It had been ridiculously long since she had last held a book in her hands and she felt a bit ashamed of herself, realizing Dig had been right in many ways. She had a slightly obsessive personality, which could be good in terms of achievements, but also terribly unhealthy.

_Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much._

She sighed happily, a small smile stretching her lips when the familiar words welcomed her back. Then frowned when a knock on the door kept her from reading more. She was about to ignore whoever it was, when they insisted, louder, and a glance at her phone told her Dig was trying to call her as well. Pinching her lips, she put the book down, walking slowly towards her door. She hadn’t forgotten about her close encounter and John’s warning words were still ringing in her head. A small look through the peep hole and she exhaled slowly in relief.

“Dig, I’m sorry, I was just about to read a-”, she welcomed him as she opened the door wide, but stopped herself once she saw how… unusually not-Dig he looked. He was obviously fidgety, avoiding her eyes. “Are you alright? Is there something wrong?”

“No. Can we sit down?” he said as he passed by her, already heading to her dining table.

“OK… but you’re kinda scaring me so please just rip off the band-aid,” she gulped as she sat down next to him.

Dig looked at her, obviously hesitating but eventually took a deep breath. “They found Oliver.”

She stared at him for a few seconds, trying to make sense of his words. Then she felt her throat constricting, her eyes burning as she pinched her lips as hard as she could. Oliver was dead. So if Dig was telling the truth, that meant…

“... They found his body?” she eventually asked in a strangled voice. The wound that had started to heal so slowly ripped open violently, and it almost felt as if someone was squeezing her heart inside their fist. She had made her peace, painfully, with the fact that he would never be brought back home. He belonged to the sea now and he was far, far away from her. She had accepted that. But knowing he could get a proper burial, a grave, a place where he would rest for eternity and that would be close to her…

Dig’s hands on her shoulders eventually snapped her out of it. “No!” he shouted and she startled, realizing he had been trying to get her attention. “Oliver is not dead, Felicity. He was found alive.”

Blinking, she replayed the words in her head. _Oliver is not dead. He was found alive. Oliver is not dead. He was found alive._

“Wh… what? How?” she eventually whispered. How could Oliver be alive after three years? How could someone survive in the ocean for three years? It was impossible. It didn’t make sense.

“I don’t know much. Just had a call. He was found on an island by a Russian boat. They reached Long Beach yesterday, he is at the hospital right now.”

“No,” Felicity shook her head. “Dig, it doesn’t make sense. Oliver is dead and suddenly a boat finds him and he makes it to Long Beach and… how can we know it’s him? We hear stories like that all the time of people impersonating…”

“Why do you think no one thought of that yet? They checked his identity. Mrs Queen went to see him right away yesterday. He is being checked over at the hospital right now. Tommy Merlyn asked me to let you know and to drive you there.”

There was a buzzing in her ears that was making it hard for her to understand his words. All she could think about was that it wasn’t possible and that she could not let herself hope that it was him. The pain would be too brutal, she wouldn’t survive it. She wouldn’t survive losing him twice.

She mentally wrapped herself in a cocoon and obediently put her shoes on while Dig closed the windows. It dawned on her suddenly that she might have to move out. She might have to leave Starling behind, and for good this time, because being pulled back so violently into the same kind of denial that she had had when Ray had told her about Oliver’s death was already causing damages. She could feel it in the way her hands were shaking, in the way hope, that sneaky, cruel emotion, was digging its way inside her heart and she could not afford to lose herself to hope.

Dig guided her to his car and she knew he was talking to her but despite her best efforts she couldn’t concentrate on his words. She wanted to turn around and go back to her couch, go back to her bed where she could dream of him, where the pain was familiar.

A gentle hand forced her face sideways, until she could meet Dig’s eyes. Only then did she realize they were in a parking garage.

“Felicity. I wouldn’t have come to you if they hadn’t been sure.”

Dig’s stare was soft, patient, full of joy. In the end that’s what made her let go of that fear that was protecting her and she nodded, opening her door. She followed him until they came to a private corridor, passing several bodyguards that she recognized from her days at Queen Consolidated. One of them took them to a small hallway, where she saw a familiar silhouette pacing.

“Felicity,” Tommy greeted her with a bright smile. He was disheveled, as if he had ruffled his hair way too many times, and his eyes were red, with dark circles underneath. He looked exhausted and tremendously happy and she felt her heart fluttering.

“Tommy,” she whispered, her throat too tight for her to speak normally. “Is it… is he…?”

“He’s with Moira and Thea right now. It’s him. I had a hard time believing it but it’s him. They checked his fingerprints and all that jazz.” Tommy grinned reassuringly, his hands resting on her shoulders.

“How is he? Is he alright?” Dig asked from behind her while she was still struggling to form words. She wanted to believe them, she wanted to believe them so badly but was terrified, absolutely terrified of the dark hole that would swallow her alive if they were wrong.

“... He looks fine. But the doctors warned us… there has to be some effects or consequences and… I mean, he’s not going to be exactly the same. Social skills might be rusty and… we need to respect personal spaces and boundaries more than ever until he settles back and is comfortable with his surroundings again.”

“But he is OK physically?” Dig asked again, resting his hand on her back. She didn’t know if it was to show his support or because she was swaying. Actually she wasn’t even sure she was swaying, the room seemed to be spinning  but for some reason, Tommy’s face was still firmly in front of her, his eyes now concerned.

“Felicity? Do you… do you want to sit down?” he eventually asked, his voice low and soft.

She shook her head, because she wasn’t sure she’d have the strength to get up again if she sat down. “Oliver… Oliver is alive? My Oliver?”

She had to make sure. She had to hear the words again, make sure she hadn’t misunderstood.

Tommy frowned, throwing a glance at Dig. “Yes. I… damn he really knows you well. Oliver told me you’d probably have a hard time and… it’s OK, Felicity. I promise you, I swear to you, it’s him.” He let go of her shoulders, then dug up a small plastic bag from the pocket of his jacket. “He had this with him. He told me you’d recognize it.”

At first, she couldn’t see what he was holding. It was in a small zipper bag, an old, outdated, brownish red piece of… she didn’t really know what it was and she blinked, realizing her vision was blurry because of the tears. Taking the bag between her hands she turned it around, until she could finally recognize the object.

Her lungs started to burn, her throat impossibly tight as the memory flashed in front of her eyes. A tourist trap in Vegas, that stupid, stupid puzzle he had wanted to buy and the small red pen she had gotten him in return. The same pen he had promised to put on the keychain of his car.  The car that he had driven to that damn, cursed boat three years ago. She gasped then, the air finally flowing into her lungs as sobs started to tear through her throat.

Oliver. Oliver was alive.

She was almost struggling to breathe through the tears, of joy and relief but also of pain, because she was reminded so vividly of that day when she had been told he’d never come back.

“Shhhh… it’s OK,” Tommy whispered as he took a step forward, hugging her. She clung to his shirt, trying to calm the tears down but it was as if a dam had been opened. Her heart, the one that had barely started to heal, the one that had cried for him so much, was opening itself again, already welcoming him back in her life, her love for him as intense and deep as the day he had waved goodbye to her. It was like she had been living the last three years in black and white and someone had suddenly switched on the colors.

She eventually managed to get a grip, her breathing calming down after a few hiccups, and she took a step back, wiping her tears.

Tommy flashed her a smile, handing her a handkerchief and she couldn’t help but giggle, the gesture oh so very him.

“I can’t believe you’re even prepared for this kind of situation,” she sniffled.

“I’m prepared for anything when it comes to beautiful ladies.”

“Thank you,” she said as she took off her glasses and patted her cheeks dry.

“Anytime,” Tommy winked at her, pressing her arm. “So… do you think you’re ready to go inside?”

Felicity drew a shaky breath, her hands twisting the handkerchief. “I look like a mess, don’t I?” She hadn’t changed when Dig had picked her up, and was wearing a pair of faded jeans and an old, overused MIT shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail that had probably seen better days and she was wearing no makeup. Although, considering the waterworks, it was probably better that way.

“I don’t think he’ll care. You’re still more beautiful than him, anyway.”

She smiled, her eyes looking for Dig who was now sitting on a chair by the door. He nodded his head reassuringly and his calm, collected presence soothed her nerves.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to Tommy. “Yes. I’m… I’m ready.”

 

***  
  


“Walter is going to handle everything with the press, so you don’t have to… worry about anything.”

Oliver nodded, still absorbed by the view from the window. He was in a hospital room, in Starling General, waiting for the doctors to officially discharge him. He knew he was in good health, but officially he had been rescued from an island and that induced a lot of medical check-ups. And a lot of questions he hadn’t been willing to answer, much to everyone’s frustration. Anatoli’s plan had gone smoothly. Oliver had driven all the way to Los Angeles, and only had to wait three days until a boat - with a very understanding crew, obviously - had reached the harbour of Long Beach. Then it had been quite easy. Stopping at a police station, getting in touch with his mother, getting his fingerprints and so on. It was only because Moira had insisted for him to be checked at the hospital in Starling that he was still stuck in that room.

It was… weird to be there. Officially, that is. He didn’t exactly know how he felt. Probably happy but his mind was set on things that left little room for emotions. He had spent the last few days coming up with a plan and was hell bent on finding whoever had been responsible for his father’s death, as well as the death of the crew of the Gambit. And Andrew. Oliver pushed back the now familiar feeling of guilt that always came up whenever he thought about Andrew Backstone, and he knew he’d have to reach out to his family. But one thing at a time. He first had to deal with his own family and he wasn’t sure it was going to be as easy as he had thought. Thea had asked questions, so had Moira, about how it was, how he had survived, but he had shut them down. Thankfully, the doctors had taken over, explaining that at first it wouldn’t be easy for him to share his experience and that it was perfectly normal. Unfortunately, that explanation wouldn’t hold in the long run and all Oliver could hope was that they’d grow tired of his non-answers.

Tommy had been his usual self. He had seen him barely an hour ago, and it had been easier with him. He hadn’t asked questions, just been happy to have his best friend back and Oliver hadn’t had the heart to tell him that his best friend was long gone. He had put a fake smile on his face, listening to his friend’s rambling while having only one person on his mind.

Felicity.

Where was she? He had been adamant about keeping his distance, promising himself he’d do anything to make sure she’d stay far away from him but now that he was back… it wasn’t so easy anymore. He wanted to see her, just once, wanted to be close enough to see the freckles on her nose, close enough to breathe her in. Then, then he’d tell her he understood. It had been three years, she had moved on and it was all for the best.

That was his plan. 

But when the door opened, when he saw a flash of blond hair and her hesitant smile… he forgot about everything else. He didn’t even hear Thea, just saw her pulling their mother outside, giving them a bit of privacy and closing the door behind her.

Felicity was twisting something between her hands, her eyes never leaving his face.

“Hi,” she eventually said, her voice hoarse and trembling. Only then did he see how red her eyes were, and the tension in her body.

“Felicity,” he answered softly, still glued to his place. They were barely five feet away from each other, but for some reason he couldn’t close the gap, not trusting himself.

Her chin trembled when she heard him call her name and she bit her lips so hard he was afraid she would draw blood. She blinked several times, took a step forward but then stopped, her eyes hesitant. He understood right away that she was holding back and when he saw the tear that escaped her eye, he was unable to stay away from her. He closed the gap between them in two short steps, his hand already reaching out for a strand of hair that had escaped from what was left of her ponytail.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, wiping her cheek before he had the chance to do it himself. He wanted to wipe that tear, he wanted to kiss it away so badly that it hurt but he knew he didn’t have the right to do that anymore. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, letting her familiar green apple scent invade his sense. He had missed it. He had missed it so much. He sensed a movement and he reopened his eyes, seeing the struggle on her face as her palm was hovering over his chest. She was hesitant, and it took him a few seconds to understand that she wanted to touch him but didn’t dare to.

He gently took her hand in his and she raised her head in surprise when he stroked her knuckles. Her hand was so tiny, so fragile compared to his, the skin as soft as in his memories. He slowly put her hand across his chest, making her understand that it was fine and he felt a lump in his throat when she automatically went to cover his heart. She didn’t move her hand, just let it rest for what seemed like several minutes but he didn’t mind, oh no he didn’t mind one bit, his entire body craving her touch with an intensity that was almost blinding him. It felt so warm, despite the fabric of his shirt between their skins, and the tingle was still there, the innocent touch awakening little sparks of joy on a body that had only felt pain and loneliness for the past three years.

She eventually raised her head, a question in her eyes and he nodded, not sure he understood what she meant but also knowing there was nothing he’d ever be able to deny her. Her fingers danced across his chin, grazing the stubble of his jaw. He had shaved and cut his hair the previous night, forcing himself back in Oliver Queen’s shoes and it was only in that moment, with her thumb stroking his cheek, that he remembered that it was his body too. She smiled then, a tiny moan escaping her lips as if the gesture meant as much to her as it did to him.

His heart fluttered, soaring with an emotion he didn’t recognize right away. Hope. The feelings he had for her had been saved in a small box in a corner of his heart, and it was as if they had suddenly found the key, because they invaded him brutally, all at once and he was unable to hold them back. Even if had wanted to, he would have never been able to stop his arms from circling her waist, lightly, giving her plenty of time to move away from him if she wanted to.

She didn’t, and he saw her shoulders relaxing visibly as if staying away had been just as hard for her. She hesitantly rested her cheek against his chest, right above his heart, her eyes closing and he noticed that she synced her breathing with the beat. Gulping, he took her in, the way her glasses were slightly askew and probably biting uncomfortably in her flesh, but she didn’t seem to care. Her face was makeup free and the corner of his lips twitched when he saw the freckles on her nose, dying to kiss every single one of them. Instinctively, his arms tightened around her and he suddenly realized how small she seemed in his embrace, her entire body trembling. She was holding his shirt in her fists, bundling the fabric and it almost scared him how much he craved her own arms around him. He needed to feel her hands on his back, holding him close to her.

And he knew, he knew he couldn’t let things go any further than that, he knew he had to keep his distance from her because his life was about to become even more dangerous than before but he couldn’t, for the life of him, he couldn’t move away from her.

“It’s OK,” he murmured, lowering his face until he could nuzzle her hair. He breathed in deeply, a small moan catching in his throat, everything so utterly familiar despite the years apart. She relaxed then, her small arms circling his waist tentatively, finally feeding the desperate hunger he had for her touch. Nothing in his life had ever felt more right than holding her in that moment.

It was like she was snuggling herself underneath his skin, warming up every cell of his body one at a time. He hadn’t lived, he realized. He hadn’t lived during those three years away. He needed her, he needed her warmth, her love and even though he would have to walk away from her, he couldn’t bring himself to keep his distance. Just this one moment, just this one embrace and then he’d let her go, he promised himself. The sole reason he had come back was to attract the danger to himself, and it would be pointless if she was around him.

_But please… please… wait for me. I know Palmer is the kind of man you deserve, I know I have nothing to give, but please… wait for me._

They stayed like this for what seemed like forever, yet when they finally broke apart, it was as if it had only lasted mere seconds. He needed more. More time with her, her body against his. His eyes lowered to her lips, craving her kiss, craving the taste of her mouth, and he was cradling her face between his hands, already leaning in when he suddenly remembered why they had broken their embrace.

His mother and his doctor were there, and he gulped, eventually pressing a soft kiss on her forehead, lingering there as long as he could.

Felicity grinned when he eventually let her go, her eyes shining bright, just like he had always remembered them. He gazed at her, his thumbs stroking her cheeks, memorizing the moment, saving it because he knew he would have to settle for that for now. And maybe for the rest of his life.

“Oliver,” his mother eventually coughed, efficiently breaking the spell. “You are good to go but Doctor Foster would like a word, first.”

Felicity sniffled, lightly shaking her head as if she was trying to gather her thoughts and she stepped away, her arms falling from his sides and he had to resist the urge to reach out and pull her back against him. He nonetheless grabbed her hand, meeting her eyes one last time.

“It’s OK,” Felicity mouthed.

_No. No it’s not OK. I have so many things to tell you and I don’t want to say them. I just want to stay inside this room a little longer, where no one knows I’m back, where we are both safe, where I can hold you for as long as I want._

“We’ll be taking Oliver back to the mansion, he obviously needs a lot of rest and… familiar surroundings,” Moira smiled at her.

“I understand,” Felicity answered. “I know… I know it can’t be easy. Just, if you need anything or…”

“I’ll call you,” Oliver said. “Tomorrow? Can you come tomorrow?”

He saw the flicker of hurt and sadness in her eyes and he gritted his teeth. He wanted to stay with her, and spend the night in her arms because he knew only she could keep the nightmares at bay. But it wouldn’t be right, and it wouldn’t be safe.

“Sure. Tomorrow is good,” Felicity nodded nonetheless, shivering. He didn’t hesitate, slipping the hoodie off his shoulders, wrapping it around her small frame.

“Oliver, you don’t have any other change of-”

“It’s fine, mom.” He shortly glared at his mother, tilting his head in warning. He saw her eyes widening in surprise and he forced himself to relax his features again. If he couldn’t hold Felicity tonight, and keep her warm and safe in his arms, he at least wanted a little piece of him with her. That’s all he had with him, but it was still something. And tomorrow… tomorrow he’d tell her he had changed too much for them to go back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... Oliver is back yaaaaay!!! ... will it be that simple? Noooo XD  
> But it's an important step for sure... 
> 
> Also... *hands chocolate for those in need*  
> Sorry but you guys already drank all of my booze :s
> 
> Until next time ;)
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or Tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi!!


	8. Homeless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!  
> Another early update thanks to my super fast beta, mysticaldetectivepanda :D
> 
> This will focus on Oliver, and the way he adjusts back to his life... as you can see the title, the answer is not very well.  
> Oh and buckle up, some things... won't be that easy to read. You might want to cuddle Oliver with a hot cocoa or slap him. Or both.
> 
> Also special mention to pidanka, she's the one who lights my way :D
> 
> Song: Homeless Marina Kaye (Give it a try. Love, love, that song.)

**"Homeless"**  
  


In this house where I grew up  
With cozy chairs and broken cups  
Memories piled up to the ceiling  
Can they tell what I am feeling?

I know this house outside and in  
But three birds fly upon my skin  
Lay my head down in the darkness  
Like so many nights before this

In this bed where I rest  
I'm homeless  
This house I know best  
But I'm homeless  
My hunger it grows  
And it won't let me go  
And it burns in my chest  
I'm homeless

Heavy steps on hardwood floors  
Into my room through broken doors  
Try to leave this day behind me  
But peace will never find me

In this bed where I rest  
I'm homeless  
This house I know best  
But I'm homeless  
My hunger it grows  
And it won't let me go  
And it burns in my chest  
I'm homeless

I have a place I can call my own  
That's where I go til the night is gone  
I travel my mind and into my heart  
Nobody knows when I go that far  
(Oooooh)

In this bed where I rest  
I'm homeless  
This house I know best  
But I'm homeless  
My hunger it grows  
And it won't let me go  
And it burns in my chest  
I'm homeless

 

 

 

 

“I already asked Raisa to make your favorite lasagna, Thea chirped once they were all in the car driving them to the Queen Mansion.

“Thea,” Moira clucked her tongue reproachfully. “The doctors said he needed to try to keep his diet as simple and healthy as possible. I’m not sure rich Italian food is a good idea.”

“It’s fine, mom. I had normal food on the boat,” Oliver murmured, still staring through the window. He could hear his mother and sister quietly arguing, but didn’t want to get involved. he knew he was at the source of their disagreement, but couldn’t bring himself to voice his opinion. Truth be told, he didn’t care. He didn’t care about lasagna or about how his bed had been made this morning.

Home. He was going home. The word had never felt more empty than it did at that moment. Home wasn’t this gigantic house, way too big for one family. Home was a small apartment, with Felicity curled up on the couch. It was a place where he didn’t belong.

He stayed in his room most of the day, standing in front of the window, his eyes travelling from the gardens to the driveway and the gates he could distinguish at its end. It felt beyond weird to be surrounded by so much luxury, after surviving, and then living with the bare necessities. Once he had been in the Bratva, things had gotten better, but his old, tiny apartment in Moscow had still been very basic in terms of comfort. He could have afforded a better place but had never seen the point of it. Thea stopped by, wanted to start a conversation but he sent her away, pretending he needed some rest. He saw the sadness in her eyes, but he had things to do. Coming back had been to put Felicity out of the crossfire, but now that he had shown he was alive, he would be the one targeted. He had to find out who had been after his father, because he was convinced they were the same people who had sabotaged the Gambit. He didn’t have much evidence, just his father’s letter and the small notebook. The notebook that used to only hold blank pages, until he had filled half of it with letters to Felicity during his time on the island.

First things first, he needed a safe place. Somewhere he could store his… special equipment. He had contacts from Anatoli, reliable people who would sell him what he needed. He still had what had been provided with the car when he had made it back to Starling but it clearly wouldn’t be enough. And now… he had a whole trust fund at his disposal.

After a little bit of research, he found what he was looking for. An old QC steel factory in the Glades, abandoned two years ago. It still belonged to his family, was isolated and big enough for him to secure a room or a basement. Yes. The place would be perfect.

 

When he was eventually called for dinner, he quietly made his way downstairs, knowing this time he probably wouldn’t be able to avoid questions. He was surprised to see Walter with them. He had found out his mother had remarried, and after a small moment of disbelief, had realized it wasn’t as shocking as he had first thought. Oliver knew very well his parents' marriage had been rocky for years and even though his mother had mourned his father deeply, the romantic foundation of their relationship had long been gone. All in all, he was happy she had found someone to share her life with in the person of Walter. From what Oliver had seen, Walter was also a good father figure for Thea and had always been a loyal friend of the family. And he was someone who could be trusted, according to his father’s last words.

“The press conference has been handled, Oliver,” Walter told him as soon as he was seated. “Our attorney will stop by on Monday, to explain the legal procedure in order for you to regain access to your rights as Oliver Queen. It should be done in a matter of days, really.”

“Thank you,” Oliver nodded as he took a small sip of water.

“We think you should also stop by QC on Monday. It’s probably the best if you jump right back into it,” his mother chimed in.

Oliver frowned, putting his glass down on the table. He hadn’t expected that. He hadn’t even considered the fact that people might want him to be in charge of anything concerning the family business. He had just gotten back from a deserted island - at least that was the official version -, how could they expect him to be in any form or shape able to handle these kind of responsibilities?

Walter seemed to sense his hesitation. “Of course, we don’t think you’re ready to get back to your position right away. You would be monitored and helped until you’re up to date.”

“I didn’t even consider going back to Queen Consolidated at all. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

_Not to mention, I have bigger fish to fry._

“Oliver, it’s your legacy. I can’t have one child working for the competition and the other ignoring his responsibilities.”

Thea coughed, lowering her head and Oliver sighed, understanding the battle would be much harder than he had first thought.

“From what I know, Thea is an intern, who hasn’t even picked what she wants to do for a living. I hardly see this as a betrayal, more as someone mature enough to want to work for her own place. And I just spent three years away, mom. How can you expect people to take me seriously as an executive?”

“It’s your name on the top of that-”

“No, it’s not,” Oliver cut his mother off. “It’s dad’s name. And right now, I just can’t see how you could consider it a good idea to have me working there. I’m not even sure I still know how to sign my own name.”

Moira pinched her lips while Walter pressed her hand reassuringly. “Maybe we should all take a few days before talking about what is best for QC. There is no rush, after all.”

“The Doctor said that getting back to a routine would be a good idea,” Moira stated, her eyes travelling from Thea to Oliver. “And now that Oliver is back, hopefully it will be the end of those silly ideas that the company is cursed and your sister will finally accept her responsibilities as well.”

“I love working for Palmer Tech,” Thea protested loudly.

“Please. You’re just an intern, it’s not as if you’re irreplaceable.”

Thea stared at her mother, a deeply pained expression in her face. Oliver was about to talk when his mother sighed.

“I’m sorry, Thea. That is not what I meant. I know you’re doing a great job there, my point was mostly that at QC you’d have opportunities and you would be properly trained for a real position of leadership.”

“Thea is eighteen, mom. It took me quite a while to find my way, so I would appreciate it if you could cut her some slack. You saw what too many expectations did to me. It obviously doesn’t work.”

“Neither does letting you go on with your life, Oliver.”

Oliver stared at his mother, sensing that she wouldn’t back down. She had hardened over the years, that was for sure. She was much harsher, with him and Thea, for a reason he couldn’t comprehend. He was an adult, he could take it. His little sister had just finished high school and he could see Moira was about to repeat the same mistakes. Too much pressure, too many expectations. He had thought she had learned better, and he could still remember how their relationship had evolved in the few months following Robert’s death. Maybe losing her son had made her more protective, more possessive in a way. He knew she only wanted the best for her children, but right now, what Thea needed was some trust and to be able to find out what she really wanted to do with her life, freely.

“Listen, this is really not how I envisioned this meal,” Moira sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Walter is right. There is no rush at the moment. We’ll talk about it another day once everything settles down a little.”

Oliver’s lips spread into a small, tense smile as they resumed their meal, this time in silence. As soon as he was finished, he put his napkin on the table and stood up, unable to take it any longer. He was used to silence, craved it even, but not this kind of artificial blankness. It was almost as if he could feel the room getting smaller, the walls closing on him. He needed space.

“Ollie, there’s still dessert,” Thea frowned as Raisa started to clear the table.

“I’m not hungry anymore, Speedy.”

“But…”

“I said I’m not hungry,” Oliver snapped. He closed his eyes in regret when he saw his sister cowering. He hadn’t meant to be mean, but he just couldn’t stay there a moment longer, where everyone was looking at him with expectations, wanting him to fit back into the place he had vacated three years ago. It wasn’t possible and the sooner they understood that, the better. “I’ll be in my room.”

Caught off guard by his unusual harsh tone, Raisa dropped a spoon on the floor, muttering a slight curse. Oliver leaned down, picking it up for her.

“That was my fault. I’m sorry,” he told her, putting the spoon back on the pile of plates she was carrying.

He was pushing his chair back under the table when he noticed the surprise on everyone’s faces. Locking his jaw, he realized Raisa had spoken in Russian. And he had automatically answered her in Russian as well.

Shaking his head, he pretended he didn’t see the way Thea was about to ask a question, and walked out of the room without any other word. He wasn’t in the mood for an explanation, or another lie. He barely glanced at his surroundings as he made his way back to his room. Every little thing he could see was just another reminder of how he didn’t fit in anymore. He was an alien in his own home and it was hard for him to pretend otherwise. All that wealth… where did it come from? How many people, how many families had suffered so his father could get richer and richer? In the past three years, surviving had been his priority and he hadn’t had that much time to think about the letter his father had written - apart from his initial desire for revenge. Now, though, after living in simple conditions, he was surrounded by such luxury that it made him uncomfortable, a constant reminder that most people out there weren’t that lucky.

As soon as he was in his bedroom, he opened the windows wide. He needed some air, even if it was starting to rain. It would clear his head, the sound soothing and comforting. He felt slightly guilty, the way he had left the dining room and answered Thea, harsher than he had planned to. Truth be told, he hadn’t expected having such a hard time readjusting to life as Oliver Queen. And it was only the first day.

Sitting down on the floor, his back against his bed, he fiddled with the phone Thea had given him. She had made sure Felicity’s number was programmed and even though he was dying to call her, just to hear her voice, he also didn’t trust himself to not beg her to let him come to her place. After several minutes, he sent her a text, asking her if she could come to the mansion the next morning. He knew he’d have to end things, and for good this time. Make her understand it would be pointless to try to rekindle things. Her answer came after merely a few seconds, and he breathed in relief when he saw she’d be there by ten. He had to talk to her here. If he was to go to her apartment, he wasn’t sure he’d have the strength to push her away. Her apartment was only full of wonderful memories, while here at least, he felt more in control.

He stayed on the floor for God knows how long, watching the sun finally setting. He heard someone scratching at his door but didn’t bother reply, even when they tried to open it. He had locked it, out of habit, and wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. What they were looking for was Oliver and Oliver was gone.

Eventually, exhaustion took over and he fell asleep, still on the floor. He woke up in the middle of the night, gasping, on a vision of Thea being strangled, his own hands around her neck. He knew he was remembering that night, more than a year ago, with the poor girl he had attacked in a bar. It only convinced him even more that it was for the best to keep his distance. In the Bratva, he didn’t really care about hurting people. It was actually his job. But here, in Starling… he only had people he loved around him. And it was terrifying to think he might lose control and hurt them without even realizing it… or even worse.

He was up before the dawn, unable to take it any longer. He went for a long run, enjoying the calm before sunrise, the sound of his steps on the damp street oddly reassuring. It wasn’t until his thighs started to burn with the effort that he headed back to the mansion, way after the sun had risen. Catching his breath, he made his way to the side entrance that would take him directly to the kitchen. Raisa was already at work, and the scent of homemade pastries hit his nose as soon as he opened the door. Pulling his shirt up, he wiped the sweat off his face before heading to the fridge.

“Morning, Raisa,” he said as he past her and she smiled, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She probably had never seen him up so early, especially on a Sunday.

“Good morning, Mister Oliver.”

“Banana bread?” he asked, leaning against the counter and emptying half of his water in one go.

“Your favorite. Don’t worry, there will also be bacon and eggs, just the way you like them.”

“You spoil me too much,” Oliver winked. He didn’t know why, but things were easier with Raisa. Maybe because there was that natural distance, despite the mutual affection.

“Do you want to eat right now? You must be hungry.”

Oliver tilted his head, hesitating. he knew he should do the polite thing and wait for the rest of the family to be awake. Moira Queen had always been adamant concerning meals during the weekend. But he honestly didn’t feel like replaying last night’s dinner. Not to mention, he was much more comfortable here in the kitchen rather than in that big, luxurious dining room.

“I can do it,” he finally said as he started to wash his hands.

“Let me do that for you,” Raisa grinned fondly, with that same look in her eyes she always had when he was a little boy and was sneaking into her kitchen for some treat. “You still like your eggs scrambled?”

“Yup.”

Oliver sat down at the counter, watching the familiar way she was moving around the kitchen. It had been quite a while since someone had cooked for him and it was… almost unnerving to sit there and do nothing. But Raisa wasn’t expecting anything from him and didn’t even try to start a conversation. He eventually relaxed, quietly observing her and finishing his bottle of water.

“Thank you,” he said when she pushed a plate in front of him. She buttered a couple of pieces of toast for him, and he nodded in gratitude when she added a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. He took the time to savor his meal, enjoying the calm of the kitchen, only disturbed by the sounds Raisa was making as she prepared the rest of the food for everyone’s breakfast.

When he was done, he automatically grabbed his plate, heading to the dishwasher.

“I’ll do it, Mister Oliver,” Raisa’s voice interrupted him. He stopped in his tracks, his back still facing her, remembering that, indeed, she was always clearing up after him and everybody else. Since he was already on his way, he still loaded the dishwasher, quickly gulping down the rest of his orange juice. He would have to remember that in the future. He was back into a very privileged life and had to act accordingly.

“I’m expecting a friend, around 10… could you just let her in, tell her I’m in my room? She knows the way,” Oliver asked Raisa as he was about to leave the kitchen, ignoring the pinch in his heart. He remembered quite vividly how Felicity had gotten familiar with the Mansion, the few nights she had spent there and how they had lazily made love, the rush and impatience of the first days finally slowing down. Well… at least a little bit, he smirked as he walked back to his room. They had had quite the marathon, up to the point where he had started to weaken himself, which had been a first for him.

He forced himself to stop thinking about the past as he headed to the bathroom. One long shower later, he was sitting on his bed, watching TV and shaking his head. He was making headlines again and he had been lucky to avoid the reporters that were now waiting by the Mansion’s main entrance. With a deep sigh, he turned the TV off, throwing the remote on the bed as he laid down, his arms crossed behind his head. He eventually dozed off, his body seeking some much-needed rest, until a small knock on his door startled him awake. Instinctively, he reached underneath his pillow, where he always kept a gun, only to find emptiness. It took him a couple of seconds to realize he was at the Mansion and he had no weapon with him. Breathing slowly, he briefly closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts and calming down the beating of his heart. He was in his old bedroom. There was no danger.

The small scratching sound resumed and it eventually made him snap out of it. Checking his alarm clock, he saw that it was a little bit after ten.

Felicity.

He cleared his throat, standing up. “Come in.”

The door opened slowly, almost as if she was hesitant, and he had to physically restrain himself to not rush to her.

“Hi,” she said softly as she closed the door behind her.

“Hi.”

He gulped as he took her in. She was wearing her hair down and he noticed it was shorter. She had probably cut it recently and even though he loved her long locks, he couldn’t deny the new haircut framed her face perfectly. She was wearing a simple pair of dark blue jeans that clung to her curves in the most sinful way and a plain red top, with a bow on her waist.

She was gorgeous, even more than in his memories. There was a strength, a confidence now surrounding her. She was no longer a young woman. She was a woman, short and simple.

He must have stayed silent longer than he thought because she suddenly cleared her throat, twisting her hands. “Hum… Raisa let me in.”

“I asked her to. I’m not exactly… I prefer to stay in here for now.”

She nodded, still obviously unsure of what to do. There was no denying that the situation was awkward. He knew what he wanted to do, what he wanted to say, but he also was aware that he couldn’t act on his desires.

“Are you… are you sure you’re OK with me here? Now? I can come back if you’re not ready or…”

“No,” he cut her off. “Please, no. Sorry. My manners are a bit rusty, I’m afraid.” He eventually moved, walking towards her and she relaxed visibly once she saw him approaching her. He didn’t take her in his arms though, no matter how much he was dying to, but guided her towards the sofa with a gentle hand on her back.

“Listen,”

“This is awkward,” Felicity said at the same time. She huffed out a nervous laugh, adding, “You go first.”

“I… it’s not really easy. Coming back, I mean. It feels like I’m stepping into a whole new world and I just don’t know how to act around people,” he started, meeting her eyes. She was looking at him, biting on her lower lip, her attention completely on him. She smiled then, a small reassuring smile as she tentatively reached out to press his hand. He didn’t pull away and she didn’t move either, her thumb stroking his knuckles. How much he wanted to kiss her palm at that moment, feel her fingers caressing his jaw like she always used to...

“I just want to help you, Oliver. In any way I can. Just tell me how because… because I really don’t know. I spent most of my day researching about this but… there aren’t that many people who… who… Well. And I know that you might not be ready to… to be with me again?”

“I know. Felicity, I… I’m glad you’re mentioning that, actually because...” Oliver trailed off, taking a big breath. There was no easy way to do this. He had to get on with it, rip off the band-aid. “I want you to know that I was very happy with you.”

Felicity narrowed her eyes, probably sensing where he was heading. “I… I was, too…”

“You know, I understand if you… moved on. It’s been three years. It’s OK.”

Never in his life had Oliver been more torn. On the one hand, Felicity moving on would make things so much easier. On the other one… a very selfish part of him wished she hadn’t, wished she was still his girl.

“I… I’m not seeing anyone, Oliver, if that’s what you’re implying.”

How could someone feel so relieved and so ashamed at the same time? He had no right. No right. Had she broken up with Palmer? Had it been a one-night kind of thing? Friends with benefits? Anyway… he was out of the picture. That didn’t make things easier for him, because that meant he would probably have to hurt her. The idea was horrifying to him, but he had no choice. For her own safety, Felicity had to stay away from him. It was the only way.

“Felicity…” he whispered, savoring her name rolling off his tongue.

“What is it, Oliver? You know you can tell me.” Her eyes were full of love and patience, as if they had all the time in the world and he felt so disgusted with himself that he had to lie to her.

“It’s just that…. I’ve missed so much during those three years that I… I don’t feel like getting back into a serious relationship is what I want,” he eventually said, his eyes fixed on a lamp behind her.

“What… what do you mean?” she blinked, moving her hand away. He almost reached out to take it back, desperate for any kind of contact with her.

“Just that… I want to live and have fun again. Out of respect for what we had, I don’t want to treat you the way I did Laurel.”

_I would never treat you that way. Never. I’d never cheat on you, Felicity._

“What exactly are you implying, Oliver?”

He forced himself to stay stone-faced at the trembling in her voice. “Life is short, you know. I want to make the most of it before settling down and it feels wrong to lead you on. I miss the parties, I miss tequila, I miss going out with Tommy,... I just want to have fun.”

_I want to be with you. So badly. I want us to live together, and get a dog and I want to have a family with you. I want to see you pregnant, feel our child moving underneath my hand. I want to spend the rest of my life by your side. If those three years taught me something it's that I can’t see myself with anybody else but you._

“If… if you need time, Oliver. I understand. I wouldn’t pressure you.”

“You didn’t pressure me. All I know is that… I’m craving freedom more than a relationship,” he huffed out a small laugh, keeping the grin on his face. “I’ve missed so many things, I want to be young again.”

_Please, forgive me. All I want is for you to be safe. You’ll never be safe around me._

“So… you’re breaking up with me? Just… just like that?” Felicity straightened her shoulders, a hard look on her face. His girl was strong, he had always known that.

“... Yes. It’s for the best. I would only end up cheating on you, and lying to you. You deserve better, Felicity.”

_You always have._

She nodded, folding her lips over her teeth. “I have to admit that this was not the outcome I was expecting.”

“I’m sorry.”

_You have no idea how sorry I am. I’m sorry I’m hurting you, I’m sorry I’m lying to you._

Sniffling, she stood up, rubbing her hands on her jean.

“Felicity, I’m sorry I don’t-”

_Say it, Oliver. Say it. Say you don’t love her anymore. End this._

But he couldn’t. The words wouldn’t come out.

“Don’t, Oliver. It’s my fault. I spent three years mourning you and… stuck in the past, I guess. You were in a different place, you **are** in a different place. It’s… it’s not your fault.”

_Oh, honey, no. You did nothing wrong. You never did anything wrong._

“I guess… I guess I should go, now. There’s no point in staying any longer. Unless you have something else to say?” she murmured, her eyes fixed behind him. He could see the unshed tears and he had to grit his teeth, reminding himself that it was for the best. Yes, he was hurting her, but at least by pushing her away, he’d keep her safe. And alive.

“Felicity, I’m sorry,” he repeated, taking a step towards her.

“Don’t,” she stopped him, raising a finger in warning.

He raised his hands in defense, showing her he was respecting her wish. He wouldn’t come any closer if she didn’t want to.

“I just have one question.”

“Anything,” he answered.

“Had I not left your side yesterday, would you still be giving the same speech?”

“... Yes.”

_No. I would have never had the strength._

She didn’t reply, just tilted her head. He was about to speak, unable to stand the pain in her eyes any longer, ready to drop to his knees and beg for her forgiveness and tell her everything, when she turned around, heading for the door.

With her back still facing him, she whispered, “Just so you know… no matter what just happened… I’m still happy you’re home… and safe,” before leaving the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

_I love you._

 

He stayed on the same spot for a long moment, staring at the door she had closed, staring at the last object she had touched before leaving him, already craving her with an intensity that was leaving him breathless. Staying there, in his room, when she was leaving, was harder than he had expected. He was watching his happiness walking away from him, and already the room seemed darker, colder.

She was gone.

He didn’t even realize he had punched a wall and swiped his desk clean, sending all his belongings scattering on the floor. He didn’t even notice the pain in his fist, not until Thea’s shocked face appeared in front of his eyes.

“Ollie… your hand… what happened?”

“Nothing, Speedy. Just… just, go,” he told her, not trusting himself. There was so much hate and rage inside him at that moment, so much bitterness at how his life had turned, so much frustration that he wasn’t sure he could control himself.

“What? No, let me at least help you, you’re bleeding-”

“Thea, go!” he bellowed when he saw her approaching him. She started, a flicker of fear in her eyes. He had never screamed at her. Never.

His shoulders slumped with guilt as he bowed his head in shame. “Just… please, just leave me alone,” he sighed, his voice barely a murmur.

“I just want to help you,” Thea said in a small voice. “Tell me how I can help you, Ollie.”

“Honey, leave your brother alone,” Oliver heard his mother’s voice from the threshold. He didn’t acknowledge her as he sat down on his chair, grabbing a few kleenex to clean his hand. His knuckles were bruised, one had split open. Nothing that would require stitches, but it was still bleeding. He could hear footsteps around the room, then the door quietly closing. He let out a breath of relief, sensing Thea was gone. His mother was still there though and soon enough he was hearing the water running from his bathroom. She came back with a washcloth and some disinfectant. Wordlessly, she took his hand and tended to his wound and he let her, the sudden burst of rage he had felt merely minutes ago already fading away.

Moira wrapped his finger in a small band aid, then gently patted his hand. “I think you should see someone, Oliver.”

“Mom…”

“I mean it. Doctor Foster gave you a list of…”

“No. I just need some air, mom. I’m not used to… these four walls any more. It’s… I need to breathe, that’s all.”

_I need some air, and I need to do something instead of waiting here._

“But Oliver… this is your home.”

_No. No, it’s not._

 

***

 

Felicity locked her door, deactivating the alarm out of habit. She toed out of her shoes, walked to the couch and snuggled into a corner, wrapping herself in the big fuzzy blanket. So many things had happened in the last 24 hours that she honestly didn’t know how she felt anymore. When she had opened that hospital door, and seen Oliver, standing in front of the window, the sun playing in his hair… the amount of love she had felt had been almost blinding. He was there, right there in front of her and there was nothing she wanted to do more than rush into his arms, but she had remembered Tommy’s words and had forced herself to keep her distance. It couldn’t be easy for him to be suddenly surrounded by so many people and she had more than understood that he would need time to get used to it again. When he had called her name, though… the sound of his voice had warmed her up from head to toe. She had had to dig her nails into the palms of her hands, forcing herself not to move.

But then Moira and Thea had left them alone and the way he had looked at her… with so much love and longing, it had been almost impossible to resist touching him. He had let her, even though she had kept her touch as light as possible, but she needed to feel him, needed to feel his heart underneath her palm, needed to be sure he was there, alive and well. He had changed, she had seen it right away. His face had slightly hardened, his scruff was a bit longer than before, and his face in general had matured. He was even more beautiful than in her memories.

Still, she had hesitated, unsure of what to do, until he had circled her waist, pulling her against him. Then she hadn’t been able to resist, her cheek nestling right above his heart, the steady beat like music to her ears.

Dig had told her they had stayed alone in his room for over thirty minutes. To her, it had felt like a few seconds at most. He was back. Oliver had come home to her.

When Moira had said they needed to leave, the first emotion she had felt was fear. He was leaving. She had just gotten him back and she already had to say goodbye. But she had understood. Oliver needed some rest, and a bit of time with his family.

But she had been mistaken. Oliver hadn’t wanted to let her down in front of everyone, that was all. He didn’t want her anymore.

Sniffling, she reached out to grab a tissue, loudly blowing her nose.

A loud knock on the door startled her, and it was only because she heard Dig calling her name that she went to open it.

She held the door open, going back to her spot, the blanket still tightly around her. She was cold. Inside and out, she was cold.

“I just saw Mrs Branson… she told me she saw you walking up the stairs but didn’t answer her… Felicity, are you OK?”

Dig took the seat next to her, turning to his side to face her. She just shrugged, twisting the tissue between her hands.

“I thought you were supposed to see Oliver… did he cancel?”

“No,” she breathed. “I just got back.”

“Then… what’s wrong?”

“He broke up with me, John. Well, if I can call that breaking up. I mean were we still even a couple? Either way… he doesn’t want me anymore. He says he doesn’t want to lead me on and… he wants to have fun.”

She swallowed, trying to get rid of the giant lump in her throat. “He doesn’t love me anymore.”

Blinking, she accepted the tissues Dig handed her and took off her glasses. She wiped her cheeks, trying to hold back the sobs. “I don’t know why I’m crying because… I’m so happy he is back and safe and in good health. But… but it’s like I’m… I’m losing him again and... and,” she choked, her breathing getting ragged.

Dig scooted closer to her, his big arms circling her shoulders. He let her cry, like he had three years ago, and even though the pain wasn’t the same, it still felt like a piece of her was breaking. She had gotten him back only to have him walk away from her. Willingly.

“I feel so stupid, John,” she eventually said once the hiccups started to die. “I spent three years thinking of this future with him that had been ripped away from me and…”

“Don’t think that way. He just got back, things must be pretty messy in his head right now.”

“He didn’t sound messy. He was calm and… almost emotionless.”

She pulled away, accepting more tissues from him and cleaning her face. He had been so… collected. Almost cold, so unlike the Oliver she knew, so unlike the Oliver who had held her 24 hours ago.

Dig quietly observed her, tilting his head. “You know… I’ve seen a lot of men changed by the war. Some are suffering from PTSD.”

“But Oliver didn’t go to war… and I don’t want to assume that he doesn’t want of me because he has some mental health issues.”

“I saw the way he was holding you in the hospital, Felicity. A man who doesn’t love you wouldn’t cling to you that way for half an hour. What I am saying is that he just got thrown back into a life after being isolated for three years. It would be enough to mess with anybody’s head.”

Felicity frowned, remembering the last question she had asked him. The way he had answered… it really had felt like he was lying to her. At first she had thought it had been denial but now she wasn’t so sure anymore. “I asked him if he would have told me the same thing yesterday, he said yes, but… I always knew when he was lying to me, John and… I don’t know. It felt weird.”

“I would give him a bit of time, if I were you. Don’t give up on him right away. I pushed people away when I came back from Afghanistan as well.”

“Like your brother?”

“Like my wife.”

Felicity froze, her eyes wide, all thoughts of Oliver forgotten for a moment. Wife? Dig had been married?! “Wait… what?” she eventually said, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

“We divorced six months after I was back. I… I couldn’t seem to be able to get back to the world of the living, in a way. In my head… I was still in Afghanistan.”

“How come I… I had no idea.”

“I usually don’t talk about it. It’s rather pointless. It’s in the past. My point is, I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong anymore and when it happens, you don’t act rationally at all. You’ve waited for him three years… do you think you can wait a little longer?”

Felicity let out a smile, because the answer was obvious. “I haven’t been able to get over him even when I thought he was dead… I think it’s going to take me some time to really be able to move on anyway.”

She didn’t want to wait, and pine for him. She wouldn’t cling on him either. But John was right. Oliver had gone through something extremely traumatic and even if he was making rushed decisions, it didn’t mean she had to do the same. Not to mention, she probably needed a bit of time for herself as well, because she had been through quite the rollercoaster. Even if Oliver didn’t love her anymore, he was still her friend. She had to be there for him, in any possible way.

To cheer her up, Dig took her to Big Belly Burger for a late lunch. She was already feeling a bit better, her meltdown having helped tremendously. She didn’t know if she and Oliver would ever get back together but for now she would rather focus on the fact that he was alive, back in her life. It was enough to bring back a smile to her face.

  
  


When Monday came, though, she quickly realized she wasn’t the only one struggling with Oliver’s change of behavior. She had received a text from Thea in the morning, asking if they could grab lunch together. Sensing she must have had a good reason, Felicity had cleared her schedule, telling Thea she could meet her at their usual café.

Felicity was already there when the young woman walked in, and she saw right away that something wasn’t right.

“What’s wrong?” Felicity asked as soon as they had given their orders.

“It’s… it’s Ollie. I don’t know how to talk to him. Mom says I need to leave him alone, he doesn’t talk to me and... I’m worried, Felicity. I know he has changed and it’s normal but… he doesn’t seem in a good place, you know?”

Felicity pinched her lips, nodding. She knew exactly what Thea meant, but also didn’t want to share what Oliver had told her. It was a private matter, after all. “I know. But it must be hard for him, all these people surrounding him, watching him, talking to him… we don’t know what he’s been through during those three years.”

“That’s the thing. Mom asked him to go see a shrink, he doesn’t want to. He… He snapped when you left. I heard a loud noise and when I walked into his room, he had trashed his desk and punched a wall. Did you guys fight? And I mean that with no judgement, at all, but… Ollie has never been like that. He screamed at me and… I got scared.”

“Oh, Thea,” Felicity murmured, squeezing her hand in a gesture of comfort. “Oliver would never hurt you, of that I’m sure. He is struggling, and things that are easy and normal to us are probably much more challenging and frustrating to him.”

“Why was he so mad, though? Was he mad at you? Is that why you didn’t stay?”

“No… no. We just talked and…” Felicity trailed off, watching through the window. “Oliver doesn’t want to be in a relationship right now. It’s his decision. We talked, like adults, and then I left. He wasn’t mad or anything. Are you sure it didn’t happen later? Because I really didn’t stay long.”

“No. I saw you leave from the library’s window, then went to my room. That’s when I heard the rattle. He looked… his hand was bloody and he looked like he wasn’t even feeling anything.”

Felicity remembered her conversation with Dig. He had mentioned sudden bursts of rage, and her heart broke at the idea that Oliver was probably suffering from this situation more than anybody else. He had never been violent. Always charming, teasing. Even when they fought and he raised his voice, she had never felt threatened despite the clear difference in size between them. Yet, she could see that Thea’s encounter with her brother had left her rattled.

“Why don’t you ask him to do something he likes? Something he’s missed doing? Maybe he’ll be more comfortable in different surroundings? He probably needs more than a couple of days. It’s going to be a long process, you’re going to have to be patient.”

_We all are._

 

Thea seemed a bit better when they parted ways, at least reassured she wasn’t the only one worried. Once again, Felicity wondered if she really had people to talk to, people who could understand what she was going through. She probably couldn’t talk about this with her friends, but she at least hoped her family was there for her. She could sense that the Queens had this habit of not saying things out loud, something quite usual in those old, rich families, where appearances had to be kept at all costs.

  
But Felicity was a stranger and despite how much she wanted to help Thea, there was very little she could do if Oliver wanted nothing to do with her. He needed time and she was willing to give him some. As Dig had said… she had waited three years. She could wait a little bit longer. And even if they never got back together, it wouldn’t be right to turn her back on him.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... hot cocoa for Oliver or smack his face? XD
> 
> As you can see Felicity won't back down, yet is still willing to give him some space (something anyone in Oliver's situation would be craving IMO... yet something no one apart maybe from Raisa, thought of giving him. Btw, I absolutely love banana bread and everytime I re-read the chapter, I swear to God I could *smell* banana bread whenever I made it to that scene. ugh. I should make some.)  
> Dig, his usual yoda self ;)
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Edit: This chapter will be the last very angsty one. You'll see there will be others, just as emotional in a way, but not this angsty :) at least not for a while :p  
> Don't be shy, come say hi!


	9. Behind Blue Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda for their precious help <3 and to all of you for your comments.
> 
> Song: Behind Blue Eyes - The Who or Limp Bizkit

**"Behind Blue Eyes"**

  
No one knows what it's like  
To be the bad man  
To be the sad man  
Behind blue eyes  
And no one knows  
What it's like to be hated  
To be fated to telling only lies

  
But my dreams they aren't as empty  
As my conscience seems to be  
I have hours, only lonely  
My love is vengeance  
That's never free  
  
No one knows what its like  
To feel these feelings  
Like i do, and i blame you!  
No one bites back as hard  
On their anger  
None of my pain and woe  
Can show through  
  
  
Discover l.i.m.p. say it   
No one knows what its like  
To be mistreated, to be defeated  
Behind blue eyes  
No one knows how to say  
That they're sorry and don't worry  
I'm not telling lies  
  
  
No one knows what its like  
To be the bad man, to be the sad man  
Behind blue eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Here's your credit cards. Your trust fund has been reopened. Nothing was done with it, since Thea was supposed to inherit it when she turned 25. Your driver's license has been reissued as well.”

Oliver nodded, taking the envelope and quickly checking its contents. His family attorney, Sophia, had done an outstanding job. It was late Tuesday afternoon and after his short hearing at the courthouse the previous day, all he had had to do was sign some papers and the lawyers had taken care of everything for him in less than 24 hours.

Which meant that he was finally able to get out of the house, alone, without a driver or a chaperone.

Anatoli had given him a few names, people who would sell him everything he might need. Guns, knives, ammo, medical necessities, and other things that might come in handy. It was almost dusk when he finally made his way to the steel factory he had found. It was deserted, surrounded by other abandoned buildings. The space was huge and offered a basement that would be perfect for him to conceal his arsenal. Thankfully, he didn’t need much comfort, because the whole place was extremely basic in terms of amenities.

He spent the next couple of days settling in, despite his mother’s insistent questioning. She wasn’t pleased with his repeated long absences and had insisted he could at least show up at Queen Consolidated to get a tour of the company. He knew her secret hope was to eventually convince him to get back to work, and he also knew it wouldn’t happen. Yet, he had agreed, mostly to have the excuse to get near his father’s old office.

He needed more intel about his father. What he had been up to before his death, who he had met. Oliver knew most of Robert’s belongings must have been archived, and he was hoping he could get information from his father’s former secretary. Whoever had killed Robert had also attempted to end his life - and threatened Felicity. This was where he needed to start.

 

When he walked into the dining room that Thursday morning, his plan was to spend the next few hours finding and interrogating the man who had accepted the contract concerning Felicity. Anatoli had told him that he didn’t have much more information but… Oliver wanted to be thorough. Not to mention, he was also quite gifted when it came to making people… remember certain things.

Unfortunately, as soon as he stepped inside the room, he understood his plans would have to change.

“Oliver,” his mother welcomed him with a smile. “Look who decided to keep you company, today.”

“Hi, mom,” Oliver said before nodding to his best friend. “Tommy. Good to see you.”

“Good to see you, too,” Tommy grinned, standing up to give him a quick hug.

“You couldn’t resist Raisa’s cheese omelette, could you?” Oliver asked after dropping a kiss on his mother’s cheek.

“You know me… I’ve always had a soft spot for her cooking,” Tommy said as he grabbed a piece of toast. “And since I haven’t seen you since last Saturday…”

Oliver winced at his words, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “I’m sorry… I’ve just been busy.”

“One would wonder what could keep you busy all day long, since you are currently jobless…” Moira trailed off innocently as she delicately patted her napkin on the corner of her lips.

Sighing, Oliver locked his jaw in frustration. He couldn’t exactly explain to his mother what he was doing all day, and he had hoped for at least a little bit of understanding on her part… to be frank he hadn’t even considered the fact that she’d want him back on track merely a few days after he had been officially rescued from a deserted island.

“Mom…”

“No, no. I was merely teasing you. Don’t forget I will be expecting you at the office around 2PM,” Moira smiled as she stood up.

Leaning back in his chair, Oliver waited until his mother was out of the room before asking, “So… did she call you?”

“Mmhmmh,” Tommy nodded, his mouth full. He quickly swallowed and took a sip of orange juice before adding, “But I am the one who offered to stop by. We could go play tennis or squash just like in the old times?”

Oliver smirked, his eyes traveling to the cup of coffee in his grip. Squash was not exactly what he had planned to do with his hands today but… at least his mother would not pester him later.

  
  


**

 

“Jesus Christ,” Tommy panted, leaning heavily with his hands on his knees. “What the fuck was growing on those trees on your island?! Steroids?!”

Oliver smirked as he took a sip of water. And to think he had held back…

“What can I say? There’s nothing like a bit of wilderness and an inhospitable environment to keep you in shape. Want to go another round?”

“Eh?” Tommy shook his head, his eyes wide and horrified. “I’d like to not lose my legs or arms today, if you don’t mind!”

Shoving his water back in his bag, Oliver nodded. He had barely started to break a sweat and truth be told, this kind of working out felt good. Hitting the ball was a way to work out his frustration at… well, at everything if he was honest. His mother, his sister, Felicity, his lack of progress concerning who was behind all these attacks,... there really were a lot of things piling up. He was used to being alone and even though he had to hold back in front of Tommy, it still felt like he was almost… normal again.

“Oh God, I feel like my grandmother after a round of waltzing,” Tommy wailed, his hand supporting his back as they made their way to the lockers room.

“Your grandmother is dead,” Oliver replied, the ghost of a smile twisting the corner of his lips.

“Exactly my point!”

 

Twenty minutes later, Oliver was patiently waiting at the small bar next to the gym with a cold-pressed juice and a Gin and Tonic sitting in front of him.

“Please tell me the green stuff is for you,” Tommy grimaced as he sat down opposite him.

“Yup,” Oliver confirmed as he pushed the cocktail in front of his best friend.

“You know I am weirdly touched by the fact that you remember my favorite drink after a workout but somehow managed to forget how to use a telephone…”

“Tommy…”

“Hey, just saying!”

“... I’m sorry, OK? I’m just not used to having… people around me constantly.” That much was true. Even in the Bratva, he was known to be quite the loner.

“It’s all good, dude. Just… you’re not alone, don’t forget that." Tommy took a long sip of his drink, closing his eyes and clucking his tongue in approval. “Perfect. So what are your plans today?”

“As I’m sure you already know… I am going to QC this afternoon.”

“Yes, your mother might have mentioned it. Between you and me I think she’s really hoping you’ll change your mind.”

“That won’t happen. I’ll be useless there, Tommy.”

“No, you won’t. You were good at your job and I’m not saying it will be easy to get back on it but… you’d be helped.”

Oliver shook his head, his eyes travelling to the window. Fall was slowly but surely arriving, the first leaves were starting to take a golden shade and there was a pleasant crispness in the air. He allowed himself a few seconds, quietly observing the people leaving the gym.

“I’m just not that man anymore, Tommy,” he eventually said quietly.

“Alright. It’s pretty obvious to anyone who knows you well that you have changed. But don’t rule things out right off the bat, that’s all I’m saying.”

Probably sensing he wouldn’t get an answer, Tommy changed topics. “Anyway, how are things at home?”

“You mean my mother didn’t tell you?”

“No, she didn’t. She just told me you might need company, that is all.” Tommy rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his drink.

“Things are good.” Oliver shrugged, unsure of how to pursue the conversation. What exactly could he say? That he felt like a stranger in a place he had once called home?

“That’s not exactly what your sister told me.”

“Thea expects me to be her big brother just like when she was a kid. She is an adult now.” And a gossip, like their mother apparently. What exactly were they expecting from him? To be back to his old self just like that?

“... You’re right, actually,” Tommy nodded, “that’s what I told your mother last month when she found her drunk and half-naked with a man in her bed.”

“What?!” Oliver snapped, feeling his blood boil. His baby sister… in bed… half-naked. With a man. Probably some douchebag who took advantage of-

Tommy perked an eyebrow, leaning back on his seat. “You’re so not big brother material anymore, you’re totally right.”

Oliver closed his eyes, groaning. He had totally walked into that one.

Tommy smiled, shaking his head in understanding.“I was supposed to meet her for lunch… I’m sure she’d love it if you could come too? It would be the three of us and… you know me, I can make a conversation just by myself.”

No matter how tempted he was to say no, Oliver also knew that he would have to face Thea at some point anyway. He still felt tremendously guilty for the way he had screamed at her a few days ago and the fear he had seen on her face.

“It might be a good idea,” Oliver eventually said, gulping down the rest of his drink. “Come on, PT is on the other side of the town.”

Tommy stood up, grimacing and rolling his shoulders.

“You really got out of shape while I was away,” Oliver smirked as they made their way to Tommy’s car.

“Hey! I work out like a gentleman, on a treadmill or a spin cycle where I can… admire the view. Not… locking myself in a cage with a racket and a ball until I exhaust myself.”

Shoving his bag on the backseat, Oliver sat down on the passenger seat while Tommy stored his own stuff in the trunk.

“Oh… oh God…” Tommy winced as he slipped behind the wheel. “I feel like… I just wrestled someone. I’ll never, ever take mud fights for granted ever again. What those girls go through just for the beauty of Art is… I have even more respect for them now. They are so selfless, Ollie. So selfless.”

Oliver snorted as he fastened his seatbelt. “It’s not because you got hit by the ball half a dozen times-”

“Eight times. I counted the bruises in the shower.”

“My bad.”

“You know, I remember I once had sex with a girl who told me the next morning that she felt like she had been in a mud fight. I took it as a compliment back then but… I’m not so sure anymore. Do you think this is how all girls feel when we go at it several times a night? I mean, I really did the whole show.”

Oliver slowly turned his head to face Tommy who was apparently dead serious.

“I… don’t know. Maybe you should ask your next partner?”

“I hate to say it but I don’t think I have the same kind of stamina anymore,” Tommy sighed deeply. “I guess I’ll never know. Her name was Inga. You know me, I always had a soft spot for Nordic ladies… maybe I should call her and ask her. I feel kinda bad now. Although I did go down on her so..”

“OK, TMI, Tommy.”

“Sorry,” his best friend said, quickly glancing at him. “By the way… how come you’re so full of energy?”

“What do you mean?” Oliver frowned.

“Well, I don’t know but you haven’t seen your super hot girlfriend in three years and…” Tommy trailed off, focusing on the road for a moment. “And you’re like a pressure cooker.”

Oliver gritted his teeth, unwilling to go down that road. “I haven’t seen Felicity since Sunday.”

Tommy’s jaw dropped. “What?! Why? Dude… you need to take a few days just the two of you and get some loving. Your balls must be bluer than Papa Smurf’s!”

“It’s… we’re not together anymore,” Oliver grumbled, trying to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth. God, he hated those words so much.

“OK what the fuck have you done **again**? Jeez, back for 24 hours and you still managed to screw up?!”

“I don’t really want to talk about this. I’m just not in the right headspace for a serious relationship, that’s all.”

“Oh God… please tell me you don’t spend your days banging random chicks, Ollie. Felicity won’t take you back after that, she’s not Laurel.”

“No, I don’t.” _Of course I don’t._

“Then seriously… where have you been? Your mother is worried, your sister is worried. And… and I found a white hair this morning. A white hair, dude. I'm not even thirty.”

“I’m just… I’m just walking, Tommy. That’s all. I walk in the city, see what changed, what didn’t.” It wasn’t exactly a lie after all. He had done a lot of walking lately, even though it was to get some intel or buy illegal weapons. Not that Tommy needed to know the details.

“Oh,” Tommy whispered. “Yeah… I guess… I guess that makes sense. Just don’t forget that we lost you and we just got you back and… your family cares about you.”

Oliver nodded, but didn’t reply. Tommy didn’t insist and it was mostly in silence that they drove the rest of the way to Palmer Tech.

Once again, Oliver realized how much his city had changed in just three years. it wasn’t anything obvious, but he could see that as soon as they were driving away from the wealthy neighborhoods, they were faced with more and more misery, in a way that was much more contrasting than before. He asked Tommy about it, who didn’t seem to have noticed. Apparently, the change had been gradual, and subtle, and it was clear to him that not many people had paid attention.

When Tommy pulled the car to the curb, Oliver once again felt a surge of pride at the vision of the building where Felicity was working. She had made that. Of course she wasn’t the CEO and hadn’t created the company, but her projects, her inventions, had been what had turned PT from a wealthy, promising national company into a world-wide leader.

“Look where our sweet Miss Felicity ended up,” Tommy noted as they both waited just outside the main entrance. “I’ve heard about her you know, even at Merlyn Global. When she was still in New York, I once went to a gala and several people were talking about that bright brain working for Palmer Tech and… they said her name. Felicity Smoak. It was… I don’t know, a year after you went missing. I know many companies tried to steal her, but she’s a loyal one apparently.”

“She has always been,” Oliver whispered. Loyalty had been the first quality he had really noticed in her. The first one that had pushed him to be better and deserving of that loyalty. She hadn’t changed in that aspect.

“Aaaaaand speaking of the devil…” Tommy murmured, nudging him.

Frowning, Oliver followed his eyes and froze when he saw Felicity walking down the steps. She was wearing a red dress, neat and sophisticated, miles away from the outfits he remembered. But damn… did she look good. Her legs were just as amazing as he remembered them, long, toned and seemed as silky as in his memories. He had loved her legs so much, the way they would grip him, the way they felt around his waist, how smooth and soft her skin was underneath his hands… underneath his lips as he slowly kissed his way up her thighs...

He finally shook off his trance when Tommy elbowed him in the ribs with a hiss. “Dude… we’re in public.”

“I… what?” Oliver asked defensively.

“You’re undressing her in your head and believe me, it’s quite obvious with the way you’re looking at her.”

Felicity had made it down the stairs and was turning away from them when she suddenly paused, her shoulders stiff. Immediately, Oliver was on his guard, his eyes roaming the perimeter. Had she spotted something, or someone? But she turned around slowly, until her eyes could meet his and he saw, even from the distance, the way her lips opened in surprise. They locked gazes for a few seconds, Oliver unable to look away, until she made her way towards him, her steps decided, a frown appearing on her face.

“Uh-oh… she doesn’t look very happy to see you.”

“Oliver. Tommy,” Felicity said with a short smile. “I assume you’re waiting for Thea?”

“Yup. But… hum… I’m gonna go wait over by that… that tree, if you don’t mind,” Tommy replied, pointing to the tree that was the furthest from them. “Miss Felicity, it’s been a pleasure meeting you, as always and I have to say, you look absolutely gorgeous today.” Leaning in, Tommy grabbed Felicity’s hand, pressing a small kiss on her knuckles.

Felicity smiled, shaking her head in obvious amusement. “Thank you, Mister Merlyn. But it is going to take more than a kiss on the hand to make me believe you’ve become a gentleman.”

“Well, whenever you want more than a kiss on the hand, you know where to find me,” he winked, throwing a look at Oliver.

Oliver gritted his teeth, knowing exactly what his friend was doing. It was a nice warning, a “watch out, she won’t wait for you forever.” But he also knew Tommy would never try anything with Felicity, and judging from her indulgent smile, she knew it as well.

“Thank you for the offer but just like the last ten times, I’m gonna have to pass.”

“Hey!” Tommy laughed, holding up his hands in defense as he started to walk away. “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

They both watch him retreat to the tree he had chosen, sitting on a bench next to an old lady. Oliver huffed out when he saw him directly start a conversation with her, the Merlyn smile already full on.

“He hasn’t changed, has he?” Felicity asked him eventually in a soft voice.

“Nope. I’m afraid he never will.”

“Thea should be here in about ten minutes, by the way. They are in a meeting right now.”

Oliver nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets, keeping his eyes everywhere but on her.

“Is this… is this how it’s going to be now?” Felicity asked him, forcing him to look at her.

“What do you mean?” he answered, playing dumb.

She cocked her head, her eyes narrowing and for some reason, he felt the tips of his ears heating up.

“I mean, are we going to pretend like we barely know each other? We were friends before, Oliver. Even if we’re not together anymore, I still consider you a friend. Or do you want us to just forget about that as well?”

“I… I’ll always see you as my friend, Felicity. It’s just… I don’t want to make things any more difficult for you.”

“Oh. Well… if that is the case, maybe you should start by telling me the truth. That would make things much, much easier for me.”

Keeping his face neutral, he asked, “what do you mean?”

“What happened between Saturday and Sunday for you to make a complete 180 on me? Because, pardon my honesty, but the way you held me in that hospital room didn’t scream “I am craving freedom”. At all. So, again… what happened during those 24 hours?”

“Nothing. I just… went back home and realized a few things and…” Oliver trailed off.

“You mean that holding me in your arms for the first time in three years made you realize you wanted to bang other girls?”

Oliver’s eyes widened at her words, not expecting such… brutal honesty from her. He could hear the bitterness in her voice but also a hint of pain that he really didn’t like.

“Felicity… I’m… I don’t really know what I want right now. I just don’t want to drag you down with me, that’s all,” he explained in a soft voice.

“Oliver, I understand that. Of course, I understand that everything must be confusing right now and… I would have never expected us to go back to where we were right away. But you shut me out and… you lied to me. When I asked you if you would have told me the same thing in the hospital you said yes but you lied. I know you did.”

“... I missed you. So, so much. And I was overwhelmed with that but then I had the time to cool down and put things into perspective.”

“Did your mother play a part in that?”

His mom? What...what did she have to do with anything?

“My mom? No. Why would you even… No. We barely talked, I stayed in my room most of the weekend. Why would she try to get involved in our relationship?”

“I don’t know. We just didn’t leave on good terms, that’s all.”

Oliver blinked, utterly confused. “When?”

“I went to a brunch a couple of weeks ago. At the mansion. Apparently your mom had been asking Thea to invite me for a while but long story short, your sister never did until that day. I went there, and I talked to her about… about you and the Gambit and how I didn’t understand why she stopped financing the searches and… listen it’s a long story but she asked me to keep my relationship with Thea on a professional basis. So I’m wondering if she advised you to do the same?”

Quickly storing the information in the back of his head, Oliver rubbed his temples. He’d have to find out more about that conversation because Felicity had just opened up a door. But now wasn’t the time.

“No. I didn’t talk to anyone about us. It’s… it’s private.” That, at least, wasn't a lie. He had always been fiercely protective of their relationship, cherishing it, cherishing the very special bond only the two of them shared.

Felicity observed him quietly for a few seconds before nodding her head. “Alright. OK, then. Just… Oliver, I’m still your friend. You can still count on me, don’t forget that and please… don’t shut me out. I’ll never blame you for not being the same man you were three years ago, you know that, right?”

Oliver nodded, pinching his lips, wanting so desperately to believe her, but a deep-rooted fear kept holding him back. She didn’t know. She had no idea what he had done during those three years. It hadn’t been surviving on a deserted island. It had been him doing despicable things, favoring his own life over the lives of others.

“There is something else I wanted to know, if you don’t mind.”

“Anything.” That much was true. No matter how he tried to stay away from her, he also knew that if he could do anything to prove to her she still mattered to him more than anybody else, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

“The letter from your father? It’s been driving me crazy.”

_Anything but that, Felicity._

“It… it was nothing. I barely remember it,” he shrugged but he could see in her eyes she wasn’t fooled. Why did she know him so well and why was he somehow unable to fool her, while he had no problem doing it with everybody else?

“It was just… he considered leaving us to start a new life with Isabel, that’s all,” he eventually said, knowing she wouldn’t be satisfied with a “nothing”. “All these years, I thought that he’d always choose his family in the end but… he almost didn’t.”

“Oh…” Felicity whispered, pressing his arm. “I’m sorry you had to read that, Oliver.”

It took a few seconds for Oliver to register her words, his attention entirely focused on her hand, how small it was, unable to circle even half of his bicep and judging by Felicity’s frown, she must have realized that too.

“It was three years ago and… honestly I haven’t thought about that letter since I told you about it,” he rushed to say, willing to end that dangerous conversation as soon as possible.

_Liar. That letter had always been in the back of your mind until four months ago when you decided to never get to the bottom of it._

Felicity shook her head, finally tearing her eyes off his arm, and dropped her hand. “It’s… it’s good you’re here to see Thea. She has missed you and she just wants to help,” she said, biting her lip nervously and Oliver could see by the way her eyebrows were crinkling that she was trying to solve something. His girl was way too smart for her own good.

“I… I haven’t been very nice to her since I got back.”

“I know. She told me. She’s concerned, though… not mad. Thea is your family, Oliver. And she’s young, don’t push her away. You might regret it one day.”

“I just don’t really know how to interact with her. She was a kid when I left and she’s… a woman now,” he said wincing as the last words left his mouth. He probably would struggle with the concept of his baby sister being an adult for at least another twenty years.

“I think a small lunch with a goofball as buffer is a pretty good start,” Felicity grinned, pointing behind her shoulder.

Oliver huffed out a laugh, a small smile stretching the corner of his lips. “I figured as much.”

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss her so badly he could feel his insides churning with longing. She was so beautiful, so perfect, the small wind playing softly with her hair, her full lips so, so tempting. To have her in his arms, pressed tightly against him, her mouth so sweet and welcoming… Instinctively, he went to push back a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes, his hand freezing when he slipped it behind her ear, brushing against the lobe. She automatically leaned into his touch, like she always did and it took all his willpower to move away from her.

“I… I should go,” he mumbled, mentally cursing himself. He really had to stay away from her because his body apparently couldn’t be trusted.

“Same. Ray is probably waiting for me,” she smiled, exhaling slowly. “Just think about what I said. If you ever need to talk… I’m here.”

He nodded, watching her walk away from him… walk away from him and towards another man. Something he had better get used to.

The strong hand that gripped his shoulder was familiar and reassuring but it didn’t keep him from tensing, his fists already clenching in defense. He slowly relaxed, knowing it was only Tommy.

“Just so you know… whenever you finally get your head out of your ass… it’s going to take a hell more than a potted plant this time.”

“Tommy…”

“I’m just saying, dude. You obviously still love her, she obviously still loves you.”

“Too much has happened.”

“That is bullshit. We’re still friends, right? Moira is still your mother, Thea is still your sister. Felicity is still your girl. There is nothing complicated about that.”   
  
  


When Thea walked out of Palmer Tech a few minutes later, she was obviously surprised to see Oliver. But judging by the huge grin that grew on her face, Tommy had had a good idea.

Lunch didn’t happen smoothly. Oliver was still uncomfortable in unfamiliar places, especially surrounded by so many people and so much noise, but he did his best to appear as normal as possible. Thankfully, Tommy was there to make most of the conversation and no one said anything about how he barely ate. Food had become a way to survive for him, and was not a social pleasure anymore. Here, in Starling, where he knew there was probably someone who was going to come after him at some point, it was impossible to relax and enjoy a nice meal. He was constantly on alert, unable to let go. When Tommy abandoned them to make a phone call after their dessert, Oliver apologized to Thea for the way he had shouted at her a few days ago. She smiled, understanding, and apologized as well for not respecting his boundaries. He asked her for a bit of time to get used to his life again and she told him that all she wanted was to be a part of his world again, in any shape or form. And that she was there if he needed to talk to someone.

Oliver promised her he’d come to her if needed - knowing fully well he’d never do so. Thea had to be kept in the dark but he would have to play it smarter with her.

Tommy dropped him at Queen Consolidated next, and it took Oliver at least five minutes before he could walk inside the building. Everything was so, so familiar and at the same time… so different. It was with a charming smile on his lips that he finally stepped towards the reception desk, ready for the play to begin.

“Hi there, gorgeous. I believe my mother is expecting me,” he winked at the young receptionist, a twenty something brunette who blushed furiously under his attentions.

“Sure, of course, Mister Queen,” she squeaked, her shaking hands struggling to open the drawer to get him a badge. After several attempts, she managed to get the plastic card and handed it to him.

“Thank you, Lizzie,” Oliver said, checking the name on her tag.

She grinned at the mention of her name, nervously playing with her hair, and let out a small giggle.

He didn’t linger, quickly making his way to his mother’s office, on the top floor. They had redecorated the hallways, and it helped him keep the memories at bay. The place was different, now. Just like him.

Moira gave him a tour of the place, showing him the changes in the last few years. Some executives were still there, still in charge and Oliver couldn’t help but wonder if one of them, behind their friendly smile, had been part of the people his father had warned him against. Had someone inside QC been in the conspiracy to kill Robert Queen? Or had it been only people from the outside?

Denis Lewis had always been decent with him but… was he plotting something while shaking Oliver’s hand? Alfred, the head of the board, did he seem nervous about Oliver being back at QC or was it just the usual awkwardness of not knowing how to act around someone newly resurrected?

Oliver’s instincts were tingling, his entire body tense and on alert. Who exactly could he trust?

As they eventually made their way to Walter’s office, Oliver finally began to relax a bit. Walter was safe. Walter was someone he could trust, his father had said so.

“So what did you think? There have been a few changes,” Walter greeted him as they all sat down around the table in his office.

“I can see that. Millie is now in charge of Marketing. It makes sense,” Oliver nodded. Millie had been one of his chiefs of projects and had always done a good job. Trustworthy, capable.

“If you want to take the position back, we’ll obviously find her something else,” Moira chimed in smoothly.

“I already told you, mom. I am not interested,” Oliver replied, letting his eyes travel down the body of the assistant that was serving them coffee. “I plan to enjoy life for a bit, if that’s not too much to ask.”

Moira pinched her lips, the frown on her face letting Oliver know she had seen him. _Good. Let’s show her I’m back to how I was before… before Felicity._

“I think it’s more than understandable,” Walter agreed. Oliver turned his head to face him, surprised. He hadn’t expected Walter’s support, especially since he was married to his mother.

“Walter…” Moira sighed, her head tilting in warning.

“Moira, I know. I understand your position as well. Oliver, you should consider maybe accepting the position of VP. Moira you could finally step up as co-CEO and the two of us would supervise you. At first, your tasks would be limited, and you wouldn’t have a full schedule. It would be a way to slowly get involved with the company again until the day you feel like really stepping in.”

Oliver shook his head.

“I am not saying you need to make the decision right now, just know that if you change your mind, no one is expecting you to jump back in right away. We’ll do things gradually.”

“Oliver, it’s your legacy. It’s important and I’m sure your father would have wanted to see you take charge the way you were always supposed to,” Moira explained softly, squeezing his hand.

“Well, maybe dad changed his mind before he died. Maybe dad would have understood. Maybe dad would have finally accepted that I am not like him,” Oliver said, his tone calm and collected. “It’s hard to say since he is, you know, dead.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Oliver stood up. “Thank you for the tour and… the speech. If you don’t mind, I’m going to stop and check on that very cute assistant we saw in HR.”

“Oliver,” his mother scolded him. “I can understand that things are different now but I will not sit here and let you go back to these… awful habits you had.”

“Don’t worry, mom. I’m not their boss anymore,” Oliver smirked as he leaned down to press a peck on her cheek. “No risk of sueing.”

 

Oliver took the stairs, and was in the big HR open space in less than a minute. He spotted the assistant right away. She had shyly offered him a cup of coffee while his mother had been deep in talk with someone else and he knew he’d probably get the information he was looking for from her very easily.

She was on the phone when he made it to her cubicle and he sat down on her desk, waiting for her to be done. She stuttered when she saw him and he flashed her a smile as soon as she hung up.

“Mister Queen,” she breathed. “What… what can I do for you?”

“Well… I need a favor. Would you mind helping me out? And please… call me Ollie.”

“Ollie,” she smiled shyly, twisting her hands.

“I haven’t seen my father’s former secretary, Rosy. Do you know if she still works here?”

“Rosy Bloomberg? Oh yes. She works for the accounting department now. She asked for a reduced schedule to take care of her grand kids.”

“Awesome. Thank you very, very much,” Oliver winked at her and, picking up her hand, pressed a small kiss on her knuckles.

She grinned widely, her cheeks blushing. “Are you sure you don’t want that coffee?”

“Aww… I’d love to. But I have to go, my mother is expecting me. Another time maybe?”

With one last smile, he left, hoping Rosy would be at work. If not, he’d have to come back another day, and he didn’t want to waste any more time.

Luck was on his side when someone showed him to a small office on the third floor and the familiar face welcomed him with a grin. “Oliver. What a pleasure to see you back,” she exclaimed, standing up to hug him.

“Rosy, it’s good to see you again, too,” Oliver said as he sat down opposite her desk.

“I don’t assume you just randomly walked into the accounting department, did you?”

Laughing, he shook his head. “No. I’m afraid I have something to ask you.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Do you know where I could find my father’s old agendas, notebooks and so on?”

Rosy raised her eyebrows, surprise written across her features. “Do you need something in particular?”

“No… just… I’d like to have them. It’s mostly… sentimental value.”

“Oh. Of course,” Rosy said, lowering her tone. “Well I personally packed everything a couple of months after his death. It’s been stored in the secured archives. As you know, only executives have authority to access them. Why don’t you just ask your mother? She has authority, obviously.”

“No. I don’t want… my mother just got remarried to Walter, I think it’s… indelicate right now to mention dad’s old belongings… I don’t want her to think I disapprove of her relationship with Walter who is, after all, our CEO.”

“Yes, I can see why that could be awkward. Unfortunately, I can’t personally help you.”

Oliver smiled reassuringly. “It’s OK. I’ll ask her or Walter. I was just trying to make this as smooth as possible.”

“Understandable. Is there anything else I could help you with though?”

“Yes. Did you notice if he was any… different in the days before he died?”

Rosy frowned, resting her hands on her desk. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean?”

“It’s just… I had a weird feeling before I went on the Gambit. I’m just wondering if he did too? Did he do anything differently?”

“Oh. No. He was his usual self as far as I can say. The only unusual thing was that he asked me to leave early the day right before he died. I still had a lot of work to do but he insisted. His agenda was clear, though, so… I don’t know anything else apart from that. I don’t think he had a presentiment, at least I didn’t notice any change in his behavior.”

“Thank you. That’s all I wanted to know, really,” Oliver said as he stood up.

As he walked out of QC, his mind was reeling with all the new information. So his father had asked his secretary to leave his office sooner than expected. It could have been random, it could have also been tied to Isabel. He would still have to try and check everything out, but for that, he needed to have access to his father’s archives. He couldn’t ask his mother or Walter without letting them know that he had taken an interest in Robert Queen’s last days or work. He was already having a hard time getting his mother off his back, and if she found out he was taking an interest in his father’s paperwork, she’d be even more onto him. He also kept in mind what Felicity had told him, about how Moira had asked her to keep her relationship with Thea professional. He sensed there was more to all of that, but couldn’t find a way to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit.

He was exhausted, not the physical kind of fatigue that was actually a relief, but the mental kind. He had played a part all day. Playful friend, considerate brother, playboy. He had spent the day telling lies to all the ones he loved the most, looking them in the eyes, biting back the stupid jealousy he had felt when Felicity had mentioned Ray, when his mother had called Tommy behind his back. He had smirked, shrugged, and done everything to hide the pain he was feeling. Pushing the ones he loved away from him was harder than he had first thought. But it was necessary. He had to find who had been after Robert, who had been after Felicity. Only then would he be able to maybe try to live again.

He needed to get his hands on his father’s belongings. For that, he had to ask someone from the inside. Someone he could trust and who had access to secured rooms.

And there was only one person he could think of.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo who is that person? Pretty sure you guys have a good idea :p
> 
> Also, a PSA that I think might be necessary, judging from the comments I got with last chapters and how Oliver pushing Felicity away was dumb and pointless.
> 
> I get what you guys are saying that but there is one aspect that is very important in Oliver's decision: he knows Felicity. He knows her very well, as well as she knows him. And what is Felicity's coping mechanism when things get tough? It's to run. It's to walk away, cut ties, start afresh. She did it when she left Vegas, MIT, QC. So when Oliver pushes her away... he is counting on her to do that exact same thing. Cut ties, move on because this is how she normally reacts. And he was right, wasn't he? She didn't fight in his room, didn't argue. Walked away to go lick her wounds privately. It was only after Dig's talk that she considered things differently. Because in those three years she has changed and has gone through something very traumatic. She has lived with terrible regrets too. So yes... Oliver's goal was for her to walk away and stay away from him. Will it work? Maybe not... ;)
> 
> You will get more on that in future chapters though :)
> 
> FInd me on twitter @PimsiePim and tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy come say hi ;)


	10. Dancing With The Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Happy Wednesday! Arrow-less but Emily is on Whose Line Is It Anyway, so if you can watch, do it, let's show some support for our leading lady :)
> 
> Huge thank you to all of you who comment, because the passion really really makes me write so much more than I first planned to. Hence the fast updates :)
> 
> As always, thank you to mysticaldetectivepanda for editing all my mistakes... and for pidanka for making sure there isn't too many of those XD
> 
> Song; Marina Kaye Dancing with the devil

**"Dancing With The Devil"**  


 

Like fire beneath the ice  
An inevitable demise  
Standing on the edge jumping into hurt  
Time and time again I will never learn

And I should cut all the ties  
Let it burn and walk away from you  
There's beauty in suffering  
When you love someone you're scared to lose  
I know I'm dancing with the devil  
Ain't no chance of heaven  
Going straight to hell  
I know I'm dancing with the devil  
Darken up my heaven  
Brighten up my hell

Hear the sirens in the air  
All the warning signs were there  
When I feel your touch it burns my skin  
Echoing sublime it spreads within

And I should cut all the ties  
Let it burn and walk away from you  
This predator I let in knows my heart  
There's nothing I can do  
I know I'm dancing with the devil  
Ain't no chance of heaven  
Going straight to hell  
I know I'm dancing with the devil  
Darken up my heaven  
Brighten up my hell

This passion is a blasphemy  
My second lung, my enemy,  
I know I'm dancing with the devil,  
Darken up my heaven  
Brighten up my hell

I oppose my pride, my dignity  
And this hold you got, It smothers me  
In my narrow boots, on rocky ground  
Is where my angels fly

I know I'm dancing with the devil  
Ain't no chance of heaven  
Going straight to hell  
I know I'm dancing with the devil  
Darken up my heaven  
Brighten up my hell

This passion is a blasphemy  
My second lung, my enemy,  
I know I'm dancing with the devil,  
Darken up my heaven  
Brighten up my hell  
My hell  
Brighten up my hell

 

 

 

 

 

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Dig asked her as he put his glass of water down on the table. They were having dinner at her place - in reality she had ordered takeout, as usual.

“It’s Oliver,” Felicity admitted quietly, pushing a small piece of chicken around her plate.

“What about him?”

“I saw him at Palmer Tech yesterday. He was meeting Thea for lunch. We talked.”

“... and?”

“He’s hiding something from me, Dig. I don’t know what but I can sense… something is off. He told me that his father’s letter was just about how Robert had planned to leave his family and start over with Isabel but… it just… I don’t know. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, maybe I think he’s hiding something from me because I can’t accept that he has indeed moved on.”

She sighed deeply, leaning back against her chair. Her conversation with Oliver had played in her head over and over again since the day before.

“Well… if that is what the letter said, it makes sense with what Moira told you… about not tarnishing Thea’s memories. She wouldn’t want her daughter to find out her dad was planning on leaving them.”

“Yes. Yes, I thought about that. But how could Moira know that was what the letter was about?”

“Maybe that letter was found on the Gambit,” Dig shrugged as he cut a slice of bread.

Felicity bit her lip, replaying her conversation with Moira. Yes… that could be it. But that didn’t explain the hint of… fear she had seen in Moira’s eyes.

“There is also… Oliver has changed.”

“Yes. I mean you already knew that, did he tell you something more?”

“No. I meant… physically, he has changed.”

“It’s pretty much expected. He probably already gained a bit of weight on the boat back but-”

“No. He’s bigger. More buff. I grabbed his bicep and… Dig it was much, much stronger than before. I had that feeling in the hospital when he held me, I felt smaller than usual but I really thought it was because it had been so long. Now I know it’s not that.”

Dig frowned as he finished chewing. He eventually swallowed, putting his fork back on his plate. “Well he had to survive for three years… if there was enough food for him, he had to hunt and walk and probably climb. It’s not impossible that he indeed built up muscle.”

Nodding, Felicity took a small bite of potato. There was building up muscles due to surviving in extreme conditions and there was building up biceps like a MMA fighter.

“There’s more, isn’t it?”

“I… I know it sounds crazy and I don’t know how to explain it but yes. I feel like he is hiding something from me. It’s… my gut keeps telling me he is lying. I don’t know how, I don’t know why but… his eyes don’t tell me the same story.” She shook her head, putting her knife and fork on her plate, her appetite gone. “God, I sound like one of those conspiracy nutcases.”

“You sound like you could use a good night of sleep,” Dig corrected her as he finished his own plate.

“It’s not lack of trying, believe me.”

“Still having nightmares?”

“More like dreams,” she sighed as she stood up and brought her plate to the kitchen. “Weird dreams. About that night. I keep seeing ski-mask dude for some reason. One would think the dead body that landed at my feet would be what would retain my attention but nooooo… my brain is fixed on the mysterious guy.”

She put water in the boiler, grabbing two cups from the cupboard. “Mint tea?”

“Mmhmhh,” Dig nodded as he brought his plate and started running water in the sink. “Maybe you should take a few days off. Go to a spa, go see your mom or even Sara… wherever she is.”

“Last time I checked she was in Hawaii. Ugh. I’d love to go to Hawaii, but I don’t want to leave town right now.” She sighed, rolling up her sleeves. “But maybe a few days off wouldn’t hurt, you’re right.”

After they were done with the washing up, they finished their tea while watching The Walking Dead - their mutual guilty pleasure. Night had fallen when Dig left her, and she quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face before crawling into bed. Maybe she really needed a vacation. She had been through quite the rollercoaster lately and even if her work was still stellar, it might be a good idea to take a breather. As she switched off the bed lamp and settled more comfortably on her pillows, she thought again about the ski-mask dude. There was something intriguing about him, something she couldn’t pin point, and she honestly didn’t know if her brain was messing with her or if her instincts were right.

  


***

 

Oliver sat on a chair, his back facing the wall - as usual. The room was silent and dark, which was not surprising since the night had just fallen. All that could be heard was the first hand of the clock marking each minute, the small ticks sounding weirdly peaceful to his ears.

When the door opened, he didn’t move, his eyes fixed on the silhouette that had just entered. He watched as they locked the door and dropped their keys in a bowl on the small round table. A few seconds later and the man was turning around, a gun in his hand, aimed straight at Oliver’s shadowed figure.

“It’s me, John,” Oliver said quietly, not moving an inch.

The light suddenly went on, and Oliver blinked twice, giving his eyes time to adjust. Diggle was watching him, frowning, still holding his weapon.

“... Oliver?” he eventually asked in disbelief. “What… what the… what the **hell** are you doing in my living room?!”

“I was waiting for you,” Oliver explained, slowly raising his hands to prove Dig he was unarmed and harmless. “I need to talk to you.”

“And you couldn’t give me a call?!”

“I’m afraid these three years away left me rusty with technology,” Oliver answered, smirking. “Could you please lower your gun?”

This seemed to shake Dig out of his trance and he eventually lowered the gun but didn’t put it back in the table’s drawer. Which didn’t escape Oliver’s attention.

“How did you even enter, anyway?”

“Bathroom window.”

“We’re on the third floor!”

“I’m a good climber.”

With one last look, Diggle finally put the gun down on the table, discarding his jacket on the couch. “Do you want a beer?”

Oliver raised his eyebrows at the unexpected question. He had assumed he would have to go through an interrogation, not be offered a drink.

“Yes,” he replied nonetheless.

Dig walked to the fridge, pulling out two bottles of beer. He handed one to Oliver then dropped on the couch, facing him. “You know you’re gonna have to explain a few things, right?”

“Yes. I’ll answer what I can.”

“Alright. Let’s start with why you decided to show up in my apartment.”

“I need your help. I need to access QC’s secured archive room where my father’s belongings are stored.”

Dig paused, his bottle a few inches from his lips, eyebrows raised. “Why?”

“Because I have every reason to believe he was murdered. And maybe I will find a clue there.”

Diggle frowned, then after a small headshake, took a sip of beer.

“You don’t look surprised?” Oliver asked, observing his reactions.

“Felicity thought that might have been the case. And we already entertained that idea a while ago, didn’t we?”

“... We did.”

“So… what makes you think he was murdered?”

Oliver put down his beer, then reached out inside his jacket, fishing out the small zippered bag that contained the letter Robert had left for him. The small notebook was still at the foundry, still useless since most pages were blank… or filled with personal letters. 

 

_Oliver,_

_I wish I could tell you everything face to face. Like a man. I do hope I will never have to explain anything to you, but if this letter reaches you, then I have failed._

_I am not proud of the man I have become. You think that I’m disappointed in you because you are not following my footsteps, while the truth is that I saw you heading in the exact same direction I took years ago and I know now that I am not an example anyone should follow. Especially not my son._

_I built our wealth using your mother’s connections, following the rules, sometimes twisting them but always trying to not cross a line._

_I did cross that line, eventually. I didn't realize how close to it I was, until I was stepping over it, not looking back, not thinking twice about the implications for other people. For Starling. We made profits over profits, millions and millions of dollars that we will probably never even have the use for, all of that by stepping on people who were just trying to make a decent living for their family._

_When I first started working in business, I had visions of grandeur, of how I could be admired, envied for my success. I never thought that my own ego would make me do shameful things. Closing factories, moving jobs to China or to a random place on earth where we would pay our workers a few cents an hour. Stealing retirement plans from hard, faithful workers, just so our benefits could gain a few hundred thousands dollars. The city became poorer because of me, and because of our circle. We ruled over it, not with magnanimity and care, but with greed and a heart cold as ice. In return, half of our hometown became so miserable that crime went up, people slowly losing everything they had, just so we could get even more._

_I lost my soul along the way and I have no one else to blame but myself. I am not the only one. I am far from the only one, most of this city’s elite being in on this project._

_Last year, some of us met, and we all agreed the situation couldn’t last anymore. Our streets weren’t safe anymore, our children were in danger as soon as they were stepping a toe outside of our protected homes. I was failing to see that this situation we deemed unbearable had been caused by our very own actions._

_As I see you now, I’ve come to realize my shortcomings. I see you trying to step away from me and I couldn’t be more proud because I know now that I’m not a model for you. I don’t want you to become me, blinded by the power of money, the success. I wish I could guide you, I wish I could have told you why I was backtracking concerning you and your place in the company. But I am a coward, my son. I don’t want to see the shame and disappointment in your eyes._

_I am going to make things right. For you and your sister, and for the other children in our city. The people I deal with are our friends, our partners, our employees. They represent the high society, members of the upper class that you would never suspect. Don’t be fooled, Oliver. They are ruthless and will show no mercy and if I’m not around anymore, it’s probably because they sensed I was trying to pull away from them._

_I will leave this letter in Walter’s possession, if anything were to happen to me. I trust him and you can trust him too. He is unaware of all the schemes that have been going on in the underground of our houses, where charity galas were just a facade for something far more sinister._

_If you read this, then you will know I have failed. Protect your mother and sister, maybe leave town before they get their hands on our family. I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to any of you because of my choices. You and Thea are my greatest pride, I wish I could have been a better parent for the both of you and be there for the next steps of your life. I’m sorry I won’t be, but I know deep in my heart that you will be wiser than I ever was and make the right decisions._

_I love you,_

_Your father._

  


“So he was indeed in murky waters…” Dig mumbled as he finished reading. “Felicity has been snooping, you know. She got in trouble a couple of weeks ago.”

“I know. I was there.”

Dig’s eyes grew wide at his words. “Were you… ski-mask dude?”

_Ski-mask dude?_

“Felicity named you that,” Dig explained quickly. “But that was you, right?”

“Yes. I had been… informed of a contract placed on her.”

“How? And who did it and… yes, how?! You weren’t on an island for three years, right?”

“No, I wasn’t. I spent some time on the island and… some time elsewhere. I wasn’t hanging with good people, Dig. The less you know, the better it is.”

Diggle exhaled slowly, his eyes searching Oliver’s face. “Alright.”

Oliver let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. After all, Dig was a soldier. He knew everything about secrets and missions. That was one of the reasons Oliver had decided he could trust him. He would understand.

So, he told him everything. Well… everything he thought important. How he had made it to an island, and stayed there for a while. How he had eventually been rescued and forced to pay his debt - brushing over the Bratva, or at least how deep he had been involved in the criminal organization. How he had been told that the Gambit sinking wasn’t an accident. How he had achieved some very useful skills.

Dig listened, not interrupting him once, even if Oliver could see the many questions in his eyes. His instinct had been right: Dig was a soldier. He knew better than to ask questions.

“To make it short… whoever had your father killed also tried to kill you, probably assuming he had let you know about whatever he was into. And when Felicity started to investigate, she somehow attracted the attention of the same people who decided to make sure she would understand it wasn’t in her best interest to keep going. Is that all?”

_… For the most part._

“It’s all that matters,” Oliver replied with a curt nod. He had willingly left several months out of the equation, unwilling to share his experience with Amanda Waller. In many ways, she had been the one to turn Oliver Queen into what he had become. Bratva had only… refined that version.

“And your plan is to take them down before they can take you,” Diggle concluded, passing a tired hand over his face. “Have you considered maybe telling the police?”

“You read that letter… there is no way I would know who to trust.”

“Damn… is this why… is this why you pushed Felicity away? Or is all that “I want to be free” bullshit really true?”

“... Do I look like someone planning on endless partying, to you?”

“No. You don’t. Good.”

“Good?” Oliver asked, raising an eyebrow.

“At least that means I won’t have to kick your ass. If what you say is true and you are indeed targeted… and she was too… I can understand why you did what you did.”

Oliver snorted, because he knew that no matter how built Diggle was… he probably could take him down easily.

“... But that doesn’t mean I agree,” Dig continued in a low tone.

Oliver winced, understanding things wouldn’t go as smoothly as he had thought. “I had to do everything to make sure she’d stay as far away from me as possible, Dig. I wouldn’t even have come back if she hadn’t put herself in danger. So I’m not going to be the reason why she gets a target on her back. Now, officially, she’s just my former secretary from three years ago, with whom I had a fling. No one is going to use her to get at me when she was just one in a dozen. She was on their radar because of her snooping around. Not because of her connection to me. I’d rather they think she was just enamoured with me and unable to move on, instead of… showing them exactly what she means to me.”

Standing up, Dig shook his head then walked to the fridge to get another beer. “You seem to fail to realize a few things, Oliver. One, this is Felicity Smoak we’re talking about. That woman is like a dog with a bone when something nags her. Two, she already got targeted. Three, you’re breaking her heart and I’m not OK with that. From what you told me, I know those three years have been the opposite of easy on you. But God… they haven’t been easy on her either.”

“Exactly, Dig. She has started to move on, it’s probably best if I let her go right away. I won’t take any risk with her, there is… no way I am putting her in danger any more than she already is.”

“She has… what? She has started to move on? On what earth, Oliver?!”

“I know she and Palmer had a thing a few months ago…” Oliver mumbled, rolling the bottle of beer between his hands.

Frowning, Dig shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Felicity hasn’t dated anyone since you’ve been gone. I’d love to know what gave you that idea, though.”

Oliver felt his heart beat a bit faster. So it really had been nothing serious. Maybe a one-night stand at most, quickly forgotten. He felt a bit better, then immediately scolded himself. He had no right.

“It’s… a long story. But I was here four months ago. I saw her and Palmer.”

“Oh God. You mean you were here, in Starling City, four months ago and you didn’t let her know? Man… she’s gonna be fucking pissed. I might teach her to throw a punch or two ‘cause you’d deserve it.”

Automatically, Oliver went to stroke the small spot on his forehead where she had hit him with the taser. He had been so proud of her, in a very twisted way. “I couldn’t let anyone know, Dig. I was here for a reason and… it wasn’t by choice.”

Dig glared at him for a moment, then slowly exhaled. “I’m not gonna get anything else on that topic, right?”

“No.”

“Listen, it’s your choice. It’s your secret to tell, not mine. But I don’t like lying to her and I think you should tell her the truth… well maybe not the part where you thought she was dating Ray because the girl spent three years mourning you.”

“... she never dated anyone? What about in New York, when she got promoted? Surely she met someone there?”

Why was he even asking, he didn’t know. Probably the masochistic part of himself deeming he hadn’t suffered enough.

“You really… you have no idea, do you?”

“No idea of what?”

“Of how much she loved you. She left for New York because she was drowning here, Oliver. Not because of a job opportunity. She asked to leave, because she just couldn’t stand being in this city any longer. God, those first months after you went missing…” Dig sighed deeply, pinching his lips. “You know, I understand. When I came back from Afghanistan, I was full of… survivor guilt and self-hate. It reached a point where I couldn’t even fathom anyone loving me. But make no mistake, man. She loved you and she still does. I’d find a way to tell her because you are going to hurt her and it’s going to be hard for you to stomach being the one who caused her pain. Not to mention, she’ll find out anyway. Better if you tell her.”

“I can’t be with anyone, Dig,” Oliver stated calmly. “I’m not the same man. Telling her wouldn’t change a thing, except drive her closer to me. I’d rather lie to her and hurt her than… know she got caught in the crossfire because of me. Those men killed an entire crew of innocent people just because they thought I might know something… but I’m not easy to take down now. Who do you think they are going to use if they can’t get me? Mom and Thea might be in danger because of my father but… Felicity would be only because of me. If something ever happened to her, it would be on **me** , Dig. I’d never be able to live with myself if…” Oliver trailed off, unable to say the words. Shaking his head, he added, “what do you think exactly she will do if I tell her?”

“... she’ll probably come up with a plan to help you,” Dig admitted.

“As a soldier, would you be comfortable with that? Having her brought along in this?” Oliver asked, playing his last card. Dig wasn't anything if not protective. “We’re not talking about Isabel scheming here. We’re talking about threats we don’t know who have been dropping bodies left and right.”

Dig observed him quietly for a few seconds, obviously struggling with himself. “Will you tell her? If… once things calm down?”

“I… I don’t know. What would be the point?”

“You still love her,” Dig stated calmly, keeping his eyes on him.

“... my feelings don’t change the fact that I have quite literally nothing to give her anymore, John. Look at her. She is the Vice President of Palmer Tech, she is admired and so, so bright. I… Look at me. I can’t even have lunch with my little sister and relax enough to eat what’s on my plate. What would Felicity do with a man like me? The only thing on my mind lately is to avenge my father’s death. I thought I’d never get to do that but now that I’m back… all I can think about is who betrayed him? I've probably talked to people who plotted his death, and mine and… that’s my whole life now. The only thing I can do, the only thing I can control is make sure no one gets harmed, and that includes her. I’ll never be the man she deserves by her side anyway.”

“You should let her be the judge of that, Oliver. I doubt she cares very much about galas, and receptions… just like you didn’t three years ago.”

“I… I can’t… I can’t let her see…” Oliver murmured, noticing his hands were trembling. “She would be scared of me. Like Thea.” Seeing fear in Felicity’s eyes, a fear he would have placed there… he felt nauseated just thinking about it. “John, you know I killed a man. Right in front of her. There’s no coming back from that.”

“Hey, I don’t blame you for what you did. You put him down because he was pointing a gun at Felicity and he had an accomplice. You were outnumbered with an innocent in between. In the same situation, I would have probably acted exactly like you did. And I get it, man. You’re not ready to share everything with her, and probably can’t see anything past the next day.”

Oliver looked up in surprise. Dig was right. Since the island he had been unable to really see himself in the long run. Surviving was one day at a time.

“But one day, you will, Oliver. And you need to think about that, too. No matter how hard it is.”

_Maybe I won’t. Maybe they’ll manage to get to me._

Dig’s narrowing eyes made him understand he probably knew what Oliver wasn’t saying out loud. But he didn’t press the topic, just shook his head as he sighed, “It’s your secret, Oliver. I won’t betray your trust.”

“Thank you. And… can I count on your help?”

“Yes. But I’ll be honest with you. I’m not doing it for your father. I’m doing it for you and because a blonde girl I love like a sister deserves to be happy again. And because it’s my hometown they wanted to hurt… my brother was killed by a dude who lost everything and completely snapped. I also owe it to Andy.”

“Fair enough.”

“Have you entertained the idea that whatever they were planning died too? It’s been more than three years and… nothing has really happened. Well, things aren’t doing great, factories closing, corruption taking over but… nothing similar to the gas explosion. Are you sure this is linked? Maybe that part really is a coincidence?”

Oliver shook his head. “I don’t believe in coincidences anymore. And this is when my father’s behavior slowly but surely started to change. I honestly don’t know if things went too far, or if it was a warning for him but… if I have learned one thing during these three years, it’s that my instincts are never wrong. There is something going on. It might not be obvious but in three years, Starling has already changed and not in a good way.”

“So where do we start?”

“I have this place in the Glades, that’s where I store everything. But so far, I have about zero leads. I found the other guy who tried to get to Felicity that night but he had no more information.” And God knew Oliver had tried everything to make him talk...

“Felicity spent months on this. Her place is full of files and maps and everything you can think of regarding the gas explosion, your father’s death and the Gambit. You should ask her.”

Oliver glared at him. “Because she’ll just hand them over and not once wonder why I need them?”

Dig winced, tilting his head. “Find an excuse. Seems like you’re good with that.”

“... I have a better idea.”

 

***

 

Felicity was in the middle of a very nice dream when she woke up suddenly, her brain still full of lemon meringue pie and puppies running in a meadow. Moaning, she buried her head in her pillow, wishing she could go back to sleep. Her sleep pattern had been more than erratic lately and she desperately needed some rest. A quick glance at the alarm clock told her it was 1:07AM and she sighed, rubbing her nose against the sheet. She knew it would be pointless to linger in bed. It was insomnia 101: when it strikes, get out of bed, set your mind onto something else, then try to fall back asleep a bit later. With a groan, she pushed up on her hands and sat up, rubbing her eyes, mentally considering her options. An episode or two of Friends should relax her, or some good mindless surfing on the web could do the trick as well. In the end, Friends won because she knew she needed a bit of laughter. Grabbing her glasses from the nightstand, she soundlessly padded her way across her bedroom, her hands fixing the bun at the top of her head. It was only when she was almost at the door that she heard it. A small rustling sound. She froze, her heart hammering in her chest. There was someone inside her apartment.

As quietly as possible, she walked to her cabinet, opening the top drawer where she stored her taser. She slipped it in the large pocket of her pajama pants and grabbed the baseball bat she also kept in her room. Better to be safe than sorry.

There were more rustling sounds coming from her living room and she gulped, peeking an eye through the half opened door. Her breath got caught in her throat when she saw the shadow moving around her secretary.

There was **definitely** someone in her apartment.

Her brain took over quite fast, thankfully. She saw, from the corner of her eye, her handbag still on the table, zipper closed. Her watch was on the kitchen counter. And the intruder was going through boxes and papers.

Whoever they were, they weren’t after money.

Her first thought was that she never kept anything important regarding PT - everything always stayed at the office, apart from the usual boring digest that wouldn’t give any confidential information anyway. What she kept in her secretary was the usual papers everyone had, insurance, bills, lease, healthcare, and so on.

Well and also all her investigations of the past four months. After her encounter a couple of weeks ago, and the warning she had been given, it wasn’t hard to make the connection.

It was the word investigation that eventually shook her off her trance. Investigation. Police. She needed to call the police. Why hadn’t she thought of that first?!

She was just turning around when the intruder mirrored the same movement… and stopped when he saw her.

_OK, forget 911._

“I called the police. They’ll be there any minute. I’d go if I were you,” she said in a voice that almost sounded… well, not scared. Her hold on the baseball bat tightened when he took a few steps forward.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” the man - because that low, growly voice obviously belonged to a man - answered her calmly. “I am just going to take what I need and go.”

_Just going to… what the hell?!_

“This… this is not a public library!” she hushed as if she was… in a public library. She recognized his voice, though. The silhouette also fit. It was ski-mask dude, she was ready to bet on it. Somehow, she felt relieved. If the man had indeed wanted to hurt her, he would have probably done so already.

“Who are you?” she asked, narrowing her eyes, trying to get a better glimpse of him. It was useless though. It was dark, the only light being from the tiny flashlight he was holding, and his face was hidden with a balaclava.

“You don’t need to know that.”

“Well, excuse me but I usually like to know the men who go through my private stuff in the middle of the night!” she hissed, frustrated. Did he really expect her to be satisfied with that kind of answer?! As if it was perfectly normal to have a random guy rummaging… oh. She couldn’t help but blush when she realized what she had said. “Just so you know, when I said private stuff, I really only meant my personal papers, not… I don’t… I don’t usually have one-night stands or anything.”

_Not that you need to know that, anyway._

The man huffed out a breath, almost as if he was… amused? 

“You’re the same guy who told me to stop looking, aren’t you?”

“Again, you don’t need to know that.”

“You’re in my living room, excuse me if I think that yes, I have the right to know that!”

“You attracted the attention of the wrong people.”

“So I was right, wasn’t I? There is something fishy with everything that happened to the Queen family!”

He shook his head curtly. “No. But you dug up some information that some people wish would remain confidential. You’re off of their radar now. Keep it that way or you’ll end up dead.”

_Now that is sobering._

Her eyes widened in fear when she saw him reaching to his pocket and she instinctively grabbed her taser, the baseball bat now hanging from one hand only. He paused then, raising his hands in surrender.

“I’d rather you didn’t use that. It hurts like hell.”

“Then put back what you took away from me and leave,” she ordered, sounding much more assured than she should normally be in those circumstances.

“I can’t do that. I need this information.”

“Then tell me who you are.”

He just shook his head and put a big pile of papers in the messenger bag he was carrying.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked again. “Are you… are you a cop?” 

He didn’t answer, completely ignoring her as if he wasn’t just burglarizing her apartment. She knew she shouldn’t let him take away what was without a doubt the result of months of investigation, but she also wasn’t foolish enough to believe that he wouldn’t use strength if needed. She watched him, her mouth slightly open, as he made his way to her door as if he had been a guest. Only there did he stop, his back at her and it dawned on her that he didn’t seem to fear for his own safety. It’s not as if she was pointing a gun, but she still had a taser and she had already proven him she knew how to use it. Yet… he didn’t even seem to care.

“A woman like you shouldn’t live in the past. Move out, this neighborhood isn’t as safe as it used to be. And lock up after me.”

He threw a quick glance to his left, then opened the door and walked out, softly closing it behind him.

Felicity stared at the now empty spot for what seemed like minutes, before eventually dropping her useless weapons on her dining table. She locked her door, adding the security chain. She switched on the lights, taking a few deep breaths to calm down the beating of her heart.

As she was by her door, she quickly glanced on her left - in the direction he had. She saw nothing, apart from her bell and she frowned, wondering if he had disabled it. Upon closer inspection, she saw nothing suspicious, all the wires being properly plugged. There seemed to be no camera or microphone either.

Clueless about what to do, she poured herself a glass of cold water, hoping it would help her clear her thoughts.

Should she call the police? To tell them what? That someone had robbed four months of not so very legal investigation? Probably not a good idea.

She should tell Dig, though, although he would probably lecture her about how you need to call 911 when you hear someone breaking into your home, and not start to chit chat with them. But Dig hadn’t been there and he wouldn’t understand that… no matter how scared she had been, she hadn’t really felt threatened. Whoever this guy was, his goal wasn’t to hurt her. Quite the opposite, judging from his concerns about where she lived. He was actually a very attentive burglar who wanted to make sure no one would rob her after him. 

There was no way she’d be able to get back to sleep now, so she decided to check on exactly what was missing. Most of her papers were gone, including blueprints and insurance reports. But that wasn’t what worried her most. The USB stick where she had saved everything was also gone. Only that one. The drawer where the stick was stored also held three other ones. All different colors, all untagged.

How on earth did he know which one to pick?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... Dig got brought into it and I'm so surprised it wasn't everyone's first choice! But that means I do a good job at keeping you guessing then ;)
> 
> 2/3 of OTA... only missing our girl and believe me... it won't take long at all :) (which is good because they really need her XD).
> 
> So let's play a game... how is she going to be brought into the fold? Is Oliver going to tell her, is she going to see Dig and Oliver together, is she going to figure it out or will she see ski-mask dude butt naked and recognize the peen or...?
> 
> Find me on twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi ;)


	11. Time After Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!  
> Not much to say except that something big kinda happens and Tommy always there to spill some truth tea ;)
> 
> Thank you to mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka for their help. They're the frosting on my cupcakes :'(
> 
> Song: Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

**"Time After Time"**   
  


Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,  
And think of you  
Caught up in circles confusion -  
Is nothing new  
Flashback - warm nights -  
Almost left behind  
Suitcases of memories,  
Time after -

Sometimes you picture me -  
I'm walking too far ahead  
You're calling to me, I can't hear  
What you've said -  
Then you say - go slow -  
I fall behind -  
The second hand unwinds

If you're lost you can look - and you will find me  
Time after time  
If you fall I will catch you - I'll be waiting  
Time after time

After my picture fades and darkness has  
Turned to gray  
Watching through windows - you're wondering  
If I'm OK  
Secrets stolen from deep inside  
The drum beats out of time -

If you're lost...

You said go slow -  
I fall behind  
The second hand unwinds -

If you're lost...  
...Time after time  
Time after time  
Time after time  
Time after time

 

 

“When you said it was rudimentary, you weren’t kidding,” Dig whistled as he took a good look around the foundry.

“I only need a safe place. I don’t care much about comfort.”

“Well, I wasn’t expecting a hot tub but maybe… restrooms or at least running water…” Dig trailed off as his eyes roamed over the cavernous space.

“There’s a restroom on the upper floor.”

“... with toilet paper?”

Oliver stopped rummaging through the stack of papers he had… borrowed from Felicity. He glared at Dig who just shrugged innocently. “Yes. With toilet paper. And soap and towels.”

“So, did you find everything?” Dig asked as he sat down on a chair next to him. It was early Saturday morning and Diggle had just joined him.

“I think so. Felicity woke up, though.”

“What? She saw you?!”

“No. She saw ski-mask dude, not me.”

“Why didn’t she call me? Someone breaks into her apartment and she doesn’t call for help?”

“I think she knew I wouldn’t hurt her. I took what I needed then left.”

“Just… just like that? She woke up, found you going through her stuff and you picked what you needed and then went out through the window?!”

“No. I went out through the door. She was up anyway, I told her to lock up after me.”

Diggle blinked several times, slightly shaking his head. “What… what did she say?”

“She asked if I was the same guy from the other night. I didn’t answer but I think she already knew anyway. Told her it was pointless for her to keep looking, because there was nothing concerning the Queen family, but her snooping around was making other people nervous about what she might find out. The fact that she hasn’t told you makes me think that maybe this time she will listen, though.”

“Let’s pray for some small miracle,” Dig sighed, pinching his nose. “Anyway, I’m ready if you are too.”

“Yup.” Oliver stood up and pulled his baseball cap low on his forehead. They had both decided that the best solution would be to get into the archive room of QC on Saturday morning. There weren’t many people there and they would clearly attract less attention than during the week. Their cover was that Oliver wanted to find his own personal belongings - even though they had been collected by Thea soon after he went missing. They would just play dumb if they were caught.

The drive to QC was silent, something Oliver was incredibly grateful for. He still didn’t like to talk because it was forcing him to focus on something other than his surroundings and it always made him feel uncomfortable. The lobby was deserted, even though some people were working. They didn’t see anyone though, using the staircase instead of the elevator. Fortunately, everything was clearly labeled in the archive room and it barely took them a couple of minutes to find what they were looking for. A small box with Robert’s personal papers, his agenda and a few notebooks, as well as a bottle of his favorite scotch and a couple of frames with family pictures. Unfortunately, Robert had had his laptop with him when the helicopter had crashed, so they would have to do without it.

They were back in the foundry in less than an hour, spreading the contents of the box on one of the tables. The first thing Oliver did was to check his father’s agenda. Unsurprisingly, his trip was written, but there were also a few little crosses scribbled every now and then. He tried to search his memory, to see if the dates were familiar, but honestly couldn’t remember much. The dates were random, the last one being barely a few days before the helicopter crash. He saw nothing else suspicious, no appointment that was out of the ordinary. With a deep sigh, he closed the agenda and threw it back in the box.

“We knew it probably wouldn’t lead to anything,” Dig comforted him with a pat on the shoulder.

“Yeah. I was just hoping I would at least see something that would… I don’t know. Click.”

Dig frowned then picked up the agenda, opening it until he could find the little symbol himself. “The last one was May 11th.”

“Yes. Can’t remember anything about that date, though.”

“That’s why we have the internet, Oliver. Maybe you’ll find something there.”

Oliver pulled his laptop in front of him, quickly typing in a few key words. “... nothing… nothing… Wait. There was a gala for the public library that night apparently. That’s the kind of event my parents usually went to.”

“Your father did talk about the elite of Starling City. If they really were planning something, this kind of occasion is perfect. They would all have a good reason to be there.”

They spent the entire day checking all the dates that had a small cross symbol in Robert’s agenda. Sometimes, it was easy: the name of the event was written down as well. Sometimes it took a lot of searching to get the answer. And sometimes they found nothing. Robert’s agenda was in a big binder, where his assistant added pages until the binder was full. It was going back to September the previous year, and Dig would try to find the rest on Monday. Hopefully it was also stored in the secured archive room and it would just be a few minute visit for him.

It was almost five o’clock when they started to pack everything away. Oliver pointed to the different cabinets while he made sure the computers were disconnected. A low whistle caused him to turn around.

“My, my, my… where did you get all that?” Dig asked, picking up a glock from one of the drawers.

“I have contacts and a trust fund.”

“It’s an entire arsenal you’ve got there. Knives as well?”

“Yes.”

“I assume you’re not going to go into details on how you can use so many different kinds of weapons, right?”

Oliver tilted his head, not bothering to answer.

“I thought so,” Dig muttered as he closed the cabinet. “I didn’t see a car, do you need me to drop you somewhere?”

“No. I have a bike in the back. Also I’m supposed to meet Tommy for dinner anyway.”

“I’ll get in touch with you on Monday, then. Try not to break into innocent women’s apartments in the meanwhile, will you?”

Oliver smirked, shaking his head. “I have no desire to be tased again. I feel like twice was already tempting the devil. By the way… you taught her well.”

“Damn right I did.”

  
  
  


“So, there is this new club opening downtown. Feel like joining me?” Tommy asked between two mouthfuls of fries. “You know, you were totally right. These fries are so much better than at In-N-Out.”

“They’re even better when you take the time to chew, you know.”

Tommy shrugged, gulping the food down with a long sip of his coke. “Still doesn’t answer my question.”

Oliver sighed, leaning back on his chair, his fingers drumming on the table. “No, thanks, I’m not really in the mood for parties.”

“That’s funny. Because it’s the reason you gave Felicity, right? That you didn’t want to be with her because you missed partying?”

Glaring at his best friend, Oliver didn’t reply. There was that look of fake innocence on Tommy’s face, a look he knew very well.

“Tommy…” he sighed, unwilling to delve into the topic.

“I know, I know. You don’t want to talk about it.” Tommy wiped his hands on a napkin, then let out a huge satisfied sigh while rubbing his belly. “That was some of the best burger and fries I’ve ever had.”

A waitress came to clean up their table, asking if they wanted anything for dessert. They both declined and waited until she came back with their check. Oliver was just putting his wallet back inside his jacket when Tommy started to hum.

“What?” Oliver asked as he stood up.

“Well, you know… I get it. You don’t want to talk to me about Felicity or about how you look like a kicked puppy every time I mention her name-”

“I… don’t look like a kicked puppy.”

“You do, but you’re still in denial, that’s fine. As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, you might not want to talk to me about her but you’re gonna have to talk to her about… well… her, I guess,” Tommy rambled as he put his jacket on.

“I haven’t seen her since our lunch with Thea.”

“She’s at the counter, behind you,” Tommy smirked as he walked past him, patting his shoulder.

“Miss Felicity, what a wonderful surprise!”

Oliver groaned, squeezing his eyes shut when he saw her oh-so familiar silhouette waiting at the take away counter. After a second, he opened them, just in time to see the look of surprise on her face. Gritting his teeth and knowing there was no way to avoid the confrontation, he joined them, trying to keep his eyes from travelling down her body. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple T-shirt, her hair in her usual ponytail. God, why did she have to wear it in a ponytail... as if staying away from her wasn’t hard enough.

He waved at her, utterly uncomfortable, while Tommy went on a full rant about what he had just had for dinner.

“Anyway. I’m gonna go get the car and let you two… catch up. Ollie, take your time, I’ll wait for you.”

Oliver frowned, because he had come with his bike and didn’t need Tommy to drive him back. And also because he literally felt a sheer sheen of cold sweat sliding down his back at the idea of talking to Felicity.

She smiled hesitantly at him. “Hi. How… how are you?”

“I’m good,” he nodded, shifting on his feet like a sixteen year-old trying to ask his crush to Prom. “You?”

“I’m about to have Big Belly Burger so… I’m great,” she huffed out a small laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Have you… settled in a bit better now?”

He forced his eyes away from her ear and cleared his throat. “Yeah… yeah. I just… yeah, things are good.”

“Great. That’s great,” she nodded. “You know… if you ever need a friend or… someone to talk to… I’m still here if you want to go out for a drink or something. We were good friends before… well, before.”

“Felicity? Your order is ready,” the young waiter interrupted them, handing her a paper bag.

She smiled, thanking the young man. Oliver stepped forward, holding the door open for her and she grinned in gratitude.

“Well, I guess, I should go. My ten-minute walk is the perfect time lapse for my burger to cool down just enough to be at the right temperature for my tastebuds,” she smiled nervously, holding out her paper bag.

“... you’re walking back to your place?”

“Well, yes. It’s not that far. It’s just a few blocks down-”

“Yes, I remember where you live,” Oliver mumbled. He didn’t like the idea of her walking home alone. He didn’t like it one bit. “It’s just… it’s late and I’m not sure it’s safe.”

“... it’s not even dark yet, Oliver. I always do it by foot and nothing has ever happened to me.”

_It only takes once._

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he pinched his lips, torn between the need to protect her and the knowledge he would only be sending her mixed signals. In the end, the borderline irrational fear that something might happen to her won. “I’m… I’m not comfortable letting you walk back alone while I’m here. Do you mind if I come with you?”

Her mouth opened in surprise at his request, her eyes widening. “Hum… no. But really, it’s fine, Oliver. You don’t have to.”

“I’d feel much better,” he winced as they started to walk down the street. He saw Tommy leaning against his car on the other side of the road, a smirk on his lips as he opened his door and slipped behind the wheel.

This was a mistake, and he knew it. He should have asked Tommy to drive her home. But the temptation was way too strong. Something was pulling him towards her and no matter how awkward they were, no matter how unnatural it felt to walk by her side and not be able to touch her, to just hold her hand… it still felt good. Warm. Simple.

“So… Thea told me you weren’t interested in jumping back into the family company?” Felicity eventually said as they crossed a street.

“Hum… no. Not right now, for sure. I’m not exactly… up to date.” He coughed, rubbing the back of his head. “Thea is really liking it at Palmer Tech, by the way.”

Felicity grinned, nodding. “Yes. She really settled quite well.”

“Is there… I never asked her but how did she end up working for you in the first place?” He had been wondering about that ever since the day he had found out.

“She hadn’t applied to any colleges and didn’t want to work for Queen Consolidated. Too many painful memories for her, I believe. I… I remembered that you once told me that it was your plan if she was unsure of what to do after high school. I thought… I thought you would have liked it.”

Oliver gulped, noticing the way she was biting her lips nervously. He could still remember that talk he had had with both women, at different times. With Thea, it had been on the Gambit. With Felicity, it had been at the mansion. He had no idea how Felicity had even remembered it three years later.

“Thank you,” he eventually said. “For being there for her. It really means a lot.”

Felicity smiled softly as she shifted her hold on the paper bag.

“Here,” he whispered as he reached out to grab it from her, “let me.”

He didn’t like to have his hands full, preferring to be free in case of an attack, but it was either holding her food or grabbing her hand.

“Thank you,” she whispered with a glance. They resumed their walk in silence, Oliver too conflicted to start a conversation. He had pushed her away, and he hadn’t changed his mind. It was probably better to keep things as formal as possible.

“You know… there is something that has been bothering me,” Felicity eventually said as they were approaching her building.

Frowning, Oliver turned his head to face her. “About what?”

“About you. Your father dying. The gas explosion. I know you told me that the letter he left you probably had nothing to do with him dying but it doesn’t change the fact that in the span of half a year, there were three tragedies hitting your family.”

Keeping his face neutral, Oliver nodded. “I know. I just think it was… some very unfortunate coincidences. It happens.”

“And is this what you believe? That it’s just a few coincidences?” she asked, tilting her head. He forced himself to keep his eyes ahead because they were approaching dangerous territory.

“I’ve accepted it. I think we all should leave the past behind us, Felicity.”

“I investigated your… disappearance, you know. It was intriguing Thea and it also left me with more questions than answers. Someone stole all my research last night. Don’t you think that if it really was just a matter of coincidences, there would be nothing to find and therefore, nothing to steal?”

Oliver let out a deep sigh. Of course. She wasn’t about to give up. “Mom told me dad was… somehow involved with… corrupt people. I wouldn’t be surprised if somehow they found out about this.”

“Yes… yes, that is something I have thought about.”

“I hope you won’t keep searching for something that doesn’t exist. I… it’s just not worth it, Felicity. And it’s pointless.”

They stopped at the entrance of her building, Oliver silently cursing when he saw the stubborn expression on her face. She observed him for a few moments, then eventually nodded.

“Dig told me mostly the same thing… I hope my instincts are wrong because if they’re not, that means that the Gambit sinking might not have been an accident. And if it wasn’t an accident… they might come for you again.”

“No one will come for me. I’ve been back for days now and nothing has happened to me. Listen, I understand… it must have been hard and… knowing you like I do, you probably dove head first into this whole mystery. But I’m home, now. I’m safe and I have no reason to think anyone is after me. I just don’t want to think about the past anymore. I want to look forward.”

“I understand. I just hope you know that if you ever need my help… for whatever reason, I’m here. I’m still your friend.”

There was so much tenderness and sadness in her eyes that he almost caved in. His hold on the bag tightened as he forced himself to not reach out to her and kiss her senseless. He hated to see her sad. He hated even more to know he was the one causing her pain.

“I’m not sure I’ll make a good friend, you know,” he huffed out a dry laugh, trying to change the mood.

“I’d say walking me back to my place to make sure I’m safe kinda proves that you’re very good friend material,” she winked as she took the bag out of his hands. “Even if it was completely unnecessary. I can take care of myself.”

_Don’t I know it._

“I should go. My burger is going to get cold.”

“Yes. Same. I’m… I’m going out with Tommy tonight. A new club, downtown.”

Her smile froze as she lowered her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she looked at him again, biting her lips. “I wouldn’t want to hold you back. Have a good night, Oliver. Tell Tommy I’m sorry you were held up.”

With a small wave, she turned around, fishing for her keys in her purse. Quickly unlocking the door, she paused for the briefest second when she saw him still standing on the pavement, like the dumb idiot he was. Their gazes locked for a second before she closed the door behind her.

God, he felt like a dick. He was so torn, so conflicted about what he knew he was supposed to do and what his heart was screaming at him. _Get there! Ring the bell, beg her to let you in!_

“Are you going to stay here all night? And if so, do you need moral support? Ice-cream, chocolate to drown your heartache?... Ibuprofen for your menstrual cramps, maybe?”

“How long have you been here?” Oliver sighed, turning around to face his best friend.

“I was parked further down the street. Just wanted to know if you needed a ride or not. I was really hoping you’d get another kind of ride if you ask me-”

“Which I’m not,” Oliver cut him off.

“But since you’re being your usual thick self, I doubt any kind of riding will occur in the foreseeable future,” Tommy finished, completely unfazed by the interruption. He let out a deep sigh. “Seriously. The night is falling, you just walked her home, the moon is bright, the birds are chirping and you just… stand there, staring at that door like my dog stares at a bag of chips. Drool included.”

“First of all, the moon isn’t bright yet. There are no birds chirping. And I wasn’t… I wasn’t drooling,” he finished, gritting his teeth.

“I know a lost cause when I see one,” Tommy exhaled slowly. “Do you need a ride or not?”

“No. My bike is parked behind the Big Belly Burger.”

“Your bike?” Tommy asked, raising his eyebrows. “I thought you had stopped that when you turned 21.”

“I guess I changed my mind.”

“Just like you apparently changed your mind about a night at the club?”

“... shut up. It’s better that way.”

“Yeah… lying to the girl you love is always the best solution. Remind me to never ask you for advice when I meet the future Mrs Merlyn.”

“If I have to give advice to anyone, it will be to her,” Oliver smirked. “Whoever she is… that poor girl will need it.”

 

 

The next Friday, Oliver was still going through Robert’s other agenda that Diggle had managed to find. It had taken much longer than they had thought to finally get their hands on the binder. He had also checked all of Felicity’s documents, not surprised at all to see how thorough she had been. Diggle had also explained, in much more detail, the way Moira had stopped financing the investigation, as well as her weird reaction when Felicity had confronted her about it.

He had noticed how much Moira had changed in the last years. She was colder, in many ways. Had she, too, found out that Robert wasn’t the honorable man everyone thought he was? He knew, from his father’s letter, that Moira hadn’t been involved. Was she trying to protect Thea and her family’s reputation? Had she just given an excuse to Felicity to make sure she wouldn’t uncover something that would only bring another scandal to their household? What was she fearing exactly? How much did she know about his father’s actions? Had she been threatened like Felicity?

He had so many questions, and the only way to get answers would be to ask her directly. How exactly, he didn’t know, but he would have to find a way.

His first instinct had been to keep everyone out of everything. He had never thought his mother might know more and would force him to change his plans.

 

***

 

_Friday at last._

 

Felicity let out a big sigh of relief when she finally walked out of a meeting that had lasted much longer than expected. A few months ago, one of Palmer Tech's executives had come up with the idea to relocate most of their factories to countries where labor cost was… minimal. It would allow them to have a much bigger budget for their research department, but Felicity had opposed it vehemently. PT had a reputation of being a responsible, eco-friendly company and was more than thriving financially speaking. So she had compromised with Ray and had asked for a survey to gauge the reasons why people bought PT products. The results had dropped about a month earlier and had confirmed what Felicity had said: Palmer Tech’s reputation was too important to take risks with it. Since the company was ever expanding its market, they needed more factories and had decided to stay as local as possible. It had been Felicity’s main mission lately to find former factories that could be bought and reopened. It would have probably been easier to buy acres of land and build afresh but she wanted to diminish the environmental impact as much as possible. Modernizing and rehabilitating former factories was much more responsible than starting from scratch.

And that was the reason why she was currently making her way back to Starling, having signed the papers for two factories just outside of the city limits. She had managed to get a good price for the two properties and was quite pleased with the cost savings. It would take around six to twelve months to have the first one ready to roll, which was cutting the waiting time by half if they had had to build the building first. Another drastic saving of money. Sure it took much more time and energy to negotiate, but the end result was more than worth it.

The highway was very busy, everyone going back home for the weekend. Fingers drumming against her thigh, she turned on the radio to keep her company as she was waiting patiently. She hadn’t moved at all in the last five minutes. Not too far away from her, she could see an exit that would take her to the Glades - not exactly her direction but she knew that the traffic would be much lighter there. It took her more than forty minutes to get there and it was with a deep sigh that she finally sped up. A quick glance at the clock told her it was already 6PM but, as she had suspected, the streets were mostly empty. After all, it wasn’t exactly a neighborhood with a lot of activity. She came to a stop at a red light, her eyes roaming across the road. She didn’t know this part of town really well apart from the main street but that wasn’t what caught her attention.

**Rodwell St.**

She frowned, the name familiar for some reason. It was just when the light was turning green that she remembered. The second warehouse that she had never checked, the one paid for by Jones and Lewis, the private agency hired by Moira Queen… that’s where it was. In Rodwell Street. On an impulse, she turned right instead of going forward. It was still daylight, and she would just throw an eye. No mission, nothing dangerous. Just… checking and tying one last loose end.

Her phone rang as she was driving slowly, checking the buildings. She could still remember the facade of the one she was looking for, but she knew it had changed since Google View had taken the pictures, so the task wasn’t that easy.

She grabbed her earpiece, picking up once it was securely in place.

“Hello?”

“Felicity?”

She smiled, recognizing Dig’s voice. “Hi, Dig.”

“Hi. Listen, I am running a bit late. I won’t be at your place for about two hours. Start eating without me, OK?”

“Oh. No problem. I am running quite late myself, actually. That meeting lasted much longer than I thought.”

“Where are you? You must be stuck in traffic at this time.”

“In the Glades. I took a shortcut and… the craziest thing happened, I was just waiting for the light to turn green and I realized I was right next to that second warehouse I never checked.”

“... Tell me you’re not actually checking the place.”

“Relax. It’s still daylight, I’m just going to throw an eye, see if there’s anything. No breaking in, no snooping, just… you know… check if it’s possible to hide a boat in there or what kind of security they have.”

“Felicity, the Glades are not a safe place and you know what happened last time.”

“Dig, I’m not going to be reckless, don’t worry. I’m right here, might as well give it a look.”

“Fe… not safe… you… morrow.”

She frowned as more cracking sounds were heard. “Dig, I’m sorry I can’t hear you. Don’t worry, I’ll be home soon.”

“... hear… you… not…”

The call disconnected then and she shrugged. She finally found a spot on the curb and she quickly parked. Deep down, she knew she had no business being there. But the temptation was too big.

Grabbing her purse, she threw it across her shoulder like a messenger bag. Her taser was safely stored in the front pocket, a promise she had made to Dig and had always kept ever since she had moved to Manhattan. As she locked her car, she glanced around her. It was mostly deserted, apart from a few homeless people who looked rather harmless. There were also a few houses on the other side of the street, and she could see children playing in small, unkempt gardens. Fortunately, she was wearing her flats, having changed from her heels before getting into her car. After less than five minutes, she eventually found what she was looking for. The warehouse was big, but dated and seemingly abandoned. She still walked past the old, rusty fence, thinking peeking an eye in the back wouldn’t hurt.

She could still hear the echo of the children’s playful screams along with the soft noise of her steps on the macadam. Her shoulders slumped when she saw a broken door, the building obviously deserted. At least she knew for sure, now. There was nothing to find there.

Turning around, she walked back to the front and had just walked past the fence when someone gripped her arm from behind. She jerked, on instinct, her mouth opening to let out a scream but a hand covered her lips right away. Struggling, she kicked back, her hand trying to reach inside her purse while she was taken into a small, dark alley. She could feel her panic rising but she forced it back down, knowing she needed her brain more than ever. She stopped fighting against the man - because it was obviously a man - for a few seconds, who loosened his grip in reaction. She bit his hand as hard as she could, feeling utter satisfaction at his yelp of pain. He turned her around, and before she could move, she felt a burning pain on her cheek, where he had slapped her. She yelled then, a loud, powerful scream.

“Bitch,” the man, who must have been in his forties, snarled. Using his bodyweight, he pushed her against a wall, his forearm on her throat while he dug into her purse with his other hand. She could barely breathe, let alone scream again, a part of her relieved that he was apparently only after her money. If only he had said so, she probably would have given him her wallet. There were a few black dots dancing in front of her eyes, but suddenly her throat was free and she took big gulps of air, knowing she probably should run, but unable to make her muscles move yet.

She scrambled for purchase against the wall, her breathing still heavy and ragged and it took her a few seconds to understand the scene in front of her. The man had not run away. He was currently kneeling on the ground, his hand covering a bleeding nose. A taller, more buff man was hovering above him. He turned to face her and she gasped, his face safely hidden by a balaclava. Could it be… but how?!

“Oh my God,” she breathed, unable to tear her eyes off him. Ski-mask dude.

“Are you alright?” he grunted, raising his hands to reassure her. The gesture awoke something her, something vague that she pushed back as soon as she saw a flash of light behind him. She shouted “knife!” and took a few steps back, moving out of the way. She looked around her, trying to find a weapon, or anything, until she remembered her taser. Fishing in her purse, her hand found nothing and she groaned, narrowing her eyes and looking on the ground, where the guy had probably dropped it while searching her handbag. She froze suddenly when she saw her attacker launching forward, obviously trying to get to her.

He didn’t have the time to reach her, though. She heard a loud growl, full of anger and rage before her guardian angel pounced on him, a loud crack echoing in the alley when he broke the wrist that was holding the knife.

Felicity gulped, horrified, as the knife was thrown away, landing at her feet. She picked it up, ready to hand it to the man who had, once again, come to her rescue but she stopped when she realized that he didn’t need any weapon. He was punching the man, on his face, his chest, his arms, anywhere his fists could land.

She was glued to her spot, oddly fascinated by the scene. Punch. Crack. Punch. Crack. The sounds were strangely clear as she stood there, hypnotized by the unbridled rage that had taken over the man with the balaclava.

How had he found her? Was he following her? Why was he so adamant on protecting her? Why did she feel so safe with him, even though she had the living proof, in front of her, that he could be more than lethal?

“Who hired you?” he growled between two punches.

“No… no one.”

“Why are you after her?”

“Money and… I just wanted to have fun.”

“Wrong answer,” he snarled as his hands circled the man’s neck.

For some weird reason, seeing the man who had tried to assault her struggling, his hands reaching out to grab onto the arms that were currently strangling him, made her realize how big the biceps were. It was odd to notice something like that at that time, while a man was being choked to death in front of her eyes.

And suddenly, she couldn’t hear anything anymore. Couldn’t hear the panting, the grunting coming from both men as a buzzing sound took over her ears.

Scenes flashed through her eyes, so fast that they almost left her dizzy.

A large bicep underneath her hand, so much larger than in her memories.

The way ski-mask dude had raised his hands in reassurance every time she had met him… the same way Oliver had done when she had visited him at the Queen Mansion.

How Oliver had been so worried at the idea of her walking home alone, yet hadn’t seemed fazed at all at the mention of the burglar who had broken into her apartment.

His burst of violence at the Mansion when she had left.

The way he had been pushing her away.

The lies.

It was as if every single piece of the puzzle suddenly fell into place.

Oliver. It was Oliver.

How, she didn’t know but there was no doubt. The man who had been protecting her was Oliver.

It was enough to shake her out of her trance as the buzzing sound suddenly vanished, the world coming into focus again while Oliver was still squeezing the man’s throat.

“Stop! Stop it!” she yelled, trying to get his attention, realizing that he wasn’t hearing her anymore. She tried to walk to him and shake his shoulder but he barely reacted, his entire attention focused on the man who was slowly turning blue.

Almost desperate, she considered hitting him with her taser but the idea of hurting him was repulsive to her. This was her Oliver, the man she loved, the man who had already suffered too much, even by her own hand once. Yet, she needed to get through to him somehow… without calling out his name and betraying his secret.

And suddenly, instinctively, she knew what to say to get him back to her.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Felicity figured it out AND she didn't even need to see the goods!!
> 
> ... what? I'm evil to leave it there? Me? Noooooo... I mean I don't do this kind of things... do I? O_O
> 
> OK so what do you think she's going to say to snap him out of it?  
> Hint: Those who have read HGW have an unfair advantage. Those who have read HGW and have a very good memory have a very unfair advantage :p  
> (I did drop a clue though so I'm not that mean :p)
> 
> Hope you liked it, and next chapter will be... pretty intense I would say. Loads of things have to be said. 
> 
> Find me on twitter @PimsiePim or Tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi :)


	12. Purple Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> Wait... WAIT, don't rush, take the time to read my note!!!! Thanks for all the comments, good job on the ones who guessed it right ;)
> 
> If you want to drown yourself in feels, I'll add the links to two chapters of HGW that really echo a lot of things that happen in this one :) just check the end of chapter notes.
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka, with a mention for the moonbow, and to mysticaltdectivepanda; it's thanks to her that you don't have to wait too long guys XD
> 
> Song: Purple Rain - Prince
> 
>  
> 
> Oh and there is a smut scene. So it's probably NSFW even though you'll see it's not as explicit-y as HGW... yet.

**"Purple Rain"**   
  


I never meant to cause you any sorrow  
I never meant to cause you any pain  
I only wanted one time to see you laughing  
I only want to see you laughing in the purple rain

Purple rain Purple rain  
Purple rain Purple rain  
Purple rain Purple rain

I only want to see you bathing in the purple rain

I never wanted to be your weekend lover  
I only wanted to be some kind of friend  
Baby I could never steal you from another  
It's such a shame our friendship had to end

Purple rain Purple rain  
Purple rain Purple rain  
Purple rain Purple rain

I only want to see you underneath the purple rain

Honey I know, I know, I know times are changing  
It's time we all reach out for something new  
That means you too  
You say you want a leader  
But you can't seem to make up your mind  
I think you better close it  
And let me guide you to the purple rain

Purple rain Purple rain  
Purple rain Purple rain

If you know what I'm singing about up here  
C'mon raise your hand

Purple rain Purple rain

I only want to see you, only want to see you  
In the purple rain

 

 

 

"Money and… I just wanted to have fun.”

Oliver saw red. The very little control he still had over himself finally slipped. He had been in the foundry with Diggle when Felicity had called and before the call was even over, he was already climbing up the stairs, remembering exactly where the warehouse was located. He had checked the building himself a few days ago and knew the neighborhood wasn’t exactly friendly. Fortunately, it had only taken him five minutes to arrive, his bike allowing him some very precious shortcuts. He hadn’t found her though and his heart had started to hammer inside his chest because he had passed her car on his way. Yet she had been nowhere to be seen. Until he had heard it. That blood curdling scream that had twisted his insides.

Then, everything had been a blur until that utterly satisfying moment where he had his hands around the neck of the man who had dared to touch her. It felt good to let the rage take over, the frustrations he had kept bottled up finally finding a way out. He wasn’t thinking anymore, just letting his body act on pure instinct. He felt Felicity’s hands on his shoulders but he just shrugged, entirely focused on the man who was a threat to her. He needed to eradicate the threat and then he’d make sure she was safe.

Until he heard those two little words, with a clarity that was almost blinding. They instantly awoke a memory he had buried a long time ago.

 

_“Let’s make a deal. Everytime I become too controlling, you just tell me ‘puzzle piece’. And I will do the same when you forget I’m by your side and have the perfect shoulder for you to lean on.”_

_“Like a safeword in a BDSM relationship?” Felicity giggled, the mood suddenly lighter._

_Oliver shook his head, grinning. “Yeah… I guess, yeah.”_

 

He froze then, because he suddenly remembered where he was and what he was about to do. His hands let go of the man’s neck and he stood up, rubbing his face, trying to clear his thoughts.

Puzzle piece. How had that stupid, meaningless little joke been able to shake him out of his trance? Something he had quite honestly forgotten had apparently been lurking in his subconscious all these years. As if even when he had tried his hardest to forget about her, his soul had engraved each memory and kept them safe.

It took a few seconds for his brain to come to grips with the meaning of those words coming from her lips.

She knew.

Felicity obviously knew who he was.

The man he had just beat up was coughing, trying to catch his breath and already crawling away from him. He let him go, watching him, unable to turn around and face her.

“Please look at me,” Felicity said softly from behind his back once the man had run away.

He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to see her eyes, to see fear and disgust. He felt her hand, so small, against his shoulder, the touch light and hesitant.

_She is afraid of you._

In the end, he knew they had to leave. This place wasn’t safe and he’d feel much better once she was far away from it. He slowly turned around, his hands held out in defense to make sure she’d understand he wouldn’t hurt her.

“I… How did you know?” he eventually asked, keeping his eyes down. His voice was still much lower than usual, but this time it was due to his throat being constricted.

Felicity slowly raised her hands, hovering over the hem of the ski-mask. Slowly, almost reverently, she pulled it up and he let her do. It was pointless now, anyway.

“No mask on earth could hide you from me, Oliver,” she whispered as she smoothed the fabric over his forehead. She let her fingers travel down to his jaws, stroking his stubble. “Look at me.”

He gritted his teeth then, the bitter taste of shame invading his mouth. He had never wanted her to see him that way. She remembered him as an easy-going, fun, caring man and he had wanted so much for her to keep that image of him. It was all that was left of Oliver Queen. It was all that was left of the man she had loved.

Forcing his gaze up, he met her eyes, surprised to see the tears. She was smiling at him, a small, soft and understanding smile that made his heart flutter. He could see she had many questions but… she wasn’t judging him.

“Are you alright?” she asked and he huffed out a dry laugh. How ironic. He should be the one asking her that.

“Are you?” he replied, slightly shaking his head.

“He didn’t hurt me,” she mumbled as she delicately took his hand between hers, stroking his bruised knuckles. It suddenly dawned on him that she knew. She knew. All his efforts, the struggles to keep her away and safe from everything had just been destroyed.

“It’s not safe here. You need to go back home,” he grumbled, taking his hand away and lowering the balaclava to his eyes. He picked up the few belongings that had been scattered on the ground, shoving them into her handbag. “I’ll follow you to make sure you make it there safely.”

“... what? You think I’m going home? I want answers, Oliver. I deserve answers!” she hissed as she followed him out of the alley and back into the main street. “How did you know I was here? Have you been following me around? How long were you planning to lie to me? And… where did you even learn how to fight?!”

Shaking his head, he wordlessly led her to her car. She huffed, but kept silent as she followed him.

They stopped in front of her car, Oliver waiting for her to open the door. She turned to face him, hands on her hips, a stubborn expression on her face. That’s when he noticed a smear of red on her arm.

“You’re bleeding,” he cursed as he noticed the small cut on her forearm. It wasn’t deep, but it still needed cleaning and maybe a few butterfly stitches.

“Don’t try to… oh,” she frowned, then rummaged through her purse until she found a small pack of kleenex. She patted the small wound, mumbling, “we need to talk Oliver. And right now.”

He sighed deeply, understanding it would be pointless to ask her to wait. He needed to tend that wound anyway. “Let me go get my bike and then follow me.”

It was much darker now even if the night hadn’t fallen yet. Big heavy clouds were obscuring the sky, and the light was diminishing rapidly. He ran to get his bike, uncomfortable at the idea of leaving her alone, even for less than a minute. The ride to the foundry took longer. He was driving slowly, making sure she was still behind him. And if he was totally honest, he also had to admit he was in no hurry to make it there. Emotions were swirling in his head. Fear, relief, worry, hope, guilt. He tried to come up with a reasonable explanation, one that would still keep her mostly in the dark but came up empty. Was it because a part of him desperately wanted to let her in? Or was he just tired of pretending?

They finally arrived at the steel factory and he led her to the back of the building, noticing right away despite the darkness that Dig’s car was there as well. He honestly didn’t know what to do or say because  none of his plans had ever even considered the possibility that Felicity might know the truth. At least not so quickly.

 

***

 

As Felicity was following Oliver, deeper into the Glades instead of either her place or the Mansion, her brain was working overtime. So many questions. She had so many questions. How? How did he find her, how did he learn to fight, to use a gun? Why did he keep her out of the loop? Didn’t he trust her?

She was mad, she was astonished, she was intrigued, she was sad, she was worried. If there was a competition for the highest number of emotions felt at the exact same time, she’d win it with flying colors.

Oliver eventually stopped after leading her behind an old, completely abandoned factory. The sun was slowly setting, and there was a humidity in the air announcing either the rain or a storm. It was getting dark, but not enough for her to not notice that this place clearly wasn’t any more welcoming than the one they had just left.

She slammed her door closed, the resulting bang echoing loudly in the empty open space.

“Seriously? You couldn’t talk to me there because it was too dangerous, and you bring me… here?” Felicity snapped, walking furiously towards him as he took off his helmet and balaclava.

“How did you know?” he asked, ignoring her ire.

“How did I know it was you?” she replied, taken aback. She hadn’t expected that question. She wasn’t even sure she had an answer because it had been several little details, her instincts doing most of the work. “I… I know you, Oliver. I know your body, even if it has changed. Especially if it has changed, did you think I wouldn’t notice the size of your arms? I could probably recognize you with my eyes closed, it was just a matter of time! I didn’t that first night because… well, in my defense you were supposed to be dead. But then… then I kept wondering why the dude in the ski-mask kept coming back in my dreams, the way he had raised his hands. It’s… that’s how you placate me, Oliver. You raise your hands in defense and cock your head to the side. Then you showed up at my apartment, which by the way is **not** OK and we're so gonna talk about this later, and... and I felt safe. I never felt in danger even though I should have. Something was nagging me but... rationally speaking it wasn't making sense. Also, the room was pitch dark. And the next day, you got worried at the idea of me walking home alone but didn’t flinch when I told you someone had broken into my place... I think my guts were trying to tell me but it took my brain a few days to put the pieces in the right place.”

She paused then, rubbing her forehead, trying to gather her thoughts. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

The way he bowed his head and pinched his lips gave her the answer. Her heart heavy, she nodded, folding her arms protectively around her chest. “Why? Did you think I would betray you?”

No matter what he had done, she wouldn’t have pushed him away, not if he had needed her help. It hurt her that he could even imagine she would turn her back on him.

“... I didn’t want to put you in a difficult position, Felicity.”

She observed him, trying to decipher his thoughts. He used to be an open book for her but now it was much harder to read him. She could still sense his lies, obviously, but it wasn’t as easy as it used to be. “It’s OK if you don’t want to tell me everything, but please don’t lie to me. Don’t push me away again. You know you can trust me.”

Oliver shook his head, his hands gripping his hair in obvious frustration. She could see that he was battling with himself. She let him sort his thoughts out, knowing that the mere fact she was standing in front of him was enough to remind him she at least needed some answers.

“I… I was with some people who… told me that someone sabotaged the Gambit,” he finally said, dropping his arms to his sides.

Her jaw dropped, because no matter how suspicious she had been all this time, there was no way she could have expected him to know even more about it. “Who?” she eventually breathed. “Who told you and… how do they know?”

“It… it doesn’t matter who they are. Just know that they are not good people. But they taught me how to fight and… other skills. They have ears and eyes everywhere and that’s how I found out there was a contract on your head. Whoever made the Gambit sink also went after you so you wouldn’t find anything.”

“You mean… that night, you knew someone was going to attack me?”

“No… yes. I didn’t know how or when, but I knew it was bound to happen. They weren’t asked to kill you, though, if that makes you feel better.”

_Yeah… nope._

“... why?” she asked, frowning. That made little sense.

“You were probably getting close to something that could incriminate them?” Oliver offered. “I’ve seen everything you’ve found, there has to be something in there that could lead you to them.”

“No, no that’s not what I meant,” she shook her head. “I meant why didn’t they just kill me?”

Oliver gasped, his eyes wide and it felt weirdly good to see his mask slip. “You should be happy they didn’t!”

Rolling her eyes, Felicity huffed. “Of course I am, Oliver! But they didn’t hesitate to kill you and the crew and… oh God poor Andrew. Why do they suddenly feel nervous about me, who is, quite honestly, just a nobody?”

“They didn’t want to attract attention. Felicity you’re not a nobody, you’re the Vice-President of one of the wealthiest companies in the country.”

“Still, it makes no sense. They blew up a helicopter and a freaking boat, Oliver. I assume your father was murdered too, am I right?”

“I think so, yes. The letter… wasn’t about Isabel but about how he had been involved with the wrong crowd and how he was fearing they might get to him.”

“So if killing Robert Queen and then his heir didn’t bother them, why would they even hesitate with me?”

Oliver frowned. “I… I don’t know. I assumed that they probably underestimated you and thought you were no real threat.”

“Oh. Yeah… yes, probably,” Felicity whispered. She still thought it was weird that the same people who hadn’t hesitated to kill so many innocents just to get to Robert and Oliver would suddenly play it safe. But there was no point in dwelling on that. “So, you got intel about a contract on my head, and… how long did you follow me around?”

“Almost a week. I had to leave to head to Long Beach afterwards.”

“Yeah, that whole boat story is completely fake, right?”

“Yes. I needed a way to be back in Starling as soon as possible. But I was stranded on an island for a while. That much is true.”

“Oh my God, Oliver, this is so confusing,” she groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. “You were on an island, then not anymore, and met those people who told you about the Gambit and taught you how to become a ninja in your spare time, but you never once thought about telling your family that you were alive? Telling **me**? How… how could you?!”

“I didn’t have a choice, Felicity. I had to pay a debt when I got rescued. I wasn’t free. Those people… are very dangerous. Had I left or let anyone know… my mom, Thea, you… I would have put you at risk.”

A small glimpse in his eyes made her understand right away that whatever that debt was, it wasn’t about money. It was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it, though, so she didn’t push it. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, knowing she would have to be patient with him. More than she had ever been, probably.

“Once I was told you were in danger, I left Russia-”

_Russia?!_

“-as soon as possible so I could look after you. But then I realized that even with my warnings, even when you saw the danger you could be in, you had no intention to stop. That’s why I had to come up with a plan in order to be officially back… so you would stop searching for answers. I would also attract the danger directly to myself and hopefully… my plan was that it would have been enough to keep you safe. I… there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect you, Felicity.”

_Wait… what?_

“It wasn’t… it wasn’t your plan all along? You weren’t waiting for a boat to arrive in Long Beach?”

“... No.”

“You didn’t plan on coming back?” she breathed, her eyes widening. To think that he had even considered staying away from them, never letting them know he was alive… She had to take a deep breath to get control of her emotions. Anger. There was definitely anger, because who on earth doesn’t let their loved ones know they are alive? How could he even think they’d be better off not knowing? Yet, one look at him and she felt that anger vanish. There was so much pain and fear in his eyes that all she could feel was sadness, a deep, profound sadness at the idea that she might have never seen him again. Whatever had happened to him, whatever had been done to him… it had been damaging enough that Oliver truly, honestly believed he was making the right decision by staying away.

“I’m not the same man. I didn’t lie about that, Felicity. You saw it yourself, you saw what I did to those men. I… I don’t really belong here anymore. I don’t… It’s not where I belong.”

“Where do you belong now?” she asked softly, her heart aching for him.

Oliver huffed out a small, sad laugh. “I don’t know.”

She should have been pissed. She should have screamed at him for even thinking about staying away from her, while she had cried for him so much. But she couldn’t. All she could see was how lost he was, and how terribly alone. And seeing him like that hurt her as much as his absence had. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for this man, and that included moving past those lies. For now. Now wasn’t the time for that. It would come, and they would talk but Oliver obviously was nowhere near ready. She could still remember John’s words about PTSD and knew that there was a time for everything. She wouldn’t pressure him or corner him. First, she would show him she was still there for him and that she was not going to run away. She would prove to him he could count on her, lean on her and trust her first. She had no idea what he had endured during those three years but it had clearly left a mark, much deeper than she had thought. But it had also left a mark on her.

“I love you,” she said calmly, her eyes never leaving his. She had to tell him, she had to let him know that she loved him. She wasn’t sure he was able to accept her words yet but she had to say them.

Oliver’s breath hitched as his eyes widened and it occurred to her that he probably never expected her to still love him.

_Oh, Oliver… you big dumb pine tree. As if I could stop loving you._

With a deep breath, she repeated, her voice stronger despite the big lump in her throat. “I love you. I spent three years, three whole years with regrets eating me alive because I never got to tell you. I am not waiting another minute. I know you’ve changed, and I have too. But Oliver, I love you. You can doubt everything, you can question your place in this life, you can think you’ll never fit back in or that you don’t belong here but don’t you **ever** doubt that I love you. I should have told you before you left and I am so, so sorry that I didn’t. I’m sorry, Oliver.” She bit her lips, blinking to get rid of the tears she could feel gathering in her eyes.

Oliver stared at her, furrowing his brow as if he was trying to solve a complex problem. “I…” he coughed, clearing his throat. “I knew, Felicity.”

“I know, everyone kept telling me that,” she sniffled, shaking her head. “But you never heard those words coming from me and that was all I could think about.”

“No,” Oliver said softly. “I **knew** , Felicity. You told me, that last night. During our Skype call? You were falling asleep and you said it.”

Felicity froze, his words registering. It wasn’t possible. “Oliver, I heard the disconnecting sound.”

“Thea was calling me. That’s the sound you heard. I… I always knew.”

Felicity shifted on her feet, feeling like she was losing her balance. All those regrets that had slowly eaten away a little piece of her soul… all that guilt, all those times she had whispered those three little words to his picture because it was all she had left of him… and he had known all along. She wiped her cheeks, feeling the wetness of her tears as a sob tore through her throat. She collapsed against a wall as she tried to get control over herself. She saw Oliver approaching her but she just shook her head, trying to push him away.

“Felicity, please, don’t cry,” Oliver murmured as she hid her face in her arms, sobs racking through her body. She forced herself to breathe, to take long, deep gulps of air. It took her a few minutes but she eventually calmed down. The tears were still running, but the sobbing had died down.

“Those three years were hell, Oliver. I lost you. Forever. I had to accept that you were never coming back, had to accept I’d never wake up in your arms again. I had to face that life that was ahead of me, a life without you and I was never able to really let go. And now you’re back, by some miracle and… and I saw you at the hospital, I saw your eyes. You have changed, I know but deep down, you’re still the man I fell in love with. The way you touched me is the same way you used to three years ago. So why are you pushing me away? I can’t lose you twice, Oliver. I… I can’t go through that again,” she eventually said through hiccups, her voice breaking.

Oliver handed her her purse and she rummaged through it until she found a kleenex. She blew her nose, completely uncaring how unladylike she sounded or looked. She was exhausted. Emotionally speaking, she was on her last legs.

She tried to step away when Oliver closed the gap between them in a few steps but the wall behind her forced her in place. No matter how much she was craving him, she knew she couldn’t take being rebuffed again.

Oliver delicately wiped the last tears from her cheeks, his thumbs grazing her skin as softly as possible. “I’m sorry, Felicity. I’m sorry I hurt you. All I ever wanted was to protect you and keep you safe. I can’t stand the idea of anything happening to you, especially if it’s because of me. I want to find who killed my father, so I can avenge him and make sure they never hurt anybody else ever again. I had to stay away from you because my life is going to be dangerous. I never wanted to be the one to cause you any pain, but there was no other way. I had to stay away from you because… because you’re my weakness. It would be obvious to anyone that the best way to get to me is through you. You were already on their radar, I managed to take care of that but… what would be the point if I’m the one bringing you back on it? I need to do something… they have to pay for what they did.”

“Then let me help you, Oliver!” Felicity snapped, pushing his hands away. “I could be useful, I have skills and resources that you do not have!”

“It’s my mission. Not yours.” Oliver shook his head, letting his arms fall limply by his sides. “I won’t drag you into this. I would never, never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”

Felicity shook her head, knowing she wouldn’t back down on this. “It became my mission too when they took you away from me, Oliver.”

He bowed his head, his shoulders slumping as he murmured, “I’m not worth the risk, Felicity.”

Her heart aching for him, Felicity cradled his face, forcing him to meet her eyes. “You are worth everything to me. I’m not going to let you throw away what we have. Do you remember when I left QC and you...you wanted me to fight for us? Well, this is me fighting now. You have changed, but so have I. Unless…” she gulped, her fingers shaking against his jaw. “Unless you really don’t love me anymore.”

Oliver let out a long breath as he held her gaze, telling her everything she needed to know. Her thumbs slowly stroked his cheeks, trying to reassure him with actions rather than words. She was there, by his side. And there was no other place she’d rather be.

His hand circled her wrist, and for a second her heart sank, thinking he was pushing her away but he gently brought her palm to his lips, kissing it almost reverently. She smiled then, a small shaky smile that grew wider as he repeated the gesture with her other hand before lacing their fingers together and lowering them between their bodies. His thumb was gently stroking her knuckles, their bodies only a few inches apart. He was looking at her so intently, as if he was trying to read her soul, that she found herself prisoner of his eyes. Even if she had wanted to, she would have never been able to look away. She knew then that it wouldn’t be easy. She could see it on his face. Oliver was still struggling. But she wasn’t about to give up the fight easily. They would have to talk because there were things she couldn’t accept but right now all she wanted was to be close to him. They would figure it out together because he wasn’t alone anymore. And neither was she. 

Oliver eventually let go of her hands, only to graze her neck, his fingers tracing the outline of her jaw until he could lace through her hair. With one last sigh, he tilted his head, leaning in until he could brush his lips against hers.

Her breath caught in her throat when she felt him, her eyes fluttering shut. His lips were warm, soft just like in her memories, awakening little butterflies in her stomach, butterflies she hadn’t felt in more than three years. His touch was light, almost hesitant. He was kissing her slowly, leisurely, as if he was savoring her and she pressed herself closer to him, seeking his warmth, her arms circling his neck while he pulled her flush against him. A small moan caught in her throat when she opened her mouth to welcome him, his tongue lazily caressing hers, and she sighed in contentment, happy, utterly happy to be in his arms again, to get to kiss him again. It felt good, it felt so good, the taste of his mouth enough to make her light-headed until she realized she had forgotten to breathe, too caught up in his embrace. They finally parted, both breathless and she clung to his shirt, already seeking another kiss. It had been too long, she needed one more, just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. A big drop falling on her cheek made her stop and she frowned, raising her eyes. It was almost completely dark now, the moonlight bathing them in a small, dim halo but the unmistakable sound of drops hitting the rooftop above them left little to no doubt.

“It’s raining,” she breathed, grinning.

It had been raining the last time they had made love, but it had been in broad daylight in the middle of a meadow. Oliver must have remembered it as well because a smile slowly stretched his lips. In the moonlight, she could just make out his face and the way his eyes wrinkled as he chuckled and it suddenly dawned on her that she hadn’t seen him smile a single time ever since he got back home.

“No,” he mouthed, just like he had three years ago and she couldn’t resist, pulling his head towards her, dying to kiss him again. She felt his smile widening against her lips and she laughed, the sound muffled by his mouth as he deepened the kiss. It wasn’t slow, or lazy, this time. They weren’t rediscovering each other, but letting the passion run free once again. Their kiss was a mix of lips and tongues and teeth, both craving the other one. It was almost as if her body was slowly awakening after a long, long rest, her hands itching to touch him, to feel him underneath her palms. Unable to resist, she opened the zipper of his jacket, then slipped a hand under his shirt. Oliver froze and she paused until he relaxed again, but didn’t move her hand any further. She nestled it on his waist, her thumb stroking soothing circles, his own hand now travelling up her thigh. She bent her leg, her foot nestling in the crook behind his knee. Suddenly, he groaned and let go of her mouth, his nose bumping against hers.

“Stockings? You’re wearing stockings?!” he asked, his voice hoarse.

Biting her lip, she nodded, feeling a small blush creep over her cheeks. “I feel more confident when I wear lingerie. I had an important meeting and-”

Oliver cut her off, his lips landing roughly against hers and it occurred to her that he probably didn’t find that ridiculous… at all. She giggled, wondering if she should tell him who exactly had made her discover that little piece of herself, one day in an office of Queen Consolidated. But Oliver was kissing her now, so thoroughly that any thought other than them in this very moment quickly vanished from her mind. He pushed her against the wall, his body pressing against hers. Burying her hands in his hair, she nibbled on his lower lip as they both tried to catch their breath. Oliver slipped his leg between her thighs and she pushed herself on her toes to grind down on him. His lips traveled down her jaw, suckling a trail over her neck, the stubble on his chin making her shiver with need. She pulled on his hair, her nails scratching his skull and she felt more than heard the deep groan that escaped him, his hand tightening on her thigh in retaliation. His fingertips were rough, making her shiver as his thumb traced slow circles on the naked skin above the stocking. She wanted to feel him. She wanted to feel him everywhere and there were all these clothes in the way, they were behind an abandoned factory in the Glades and she didn’t care. It was almost as if she couldn’t wait another minute. Letting go of his hair, she grabbed his belt, struggling to open it as Oliver pushed his hips towards her.

The hand that wasn’t wreaking havoc on her thigh palmed her ass, roughly, hard enough to leave marks, kneading the soft flesh as he let out a slow moan of appreciation. His fingers were so, so close to where she needed him and she rocked her hips, rubbing against his leg in the process. A small moan escaped her at the flash of pleasure it sent to her core, her heart beating wilder. 

Oliver’s mouth was pressed tightly against her shoulder, his tongue licking the skin then softly biting it, making it really hard for her to focus on her task.

She let out a small cry of triumph when the belt finally gave in, allowing her to open the buttons of his pants. She didn’t waste time, slipping her hand in his pants and palming his length. He was already hard, straining against the fabric of his boxers.

Hissing, Oliver raised his head, meeting her eyes. Her breathing ragged, she glanced at his lips, already craving his mouth again but he leaned back.

“Felicity, maybe we should-”

“Don’t you dare say we should wait. It’s been three years, Oliver, I’m not waiting a minute more,” she cut him off, trying to lower his underwear but his impressive erection wasn’t making it easy for her.

_Did it grow bigger like his biceps or…_

Oliver dropped his head against her shoulder, a chuckle rumbling his chest. He took a deep breath, then whispered in her ear. “Not that I know of.”

“Hum… sorry. I’m not complaining, you know. But…” she panted, groaning in frustration, “a little help maybe?”

His hands suddenly left her body and she keened, a pitiful cry escaping her. Oliver pressed a little kiss on her lips as he shuffled through his clothes, lowering his pants and underwear then, before she could even question it, his hands were on her ass, lifting her.

She gasped, but he swallowed the sound, murmuring against her lips. “Put your legs around me.”

_Oh… wow. I really, really like those new muscles. A+ use of the biceps._

She did as she was told, her arms circling his shoulders for leverage. She could feel him now, hot, hard and impatient, pressing against her panties. Damn. She was still wearing panties.

“Push them to the side,” Oliver ordered, his fingers tightening on her butt. His voice was hoarse, commanding and… damn, it was different. Good different judging by the way her thighs automatically squeezed him in response.

She blinked, her face inches from his and letting her see the hunger in his eyes and she slowly lowered a hand between their bodies, gripping the hem of her lacy panties, pushing them to the side. She held them there, their gazes locking while Oliver adjusted himself, his cock searching for her entrance. He paused once the tip was wedged between her inner lips, finding her opening and she moaned, tightening her hold on him once she felt him there, so close. Dropping his forehead against hers, he slowly pushed in, his eyes squeezing shut. He didn’t stop until he was fully inside her, stretching her almost to the point of pain.

It had been a while, after all.

“You OK?” he whispered, his voice weirdly loud to her ears all of a sudden.

She nodded, unable to form words or even coherent thoughts at the moment, completely overwhelmed by the feeling of him, by their bodies finally joined again.

It felt so utterly, profoundly right.  

Oliver nestled his head in the crook of her neck, his breath hot and humid against her skin, and only then did she notice that the rain had really started to fall. They were mildly protected by the roof, but clearly not enough to avoid most of the drops. She tilted her head back, offering her face to the rain, Oliver’s lips pressing tightly against her neck as she circled his shoulders with both of her arms again. Oliver moved then, sliding out of her, then pressing back. She was completely encased by the wall at her back and Oliver’s body in front of her, safe in his embrace.

She could hear Oliver’s moans as he thrust inside her, his rhythm picking up and all she could do was kiss his jaw, his ear, his temple, any place she could reach. He was tensing in her arms, his hands gripping her butt tightly as his hips slammed against her. She nudged his jaw with her nose, panting his name until he raised his head, his mouth already on hers in a hot, hungry kiss. Her fingers were digging into his neck, pulling on his hair as he was swallowing her moans. The rain was falling on their joined lips, and she could taste it on his tongue. It was cooling her heated body, bringing goosebumps on her skin but she wasn’t cold, and she knew she’d never be cold again. He was there, he was with her, inside her… he was where he belonged.

It felt good, it felt so, so good, a warmth spreading in her abdomen, despite the slight discomfort of his rough thrusting. She forgot about everything, the rain, the fact that they were outside, the wall burning her skin, the rough friction of his pants against her naked thighs. Her entire body was completely focused on this man, her man, and how desperate he was for her, for the relief she could bring him. She had to tell him, she had to show him without words how much she had missed him. There was a pleasure growing inside her, something warm and soft bubbling up, making her toes curl but she knew it wasn't the old familiar wave. It was different, rooted directly in her heart and she savored it, savored the way their bodies were moving together, erasing the years apart.

She could feel Oliver tensing, getting closer to his release and she hummed, encouraging him to let go. This time would be for him.

“Felicity, touch yourself,” he groaned, almost desperately, as his hips started to lose any kind of rhythm. He buried his face in her neck, his lips tightly pressed against her throat, his breath sending shivers down her spine.

She heard him, heard his words but couldn’t bring herself to move, her face snuggling in his shoulder, holding him tight against her, afraid to let go even for one second now that he was finally back in her arms.

Oliver suddenly growled, shuddering as he pushed hard against her and she mewled when she felt his pleasure, his hips jerking as he emptied himself inside her, a deep satisfied sigh spilling from his lips.

Her fingers were stroking the back of his neck, her body relaxing even though she hadn’t climaxed herself. It was almost as if she had needed the emotional connection more than physical pleasure. His hair was damp, and she could feel drops falling on her neck as well, her nerve endings hyper aware of every contact. She felt… good. She felt wonderfully good. She breathed him in, and it soothed her just as much as the way he was still tightly holding her against him.

She felt the tension slowly leave his body and she pressed a soft kiss against his throat, perfectly content. Even with the rain falling, she would gladly stay there for as long as he wanted.

Oliver was panting, leaning heavily against her as he tried to catch his breath and she smiled, knowing she had given him something he had been needing for a while. A connection, intimacy, the proof that she still loved him beyond words. It had been rough and fast and probably miles away from what it should have been but she didn’t care. They had both needed that moment, desperately, and it had been way too long anyway. If there was one thing she had learned it was that life was short and waiting for the perfect time was pointless. As long as it was the two of them, as long as they loved each other, every moment would be perfect. 

His lips were still pressed tightly against her neck, right underneath her ear when he shifted, and she moaned when he left her body, already craving him back inside. He didn’t move any more, though, still holding her, as close to him as he could, apparently as reluctant as she was to let go even for one second.  

They stayed like that for probably a few more minutes, neither of them caring that they were almost drenched to the bone, holding onto each other so tightly that even a sheet of paper wouldn’t have been able to slip between their bodies. Felicity finally opened her eyes when she heard the thunder, far away in the distance.The rain was now falling hard and fast around them, above them, a small fog rising from the ground.

“I love you,” he murmured, so low she almost didn’t hear him.

Her lips trembled at his admission, at the emotions that were literally pouring out of his words and she softly kissed his cheek, the touch so oddly innocent after what they had just done.

Oliver eventually raised his head, meeting her eyes. “I never stopped loving you.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo...?
> 
> OK a lot of things to say but first things first:
> 
> 1\. No orgasm for Felicity this time. Don't worry, oliver will even the score real quick XD It just felt more... right to me to have her completely overwhelmed with everything, especially since I've established that sometimes it used to be hard for her to climax because she overthought everything. ALso it let me focus on the emotions that were going on inside her :) You'll see that the next smut scene will be much, much more... sensual and satisfying for her though :p (also I want to build up the heat a bit :)) and let's be real ain't it a nice callback to the first smutty scene I wrote on HGW where Felicity came but Oliver didn't? I told you this story would mirror HGW, even in those little details :p
> 
> 2\. Chapter of the puzzle piece in HGW: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4535685/chapters/15464041 (Underneath Your Clothes)
> 
> 3\. Chapter of their last time in HGW: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4535685/chapters/16227038 (My Girl)
> 
> 4\. They'll talk. Clearly. Little by little and it won't be easy and Felicity will also sometimes struggle. It just felt right to me that they couldn't keep their hands off each other one more minute.
> 
> 5\. Dig is next chapter don't worry ;)


	13. Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> First things first: I was blown away by the feedback Purple Rain got. Thank you, thank you so so much!!! So happy to see the emotional payoff was worth the wait ;)
> 
> As usual, big thank you to mysticaldetectivepanda who deserves a Nobel because I can't seem to remember that I have to say information and not informations, and despite my many tries I still get confused between searching, researching, searches and researches. And a bunch of other things as well O_O  
> Special mention to Pidanka as well, my partner in crime always and forever.
> 
> Song: Demons - Imagine Dragons

**"Demons"**

 

 

When the days are cold  
And the cards all fold  
And the saints we see  
Are all made of gold

When your dreams all fail  
And the ones we hail  
Are the worst of all  
And the blood's run stale

I wanna hide the truth  
I wanna shelter you  
But with the beast inside  
There's nowhere we can hide

No matter what we breed  
We still are made of greed  
This is my kingdom come  
This is my kingdom come

When you feel my heat  
Look into my eyes  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide  
Don't get too close  
It's dark inside  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide

At the curtain's call  
It's the last of all  
When the lights fade out  
All the sinners crawl

So they dug your grave  
And the masquerade  
Will come calling out  
At the mess you made

Don't wanna let you down  
But I am hell bound  
Though this is all for you  
Don't wanna hide the truth

No matter what we breed  
We still are made of greed  
This is my kingdom come  
This is my kingdom come

When you feel my heat  
Look into my eyes  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide  
Don't get too close  
It's dark inside  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide

They say it's what you make  
I say it's up to fate  
It's woven in my soul  
I need to let you go

Your eyes, they shine so bright  
I wanna save that light  
I can't escape this now  
Unless you show me how

When you feel my heat  
Look into my eyes  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide  
Don't get too close  
It's dark inside  
It's where my demons hide  
It's where my demons hide

 

“Come on,” Oliver said as he finally lowered her to the ground. It was still raining heavily and even though Felicity had been protected by the wall and his body, she was still drenched - and so was he, despite his jacket. He quickly fixed his pants while she straightened her dress, then he grabbed her hand to guide her towards the small hidden entrance.

He went straight to the small bathroom, where there was always a stock of towels. “Wait for me, I’ll get you some clothes,” he murmured before closing the door behind him. He saw the surprise on her face, but she didn’t say a word to call him back.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. They’d have to talk about what had just happened. And about many things because they obviously hadn’t used protection and… everything was so messy in his head that he didn’t even know where to start.

Clothes. He had promised her dry clothes. Pushing back everything that had happened since she had jumped out of her car, he pressed in the code of the secured door and took the stairs two at a time.

“Finally!” Dig exclaimed, standing up. “Where is she?”

“Upstairs, in the bathroom. She needs dry clothes,” Oliver explained as he opened a small closet.

“So do you, actually…”

“Later. Can you grab the first aid kit?” Oliver asked as he got rid of his jacket. Fortunately his shirt was still mostly dry underneath.

“Is she wounded?”

“Just a few scratches but I’d rather make sure everything is clean.”

“Is she going to come downstairs?” Dig asked as he opened a drawer and took out a few cotton balls. “Does she…”

“Yes, she knows. She recognized me.”

Dig smirked. “I told you she would find out.”

Oliver glared at him then made his way back upstairs, his arms full of clothes. He was about to open the bathroom door when he remembered that they were… well. He didn’t know exactly what they were anymore. He hesitated, enjoying the last few seconds where things could still be considered as simple, then knocked.

“Come in.”

She was in her underwear, vigorously drying her hair with a towel.

He gulped, taking her in, unable to stop himself. She was as stunning as he remembered, even if she seemed to have lost a bit of weight. Her stomach wasn’t as softly curved, her ass seemed a bit less round, her thighs slightly less full. She had gotten rid of her stockings, he also noted with regret.

Damn, I wish I had seen them in strong light.

“It’s probably too big for you, but at least you’ll be dry and warm,” he eventually mumbled, handing her a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

“Thank you,” she said as she hopped on one foot, putting the pants on and tying the small string around her waist. “What about you?”

Shaking his head, forcing his eyes away from her, Oliver grabbed a towel and dried his own hair. He then changed into a pair of fresh jeans while Felicity sat down on the only stool in the room, observing him quietly.

“Where are we?” she finally asked.

“It used to be one of our steel factories. It’s where I stock everything I need. And…” he coughed as put his shoes back on. “We’re not alone.”

“We’re not alone…? As in X-Files not alone or…?”

Oliver felt the corner of his mouth twitch as he shook his head. “Dig is here.”

Felicity’s eyes widened. “What?”

“Dig… he knows, too,” Oliver winced. “Since last week, actually.”

She gaped then closed her mouth, her eyes narrowing. “You told him or he found out?”

“... I told him. I asked him not to tell you, don’t be mad. He just wanted to respect my wish.”

“That’s why you knew which USB stick to take!” she exclaimed, standing up from her stool.

“Yes. He told me where to find everything I needed.”

“... I can’t believe he was alright with you breaking into my apartment!”

“He wasn’t really, if it makes you feel better.”

“No, it doesn’t,” she hissed, glaring at him. “You… the two of you have been lying to me for days! Where is he, by the way?!”

Oliver took her elbow, leading her to the basement door and down the stairs. Dig was waiting for them by the small medical table, his hands joined and a very unusual sheepish expression on his face. Which did absolutely nothing to appease Felicity.

“You knew!” she shouted as they made it to the bottom of the stairs. Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath, adding in what was obviously an imitation of Dig’s voice, “See, Felicity, I told you. You should have stopped snooping around. Consider yourself lucky that he just took those files. I hope now you’ll let that rest for good.”

Dig shook his head, the ghost of a smile stretching his lips. “First of all, it wasn’t my secret to tell. Second of all, I understand why Oliver wanted to keep you far away from all of it-”

Felicity let out a high-pitched, angry screech. “What am I? Twelve?!”

“No. But you are a civilian,” Dig stated calmly. “So far, all we know is that someone might come after Oliver. Having you around him is exposing you to danger. Having you close to him is letting everyone know you are in a relationship, Felicity. Right now, you’re only his former secretary, whom he apparently had a fling with and you just had a hard time moving on after his death. For the public, you’re one in a dozen. In short: you won’t be a priority if they have to go after someone to get to Oliver.”

Oliver went to get some latex gloves, checking if he had everything he needed to tend to Felicity’s arm. He could see she was processing Dig’s words, her anger already calming down.

Gently grabbing her arm, he motioned her to the metal table and she followed him automatically, her mind obviously still coming to terms with everything she had learned. Grabbing her waist, he lifted her so she could sit on top of the table. He pulled a stool towards him and put on the gloves.

“Can you hold your shirt?” he asked.

She nodded, grabbing the sleeve that was reaching her elbow and pulling it up. He could see dry blood and dirt, her skin scratched around the small cut. He poured a bit of water over a small cotton ball, cleaning it delicately.

“Are you up to date with your tetanus vaccine?”

“Yes,” she mumbled with a small wince as he pressed some disinfectant onto the wound. Two small butterfly stitches would be more than enough and mostly so she wouldn’t reopen the cut rather than out of pure necessity.

“Is there any other spot hurting?”

He was surprised to see her blush furiously and throw a quick look at Dig and he frowned in confusion. She had told him he hadn’t had the time to really hurt her but maybe she had downplayed it?

“Felicity? Did he... touch you?” Oliver asked, forcing himself to keep his voice down.

She bit her lips nervously, shaking her head. “He slapped me though. But that’s all.”

Narrowing his eyes, Oliver looked at her face, seeing that her left cheek was indeed taking a small bluish shade. “I don’t have arnica, here. Do you want some ice?”

“No, it should be fine. I have some arnica at home, I’ll put some on when I get there.”

He looked at her, his eyes searching hers, making sure she was telling the truth. She seemed slightly embarrassed, but he didn’t see anything alarming in her demeanor. Sighing, he got rid of the gloves and the cotton he had used, throwing them in the nearby trashcan.

“So… is anyone going to tell me what exactly we are doing here?”

“I told you. I store everything here.”

“You mean **my** papers, **my** blueprints, **my** USB stick?” she asked with a forced smile, glaring at Dig.

“Among other things.” _No need to tell her right away about the guns. One thing at a time._

“I assume guns or other weapons?”

_… Well, right now is good too._

“Yes.”

“And what have you been up to the last week, then?”

Oliver showed her his father’s letter, the agenda, and the small crosses they had spent their time researching. She listened, carefully, nodding her head once or twice, but didn’t interrupt him.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have his laptop, he had it with him when he died,” Oliver concluded.

“So let me get this clear… we are trying to find out exactly which events took place on the dates your father marked with a little cross, and figure out if we can find a pattern, or a common list of attendees, am I right?”

“In short, yes. This is where we’re starting. From the very beginning.”

Felicity looked at them, pinching her lips. She took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “You bunch of idiots.”

Oliver shared a look with Dig, who seemed as taken aback as he was.

"Let me get this straight: you are digging into the internet to find information from about four years ago and didn't even think about asking the **one** badass hacker you know?" Felicity snorted, crossing her arms. "What did you do? Google?"

Again, Oliver glanced at Dig who seemed to be very busy staring at his shoes. Understanding he was alone on this, he mumbled, "... and Bing."

Felicity pressed a hand on her chest, closing her eyes, a deep, pained expression on her face as she murmured, "you guys are worse than my mother."

"Hey, we did find a bunch of things, you know," Dig finally said with a grin. 

“Oliver, can you go get my laptop? It’s in my trunk. I didn’t lock my car, by the way. That’s a bit stupid now that I think of it,” Felicity frowned as she hopped off the table after throwing one last look at Dig. “That’s your computer, right?”

“Yeah…” Dig nodded as Oliver quickly made his way upstairs. He ran to her car, opening the front door and grabbing her keys before going to her trunk. He saw several messenger bags as well as two pairs of heels, a printer, a land phone, a small plastic case with mouses and cables... and yet another taser. The sight made him smile despite himself as he opened the bags to check their contents. Two contained laptops, the other one was full of files. Grabbing the two bags with the computers, he closed the trunk and locked her car, running back downstairs. Why she even needed two laptops was beyond him … but not that surprising.

 

By the time he was back in the basement, Felicity had fired up his computer but was nowhere to be seen.

Dig welcomed him with a resigned smile and a shrug, his chin pointing underneath the desk.

“Seriously, Oliver, I know technology has never been your thing but this… this is borderline criminal. I’ll have to come back and redo the whole thing,” she grumbled as she stood up, dusting off her hands.

“I mostly use the laptop,” he coughed.

“I have created this algorithm for work, when I was searching for factories in the state. Long story short, I enter some key elements, like dates, surfaces and so on. It searches either on the internet or in private databases, and once a search is done, I can program it so it automatically goes to the next step, like for instance, for each factory it found, I made sure to look up the former owner’s track records in terms of ecology, and so on… once it’s done, you only have to print the results. Which means… that this could be found in a matter of hours,” she added with a proud little smirk. “And once we have the events, I change the algorithm to find out who organized them and get the guest lists. Once we have the guest lists, I’ll just run a scan, come up with the list of everyone who was invited to every event and voilà. List of potential suspects à la Felicity Smoak.”

“How would you get the guest lists though? Aren't they confidential?” Dig asked, frowning as she opened up a laptop.

She blushed slightly, shifting on her feet. “Well, I just use a tiny little thingy that goes through any firewall…”

“A virus?”

“That is such an ugly word. We don’t use that word, Oliver,” she scolded him.

Oliver huffed out a laugh, impressed. With a narrowed list of people, it would be much easier and much faster to gather information about each of them. “How long would that take you?”

“I need to download the algorithm to your computer, first. Setting it, programming the searches… It should take me a couple of hours but as for the results, probably from 12 to 24 hours to get to the event planners. Things happened more than three years ago so it will take more time than if it was recent. I’ll set an alarm on my phone to let me know when it’s done though.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Oliver asked as she was already fishing for cables in the bag he had brought.

“Yes. This is only the starting point. Where do we go once we have that information? There will probably dozens and dozens of people, dead ends and so on. We need a Plan B.”

Felicity’s eyes widened suddenly, her mouth slightly ajar as her eyes shifted, her fingers moving as if she was counting. She let out a breath of relief and Oliver had a strong suspicion about what had happened. They really needed to talk about a certain number of things. In private.

“... a plan B, yes,” Dig repeated, oblivious to where Felicity had gone. “Oliver, your father mentioned corruption or very suspicious business decisions. We should look through every factory closing, every single problem with unions in the past. Check if other companies did the same. That could give us a lead as well.”

“Great idea,” Felicity approved. “Oliver… you should talk to your mother.”

“... what?” Oliver frowned. He knew, from Dig, that his mother had been the one to try to get Felicity to back off but he didn’t see what exactly she could do to help.

“She was very adamant. She didn’t want me to find answers, Oliver. You should ask her why.”

Oliver shook his head, crossing his arms on his chest. “No. My mother knew nothing, Felicity, you read my dad’s letter. I’ve thought a lot about it and… she must have been threatened like you. That would explain her behavior and-”

“Oliver. She might have found something, some information we need. Even if yes, your father’s letter tends to prove that she had nothing to do with all that went down, it doesn’t change the fact that she might have information we could use. Just tell her you need to know to find closure… there is no need to bring anything more to the conversation. I don’t think she’d be suspicious.”

“She’s right, Oliver. You won’t have to tell her anything. Just ask to get access to the investigation results. You were on that boat, no one would question why you want to find out what happened.”

“Speaking of which… do you remember anything suspicious? Another boat nearby or anything, really?”

“No.” Oliver shook his head. “It was during the night… I hung up with Thea, I went to the kitchen for a snack, brought it back to my room. The sea wasn’t calm but nothing out of the ordinary. I saw no boat around us but it was very dark. I heard this loud crack, the boat shifted on one side… next thing I remember I was engulfed in water, trying to fight my way up. I made it to a small raft with Andrew and Ali, our cook. They… they both died before we reached the island. I think… I think everyone else drowned.”

“Your mom said they found the body of a crew member. They were highly intoxicated.”

“What? No. That’s impossible. I knew that crew. They were all good, responsible people. Also three of them were muslims and never drank alcohol. The fourth one was Ali and he made it out, as you know. It’s… no,” Oliver denied. Each and every single man working on that boat had been beyond reproach. “Someone lied to her.”

“Or she lied to me,” Felicity counteracted.

“Felicity, you know you got tailed after you went to the private agency. I’d say they might be the ones hiding something from the beginning. Dig told me you thought she looked scared.”

“... yes. Yes, she seemed scared for some reason,” Felicity admitted. “But I still maintain you should talk to her and ask to get your hands on the investigation's results. The agency probably still has them and if your theory is true… then at least this time we’ll be ready for them?”

“Also… man I hate to say this but you should tell her. Show her your dad’s letter,” Dig added.

“I’ve told you about this, I don’t want her to think any less of dad. He may have been a shitty husband but at least she still has the image of a good man.”

“Oliver… if you think I might have been in danger around you, the same goes for them. You should ask her to up the security at the very least,” Felicity chimed in.

Oliver rubbed his forehead, knowing they both made sense. He had refused to involve his mother or his sister, and still didn’t want to. But they had a point, and even if nothing had happened to his family during those three years, convincing him they had never been targeted in the first place, they might eventually be used against him.

He’d have to talk with his mother, make her understand there was something fishy going on.

 

It took Felicity a little less than two hours to set everything up. Oliver mostly observed her, Dig imitating him as the three of them bounced ideas. He couldn’t deny that things were going much, much faster already, Felicity’s natural analytical mind doing wonders once again.

“I’m starving,” she eventually groaned as she started to pack her things.

“Same,” Dig nodded as he put his jacket on. “I’d offer to get some take-out but I think you two need some time alone… so I’ll suggest Gino’s and a good bottle of wine.” He made his way to the stairs, only stopping to squeeze Felicity’s shoulder. “Let me know if you find anything.”

“Will do,” Oliver nodded, rearranging the first-aid kit for the second time that night. He knew they desperately needed to talk and he was craving a normal meal for once. Not having to pretend or hide. Yet, he still didn’t want people to know about them.

_Maybe you shouldn’t have walked her home then, you dumbass._

“We really need to talk, Oliver,” Felicity said as she zipped her bags. She could probably sense his hesitation and the hard, stubborn look on her face told him she wasn’t about to take no for an answer.

“I know. I… I’ll come by the window.”

“... what?”

“I’m not comfortable with the idea that people will see me enter your building,” he winced, rubbing the back of his neck, fully aware of how idiotic he sounded.

“If someone was following you they’ve already had free access to a peep show, you do know that?”

He grimaced, remembering how reckless he had been. “I know but… I’d be more comfortable.”

She tilted her head, observing him quietly before nodding slowly. “Just… maybe grab a change of clothes? If you want to stay over, that is. I still have some of your stuff but I’ll need to put them in the washer. They’re probably a bit dusty or wrinkly now.” She looked at him with a hesitant smile and he felt that familiar pull leading him towards her. One night couldn’t hurt… right?

 

Felicity had already changed her clothes and gotten rid of her contacts for her usual glasses when he lightly tapped on her window. He was wearing a cap, low on his eyes, and the collar of his jacket was up - which made her roll her eyes. He had given her a bag with his clothes and he saw it right away, laying innocently on the bed. On his side. The room was exactly how he remembered it. His heart pinched when he saw a picture of them on her nightstand, but other than that everything was mostly the same. Even her sheets.

“I already called them,” Felicity told him as he followed her into the living room. “Food should be there in twenty, thirty minutes tops. Do you want some wine? Maybe it’s not wise to drink before we eat though. But I do have some chips and cherry tomatoes, if you’d like? Or water. I have wine or water and that’s all I’m afraid. Although you’re probably not surprised. Grocery shopping and me.. we don’t really get along as you know.”

He listened to her nervous rambling, distracted as he took in her living room. He had been there barely a week ago but it had been in the dark. Now the lights were on and casting  a warm, cozy atmosphere. This… this was different. It felt like home, it felt like he had left a big part of what was weighing down his shoulders outside, on the fire escape by her bedroom’s window. This was his safe place.

“... Oliver?”

He forced his attention back on her. “Water is perfect for now, thank you.”

She nodded, grabbing two glasses and filling them with ice and water. He noticed she had a new fridge and a new television, as well as a sophisticated coffee maker.

Sitting down by her dining table, he thanked her when she brought him his water. It felt weird to be like a guest in her apartment, back to square one in a way. After another quick stop in the kitchen to get a bag of chips, she eventually took a seat as well, biting her lips. A few seconds passed where neither of them knew exactly what to say - something that had probably never happened. What they had done earlier that night had made things much more complicated, like they had jumped several steps too fast.

Before he could apologize for his lack of control, she took a deep breath and said in one go, “Don’t worry, it should be a safe day.”

His eyes shifted to the way her hands were firmly holding her glass, his brain having a hard time catching up. “... what?”

“I… ugh. Oliver, I’m not on the pill anymore, and you didn’t… you know.”

His brain froze for one second once he finally understood. “Felicity, I’m sorry, I should have never-”

“Hey. I was there, too, remember?” she cut him off. “I’m the one who took things in hand. Literally speaking.”

“I know but I should have… I’m clean by the way. And it was confirmed with all the tests they ran at the hospital. I would have never… you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Good. Me too. Clean, I mean. It’s just the lack of birth control that is a bit worrisome but… we should be safe.”

“OK. That’s… that’s good,” Oliver nodded, trying very hard not to think about Felicity carrying their child. Because no matter how terrifying the thought was, how stupidly dangerous and oh so not the right time… his heart started to beat a little bit faster at the idea.

“Well, now that this is out of the way…” Felicity trailed off before taking a small sip of water, and he noticed her hands were shaking. “Why did you go to Dig first… and not me?”

Oliver winced, his fingers drumming on his thighs. “I needed Dig’s help, as you know.”

“But not mine?”

“Felicity, I didn’t want you involved. And Dig eventually agreed but at the end of the day, the main reason why he didn’t tell you was because he didn’t want to betray me. Don’t blame him for that, please.”

“I don’t. It wasn’t his secret to tell and… that I can understand. I’ll still have to talk with him about that, though because seriously… my USB stick?!”

Oliver pinched his lips at the sound of outrage in her voice. “He told me which one to take because, and I quote, ‘if you take all of them she is going to be so pissed she’ll probably never rest until she finds out who you are and tasers your ass to hell and back’.”

This seemed to slightly appease her as she straightened on her chair. “Well… yes. I know my way around a taser.”

“I might have noticed that,” Oliver huffed out with a small smile stretching the corner of his lips.

Felicity blanched at his words, her mouth opening on an horrified gasp. “Oh God! I tasered you!”

“You also clocked me,” he couldn’t help but add.

“I’m… I’m so sorry Oliver. I… I honestly just reacted. I figured out afterwards that you probably meant no harm but-”

“But you did the right thing. Never hesitate when you feel scared or threatened,” he said in a much more serious tone. “Incapacitate whoever is scaring you, then run. Even if it’s me. Promise me that, Felicity.”

“Well now that I know it’s you, I doubt I’ll ever need to clock you, Oliver,” she snorted before taking a sip of her drink.

“Felicity,” he let out through gritted teeth, as he remembered that girl he had almost strangled to death in Moscow. “Promise me. Even if it’s me.”

_Especially if it’s me. I’m begging you. I’d never be able to live with myself if I ever did something like that to you._

She frowned, her eyes growing serious as she observed him. “Alright,” she eventually said, obviously confused. “I promise you.”

The room went back to silence for a few seconds before Felicity asked him, in a small voice, “Were you ever going to let me know? Was everything you told me an act?”

“I… yes. It was. I was hoping that once I pushed you away you’d move on for good and cut ties with everything concerning me.”

“But now I know.”

“But now you know.”

“So… what do we do? I can help you, Oliver, you know that.”

“I know. I just… Dig is a bodyguard and a former soldier and even so, I only asked him to get into a secured room at QC. That should tell you how much I don’t want anyone else involved.”

“I’m not going to let you push me away, Oliver. Not if it’s for some stupid reason such as ‘it’s for your own good’, let’s make that clear. We don’t have to scream it from the rooftops if that is what you’re concerned about. And we both know I’ll probably be more careful now that I know exactly what’s going on.”

“Felicity,” he breathed, shaking his head. “It’s not… I’m as dangerous as them. You saw me. I killed that man. I did it without blinking. How can you even see me as someone good enough-”

“Stop it. Yes… I saw what you did. I was there and… I have a million questions about that. But I know you only did it because you were in an impossible situation.”

_No. That’s where you’re wrong._

“No. He’s not the first man I’ve killed and he won’t be the last. And I’ve also hurt people… innocent people, Felicity. I didn’t really mean to, but I still did it. I scared Thea, I yelled at her, snapped at my mom… this… this is who I am now. There is no turning back from that. I’m not boyfriend material anymore, I’m not… I’m not someone you should want in your life.”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” she asked as she left her chair to sit right next to him. Her small hand covered his as she stroked his knuckles. “What is it Oliver? What scares you so much at the idea of being with me?”

_Losing you. Hurting you. Losing control around you. Scaring you._

“I just came back here with a plan and that plan was to keep you as far away from me as possible, as far away from what my life has become.” Far away from the darkest parts of his soul.

“That’s not possible anymore, now. So what? What else is holding you back?”

_My secrets._

“There are things about me that I wish you’ll never know,” he eventually whispered.

Her hands cradled his face, gently, softly forcing him to face her. He kept his eyes low, not wanting her to read them, to see the darkness inside, to see what he didn’t have the strength to hide anymore.

“Oliver, please look at me.”

He squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds then eventually caved in.

“I am not asking you to tell me everything. I am not asking you to reveal all you went through. I am just asking you to let me love you.”

“I’m terrified of dragging you into all of this and that something will happen to you, Felicity. I wouldn’t survive it,” he eventually admitted quietly. “You kept me sane so many times and just the idea that I could cause-”

“It wouldn’t be your fault, Oliver. You’re a victim in this.”

_No. I’m not. I stopped being a victim more than a year ago._

“How do you think I achieved all these skills?” he asked in a low voice. “How do you think I became a good fighter, a good shot? It’s because it was often me or someone else and at the end of the day… I chose to survive.”

“Yes. Yes, you chose to survive, Oliver. Had you not been on that damn boat, had you not been stranded, would you have ended up in that situation? You had to adapt… you can do it again. I know you can. That’s how you survived. What you see as something shameful… I see as the reason why you’re here with me right now, against all odds.”

He looked at her, desperate to believe her. She was smiling at him, a small, tense smile that he knew was only there to try to reassure him and for the first time since he got back he felt a real hope growing inside him. Maybe he could come back from what he had done. He was still terrified at the idea of letting her get too close, but for the first time he realized that at some point, down the line, perhaps they could still build something together. He wanted nothing more than to shelter her from everything that had gone wrong in the past years but when he was looking in her eyes, he could see that she had no intention of letting him pull away. And if he was honest with himself… he didn’t want to pull away. There wasn’t a single cell of his body that wanted to stay away from her. Her eyes were shining bright, so full of love and understanding and patience, and it felt like they were casting their light on him, transferring some of her solace inside of him.

“Those demons you live with… you can share them with me. I’m here. I’m right here, Oliver and I’m not going anywhere. Get that through your thick skull.”

“I’m not very easy to live, you know. I still struggle with company and questions and… probably a hundred other things. I’m not the same man.”

“And I’m not the same woman. I often wake up in the middle of the night. I have nightmares. My personality got more obsessive. I still can’t cook, though.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh at her words, and somehow it felt… weirdly good to be able to laugh in the middle of their conversation. It felt like before, when everything was still simple. “Really? It’s been three years, Felicity. Tell me you can at least make an omelet.”

“Nope,” she denied proudly, shaking her head.

“I also assume I won’t get a cup of coffee tomorrow morning?”

He didn’t miss the way her eyes sparkled at the mention of ‘tomorrow morning’ and she grinned, a wide grin that made him want to kiss her. “I might make an exception. Special occasion and all that jazz.”

And suddenly he realized he could. He could kiss her. He was at her place, they were talking and obviously planning for him to stay the night. He didn’t have to control himself. When his lips brushed against hers, he felt her small intake of breath, the way her hand gripped his t-shirt. For some reason, their touch was more hesitant, the moment more… intimate in a way. More solemn. This… this meant everything. It was his way to tell her that he wanted to try. That he wanted to be with her even if he didn’t know how. And she was answering him that she was by his side, in any way he wanted.

Truth be told he had no idea how they would find their way. No idea how to protect her and be with her, because those two ideas were still completely opposed in his head. But in her arms, he was warming up, and things didn’t seem as heavy and as dark. He knew he needed to let her go before he could taint her but… the moment when he still had the strength to do it had long passed. And it felt so freeing to finally be able to tell her the truth - or at least a part of it. It was as if a weight had lifted off his shoulders, and knowing he wouldn’t have to pretend around her anymore suddenly made life seem easier.

Felicity shifted closer to him, their lips separating and he smiled reassuringly before circling her waist and bringing her on his lap. She sighed happily, her arms around his neck and he almost purred when she scratched his skull. Slipping his hand underneath her shirt, he slowly caressed her side, feeling her warm skin underneath his fingertips, savoring how soft it was. She brushed her nose against his before pressing another soft kiss against his lips then travelling down his jaw before coming back and nibbling on his chin. He chuckled, pinching her butt in retaliation and she hissed against his mouth, pulling on his hair. He was just about to deepen the kiss when the bell rang and he groaned, tilting his head back in frustration.

With a small whimper, Felicity slipped out of his embrace to go to the intercom. Sighing deeply, he stood up, making his way to the kitchen. Everything was still exactly where he remembered and it barely took him more than a minute to set the table. He found the bottle of wine while she was paying the delivery boy and by the time he was back in the living room, she was pulling several containers out of a plastic bag.

He poured them each a glass before sitting down. He counted five different boxes as well as a paper bag full of breadsticks.

“... are you sure we’re gonna have enough?”

“I… I wasn’t sure what your diet was like so… I ordered a bit of everything. I mean obviously, you need to eat a lot of proteins for all your…” she trailed off, her hand waving towards his body, “hot stuff.”

“Hot stuff?” he asked, his mouth twitching at the small blush that invaded her cheeks.

“Well… yes,” she answered, pinching her lips. Sitting down at the head of the table, she grabbed the first container. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed your… physical abilities because they were very much appreciated.”

“Were they, though?” he asked softly, remembering his lack of control.

She glared at him, lifting an eyebrow. “Yes. They were. And we’re not gonna talk about this while having dinner.”

“Oh I don’t plan on talking about it,” he mumbled as he took a sip of wine. He was going to spend the night here, with her, and even if it was probably not his best idea, he couldn’t bring himself to care. He was relaxing for the first time in forever, lowering his guard.

He smiled when he saw her piling broccoli on her plate, remembering her odd addiction to the vegetable. Some things would never really change.

“Tell me about Palmer Tech,” he asked as he filled his plate with chicken and eggplant parmesan.

She grinned, shifting on her seat as she told him about her job, and the challenges she was facing everyday. He could see she loved it and it filled him with pride to see that she was finally where she deserved to be. She didn’t linger on how she had managed to be promoted so quickly to such a high position and he didn’t push it either. Things would come at their own pace and for now, all he wanted to do was savor their meal together, the first one since he had left, savor how warm and comfy her place was.

Felicity told him about how exciting New York had been, even if she had known she would eventually come back. He listened to her, happy to just be there by her side, remembering some of her little habits he had been so enamoured with. How she could never really stay still and the way she could ramble and get lost in her own little world until she remembered he was there and blushed with a small apologetic smile. If only she had known how much he had missed it, how much he had missed the sound of her voice. She could spend the night talking and he would just listen and that could probably make him the happiest man on earth.

She didn’t ask him questions, respecting his silence, even though he knew that at some point he would have to open up. The thought was terrifying to him, and he pushed it back. By the time they were done, Felicity had drunk her second glass of wine and her cheeks were a little bit redder than usual. As they were cleaning up and storing the leftovers in the fridge, he suddenly realized how much he had needed that. A simple, quiet meal, just the two of them.

“If you want to take a shower, go ahead. I already did when I got back,” she told him as he was wiping his hands after rinsing the sink.

He nodded, watching her as she poured water in the electric boiler, probably making her usual cup of tea. She was wearing a white tank top and a pair of pajama pants he had never seen, with pink unicorns and cupcakes and it was obvious, in the brightly lit kitchen, that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her skin was glowing, and he was dying to let his fingers travel up her arm, knowing she would be soft and silky.

“If you need a T-shirt, I still have a few in the drawer where I put my pajamas. I also have a couple of hoodies. But for the pants and so on, I’ll have to wash them, they’ve been in my wardrobe since… well for three years,” she continued, completely oblivious to where his thoughts had gone. She reached on her toes to grab a mug and a bag of tea, her top hitching up and baring a small patch of skin on her waist. His eyes travelled down to her ass, his hands itching to caress the soft curves, to knead the flesh and-

“Oliver?”

His eyes snapped back up to her face where her proud little smirk let him know she wasn’t fooled. “Yes?”

“Do you want anything? I know tea wasn’t exactly your preference but…”

“No. I’m good, thank you,” he coughed, shaking his head. “I’m gonna go take that shower.”

He walked past her and had already stepped into her living room when she called him back.

“Oh, the bathroom was completely renovated, by the way. The towels are in the cabinet opposite the sink now.”

“Opposite the sink, got it,” he nodded absentmindedly, his attention attracted by the way her hair was caressing her shoulders. Damn. He wanted to caress her shoulders too. Shifting on his feet, he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling awkward for some reason. Felicity smiled at him before pouring hot water in her mug. She was putting the boiler back down and grabbing a cookie from a jar on the counter when he finally snapped. In two steps he was by her side, gently taking a hold of her hand, putting the cookie next to her cup of tea. She looked at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open in surprise but didn’t protest. Slipping a hand around her waist, the other one naturally burying itself in her hair, he tilted his head, pressing his lips against hers. After a few seconds of hesitation, she melted against him, her lips moving with his until he felt the tip of her tongue asking for entrance. A small moan caught in his throat when he finally got to taste her, the sweetness of her mouth making him dizzy. Their kiss was slow, languid, giving them the time to breathe each other in, their tongues dancing with each other almost lazily. His hand was stroking her hip, his fingers slipping underneath her shirt, grazing her skin until she shuddered in his arms, gripping his shoulders. Banding an arm around her waist, he lifted her and, turning around, sat her down on the counter, never interrupting the kiss. He heard her small squeal, felt her lips stretching into a smile as she tied her legs around his hips and pulled back, just enough to see the blush on her cheeks and the way she automatically reached out for another kiss before opening her drowsy eyes when he rubbed his nose against hers instead. He pressed a small peck on her pouting lips before trailing down her jaw until he could reach that little spot underneath her ear. He took a deep breath, letting her scent invaded his senses before kissing it softly and traveling back to her lips, already craving her mouth again.

Felicity laced her hand through his hair, her nails scratching his skull, sending shivers down his spine. He hissed when she bit his lower lip, and he retaliated by suckling on her tongue when she tried to soothe the ache. When they finally parted ways, he cradled her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks as he took her in. He could see the freckles on her nose, her eyes were shining bright and he engraved the moment in his soul, knowing he would need it along the way. He would need to keep her in mind, to remember how simple and true everything was between them, because the road ahead was going to be bumpy. There were so many things that terrified him, so many things he wanted to shelter her from but knew she wouldn’t let him. She’d have to show him the path because all he could see right now was a dark road that would force him to face his own demons and he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t lose himself along the way.

But she was by his side, and for now he didn’t want to think about the future. With one last peck on her lips, he let go of her face, murmuring, “I should go take that shower.”

A big sigh spilled from her lips, her eyes still unfocused. She nodded, though, before hopping off the counter and he quickly made his way to the bathroom before he could change his mind.

He was surprised to see the changes once he stepped inside the small room. The bathtub was much bigger now, one of the cabinets gone and there were new tiles on the floor but he still recognized most of the products she used.

His didn’t linger any longer than necessary, and he was stepping into her bedroom barely a few minutes later. He fished out a pair of sweatpants from his bag and was just about to put a T-shirt on when he heard Felicity’s rushed footsteps.

“Oliver, your mother is trying to reach you”, she said as soon as she stepped inside the room, holding out the cellphone he had abandoned on her dining table.

She froze when she saw him, her hand falling back limply against her side, her eyes roaming over his chest.

His naked chest. Where she could see each and every single one of his scars in the brightly lit room.

“What…” she breathed, her eyes bouncing from one scar to another, her face visibly paling.

Oliver shifted on his feet, uncomfortable. He hadn’t wanted her to see him that way, or at least so abruptly. He quickly slipped his arms in the sleeves to cover his body but she stepped forward, dropping his phone on the bed and she gently forced the piece of clothing away from his hands.

“Oliver… how…”

“It’s nothing, Felicity,” he grumbled. “None of these hurt anymore.”

She raised her head, meeting his eyes and stayed silent for a long moment before her hand slowly reached out to touch his stomach. He tensed involuntarily underneath her touch and she froze, glancing at him. He nodded, letting her know it was OK and she let her palm slide until it reached his belly button.

“Lie down, Oliver,” she whispered, pushing softly against his chest.

He frowned, then followed her lead, dropping on the bed sideways. She followed him, straddling his thighs, her hand now hovering over his shoulder. She leaned down, slowly, giving him plenty of time to push her away but he forced himself to stay still. His eyes shut when he felt her lips pressed against the scar he had there, then moving to the other side of his chest to do the same. That one was a burn scar. With Amanda Waller’s compliments. She kissed it too, then travelled over to his heart and to the rest of his scars, kissing each and every single one of them. He relaxed underneath her touch, the softness of her lips against the damaged skin making him shiver. It was sweet and comforting and it was bringing pleasure where he had once felt terrible pain. He hissed when she traced a long knife mark, not out of pain but because the sensation was intense in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.

She froze, already moving away, whispering, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

His hand buried in her hair to hold her back as he shook his head. “You’re not hurting me. You’re healing me.”

Felicity raised her eyes, searching his face and he smiled, a small smile to let her know it was OK. He was OK. She eventually nodded, pressing little pecks over the shark bite on his flank.

Once she had kissed the last of his scars, she leaned back, her hands caressing his abdomen. Their gazes locked as his thumbs started to trace circles over her thighs. He grinned when his attentions made her wiggle on his lap.  It was good to know he still held the same power over her body… just like she did over his own.

“Your abs got abs,” she smiled, her fingers stroking his abdomen. 

Oliver couldn’t help but chuckle at the way she was looking at his stomach almost reverently, her teeth digging into her lower lip.

The small buzzing sound coming from their right interrupted their moment and Felicity groaned, tilting her head back. “Your mom has tried to call twice already. You should pick up.”

She climbed down from his lap as he grabbed his cellphone. “Hi mom.”

Felicity tiptoed out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

“Oliver! Where are you?!”

“... why are you asking me this?” Oliver frowned, unwilling to tell her exactly where he was.

“Well, I was worried. You left early this morning, didn’t show up for dinner. Is everything alright?”

“Of course, yeah. I’m just… at a friend's.”

He heard his mother sigh on the other side of the line. “Good. Please next time just give us a warning if you are going to miss dinner.”

“Since when do I have to tell you what I’m doing with my free time?”

“Since you’ve been acting so weird, Oliver.”

“I’m not…” Oliver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m alright, mom, OK? Sometimes I’m going to miss dinner, and I won’t sleep at home. Exactly like I used to.”

“I understand that you are an adult, Oliver. But I would appreciate a word of warning next time. Even if it’s just to make sure Raisa doesn’t cook your meal for nothing. Or so Thea doesn’t wonder why her brother is suddenly disappearing.”

“I’m glad to see you worry about Raisa’s work. And Thea is an adult, I’m positive she understands that I have a private life.”

“Listen, Oliver, I don’t want to fight. I tried to reach you because Walter and I have invited the Bowens for brunch tomorrow, and I was wondering if you wanted to invite someone too.”

“I won’t be there tomorrow, I already have plans,” Oliver said as he sat up on the bed and grabbed his shirt.

“Can’t you cancel? The Bowens would love to see you and-”

“And I don’t feel particularly interested in seeing them myself, mom.”

There was a pause on the line and Oliver prepared himself for the lecture.

“Oliver, I have been more than conciliatory concerning your lack of… manners lately. But the Bowens are old family friends and I think it would be good for you to see people.”

_I am positive it will be even better for me to see my girlfriend naked, mom._

“Sorry, mom. I can’t cancel at the last minute.”

“You can’t or you don’t want to?”

“Since you ask: I don’t want to.”

“Oliver…”

“Mom. I am spending time with a friend I haven’t seen in three years. Can you understand that I prefer to catch up with them rather than with some people I never really cared about?”

“... I’m sorry, Oliver. You’re right,” Moira said in a much softer tone. “I just worry about you, so does your sister and I’m trying to get through to you and it’s not working.”

“Mom. It’s OK. Just… Just give me some time.”

“Could you try to be there for Sunday dinner? I’ll invite Tommy, it will just be the family.”

“I’ll be there,” Oliver promised.

“Thank you. If you want to invite your friend…”

“No. They won’t be available. But thank you. I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“Have a good evening, Oliver.”

He hung up, putting his phone down on the nightstand and slipping his shirt on. He padded out of the room, unsurprised to see Felicity curled up on her couch, watching some random TV show.

“Is everything OK?” she asked as he dropped down next to her.

“Yes. The usual. She wanted me to come over for brunch tomorrow.”

“Oh… and?”

“And I told her I had plans… unless you don’t want to?” Oliver asked, realizing they hadn’t talked about anything past the night.

“No,” she beamed as she scooted closer to him. “No objection.”

“Good,” he smiled, leaning in for a small peck, lingering as he whispered, “are you really watching… whatever you’re watching?”

“Depends on if you have a better offer. It’s The Walking Dead we’re talking about. With Daryl Dixon. He has a crossbow.”

“My abs have abs.”

“You win.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So did I just end the chapter right before a smut scene?
> 
> Yes. Yes I did :D :D
> 
> They talked more, many things still unsaid, it's going to take a while for Oliver to open up about his past, and actually same for Felicity. Slowly but surely they'll get there, you know between a bit of action in the bedroom O_O
> 
> Next chapter will pick up right away and you'll see that the next few ones will be a little bubble for Oliver. It won't last but I figured the boy deserved some kind of a break (and some loving). Expect some smut and some fluff and a bit of humor ;)
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or Tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi ;)


	14. Please Forgive Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!  
> NSFW NSFW. At least the first part. If you don't like smut, scroll down, scroll down ;)
> 
> Special thanks (but really is it still special if I keep saying that?) to @mysticaldetectivepanda and @pidanka for their help as beta and delta or as Ron and Hermione or as Diggle and Felicity or as Huey and Dewey. I'm pretty sure it's one of those.  
> Tons of kisses and hugs to every single one of you who takes the time to leave a comment, it means the world to me. If you're happy about the fast updates, it's directly linked, just so you know so don't hesitate to drop something even a smiley!
> 
> And this chapter is for Sophie, my fellow Belgian, because I know you love that song.
> 
> Song: Please forgive me Bryan Adams

**"Please Forgive Me"**  


 

Still feels like our first night together  
Feels like the first kiss, it's gettin' better, baby  
No one can better this...  
Still holdin' on, you're still the one.  
First time our eyes met, same feelin' I get  
Only feels much stronger, wanna love you longer  
You still turn the fire on...

So if you're feelin' lonely—don't  
You're the only one I ever want.  
I only wanna make it good  
So if I love you a little more than I should...

Please forgive me  
I know not what I do.  
Please forgive me  
I can't stop lovin' you  
Don't deny me.  
This pain I'm going through...  
Please forgive me if I need you like I do.  
Please believe me.  
Every word I say is true...  
Please forgive me  
I can't stop loving you

Still feels like our best times are together.  
Feels like the first touch, still gettin' closer, baby  
Can't get close enough.  
Still holdin' on, you're still number one.  
I remember the smell of your skin,  
I remember everything,  
I remember all your moves  
I remember you, yeah!  
I remember the nights, you know I still do.

So if you're feelin' lonely—don't  
You're the only one I ever want.  
I only wanna make it good  
So if I love you a little more than I should...

Please forgive me  
I know not what I do.  
Please forgive me  
I can't stop lovin' you  
Don't deny me  
This pain I'm going through.  
Please forgive me if I need you like I do  
Oh, believe me.  
Every word I say is true.  
Please forgive me  
I can't stop loving you.

One thing I'm sure of is the way we make love.  
And one thing I depend on is for us to stay strong.  
With every word and every breath I'm prayin'  
That's why I'm sayin'...

Please forgive me  
I know not what I do.  
Please forgive me  
I can't stop lovin' you.  
Don't deny me.  
This pain I'm going through.  
Please forgive me if I need you like I do.  
Babe, believe me.  
Every word I say is true.  
Please forgive me if I can't stop loving you.  
Never leave me  
I don't know what I'd do.  
Please forgive me  
I can't stop loving you,  
Can't stop loving you.

 

 

 

Felicity stood up, holding out her hand. “Come.”

He followed her dutifully, letting her guide him to the bedroom. She switched on the bedside lamp, lowering the intensity until the room was basking in a soft, warm halo, and put down her glasses as well. They could still hear the sound of her TV from the living room, but even the zombies groaning weren’t enough to break the mood.

He felt oddly nervous, almost as if it was their first time, which was utterly ridiculous seeing what they had done earlier that night. But this… this was different. It wasn’t them getting carried away, emotions too raw to resist. No, this time it was deliberate. They both were aware of the significance of that moment, something that was obvious in the way Felicity was twisting her hands.

“We don’t have to do anything,” he murmured as he gently untangled her hands.

She huffed out a laugh, licking her lips. “I want it. I just don’t know why I’m so nervous.”

“I’m nervous, too,” he admitted while pressing kisses over her knuckles. “I mean… I hope I still have it in me.”

“What? I think what we did against that wall kinda proves that yeah… you still do.”

“Do you really think I didn’t notice you didn’t come?”

He grinned when he saw her opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water.

“It’s OK, you know. I promise I’ll even the score. I just hope I’ll be able to do it on my first try.”

“I… I think I’m just… overwhelmed. You. Me. I… I never thought I’d live that again,” she explained with a sheepish shrug. “It’s a bit… much. It’s on me, not you.”

“I disagree. It’s my job to make sure your brain is fried,” Oliver chuckled as he circled her waist, pulling her flush against him. “I used to be pretty good at it.”

“Oh God yes,” she moaned in his chest. “So, so good at it.”

“I might need a bit of time to get back to my usual standards, though.”

“If that means a lot of practise, you won’t hear me complain.”

He kissed her hair, a small pinch in his heart. He didn’t know how long they had, only seeing the next few days. He wasn’t sure how to deal with her and this new life, despite how much he wanted to. There was still that nagging little voice in the back of his head telling him that the right thing to do was to step aside. But he knew that no matter how hard he would try, he would never be able to stop loving her. He wanted nothing more than to focus on the good, on where he was at the moment, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever get rid of this irrational fear when it came to her.

“Hey,” she whispered, raising her head. “Don’t go there.”

“I’m trying not to.”

“Looks like I’m gonna have to help you fry my brain, then,” she beamed, resting her arms on his shoulders. “First step is kissing me senseless.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grinned, his hand slipping in the small of her back. He saw her eyes fluttering shut as he leaned forward, his lips finding hers and catching her small sigh. He took his time, teasing her, his tongue flicking on her upper lip before retreating, until she pulled on his hair with a small frustrated groan. One hand cradled her face, angling it to deepen the kiss and he almost moaned when he finally got to taste her. If he was to spend the rest of his life kissing Felicity, he would be a very, very happy man because there was nothing like having her in his arms, their lips locked, their tongues playing so lazily it was making his knees turn into jello.

He turned them around, walking backwards until his legs hit her bed then slowly sat down, guiding Felicity to straddle his lap. With one knee on each side of his hips, she sat on his thighs, shifting until she found a comfortable position. Unable to resist any longer, Oliver palmed her ass fully, like he had been dying to do all night. He groaned into her mouth as he kneaded the flesh, pressing her closer to him in the process. Damn it, he was already hard. Felicity must have felt it too because she ground tentatively against him, a tiny mewl escaping her throat, her fingers tightening in his hair. Their kiss became hungrier, Felicity pressing herself tightly against him while he guided the rocking of her hips. He knew he had rubbed the right spot when she pulled away, inhaling sharply and pressing down harder against him. Staring at her, he saw her eyes widening, her breathing already hitching as she licked her lips. He saw the movement her throat made when she gulped and before he even knew what he was doing, he was peppering kisses all over her neck until he reached the muscle of her shoulder. Opening his mouth, he sucked on the flesh until he was sure he had left a mark. He licked the spot then softly blew on it until goosebumps appeared across her skin. He smirked when he saw the hickey, the small red spot satisfying a primitive part of him. He knew that by the end of the night, he would bear her mark as well. Hopefully, she’d even make it plural.

He was about to kiss her again when Felicity pulled away, her hands gripping the hem of his shirt. Wordlessly, he lifted his arms, letting her undress him and he threw his t-shirt across the room, letting her caress his scars to her heart’s content. She was gentle, tracing the outlines of the ugly marks with tenderness, almost as if she was afraid to hurt him. The thought was ridiculous to him, as if her hands could ever cause him pain.  

“Take off your shirt,” he murmured, his eyes fixed on hers, when she finished trailing the shark bite on his side.

With a small smile, her hands left him and a few seconds later, she was raising her top above her head, throwing it away as carelessly as he had done. He had been right, she wasn’t wearing a bra and his mouth watered when he saw her breasts, the way her nipples were hardening under his look, begging to be sucked. His hands holding her waist firmly, he dipped his head, his mouth opening on an areola, groaning when the taste of her skin exploded against his tongue. He flicked the little berry, suckled on the soft flesh, his cheeks hollowing before releasing it with a small pop. Seeing that the little bud was now a satisfying deep shade of red, he travelled down the small valley between her breasts, his tongue leaving a wet trail behind him until he could circle the other nipple. He took it in his mouth, sucking on it, hearing Felicity’s panting above him. She was rolling her hips but the position they were in had shifted her too far on his lap for her to grind on him. Banding an arm around her waist, he switched them until she was lying flat on her back, his mouth never leaving her breast. Her thighs opened to accommodate him and he felt the way she started to rub against his abdomen, her hands pressing his face against her chest. His hands now free, he palmed a small mound of flesh, rolling the nipple underneath his thumb while his mouth was still ravaging the other one. She was intoxicating, her taste, her smell, the sounds escaping her throat were going straight to his crotch, his erection now straining almost painfully against his pants.

“Oh God,” Felicity breathed, her thighs squeezing his waist. He could feel her heat against his abs, could tell that she was already as turned on as he was, and before he could stop himself, he ground down against the mattress as well, seeking relief. He wanted to be inside her, feel her wet warmth surround him, her walls squeezing him tightly, welcoming him back. He heard her small whimpers, felt the slight pinch of her fingers pulling on his hair and he recognized the signs. Even after three years, he could still read her body. His mouth left her breast for the shortest moment, but it was enough to earn him a cry of disappointment. Smirking, he licked two fingers before slipping his hand down her stomach, taking his time, his thumb stroking the soft skin until he reached the waistband of her pants. Felicity’s abdomen tensed against his touch, her hips shooting off the bed when he finally slipped underneath her clothes, heading straight to where she needed him. Her clitoris was hard, swollen and he delicately circled it while peppering kisses on the underside of her breast.

“Oh…oh…” She shifted her legs, bending a knee to give him more room and he slipped his fingers lower, groaning when he realized how wet she already was. He slid his fingers up and down, her flesh so soft and warm, torturing him. He wanted to taste her, he wanted to feel that softness underneath his tongue, wanted her pleasure in his mouth. He tried to move his hand away, his mind already planning on getting rid of her clothes so he could lick her to orgasm but she grabbed his wrist, her hips rocking against him with an almost pained whimper. He hushed her, pressing on her clit then teasing her entrance, trying to appease her. The way she was panting his name, begging him, let him know she was close and he wasn’t about to do anything that could make her lose her grip on her pleasure.

When he finally pressed his fingers to her opening, she shifted her hips and a long moan spilled from her lips when they sank into her heat. His thumb resting over her clit, he curled them inside her, searching for the spot that would make her see stars.

“Oh yes!” she hissed when he found it and he rubbed, up and down, left to right, making sure his thumb was still working its magic. She gripped his arm tightly, trying to pull him upwards, her voice pleading him. “Oliver, please, I want you. Oh God I want you.”

He gritted his teeth, rubbing harder, wanting to make her come desperately. His mouth was suckling on her breast, his entire body focused on only one goal: pleasuring her. It wasn’t so much a matter of making sure she’d at least get an orgasm this time. He had noticed her little wince when he had taken her against the wall and he wanted to make sure she was wet, literally dripping before he would push inside her. There would be only pleasure this time, and he wouldn’t stop until she came.

She was fluttering around his fingers, already, her nails digging into his biceps and he softly took a nipple between his teeth, pulling on it, knowing the small hint of pain would be enough to push her over the edge. She froze underneath him and he heard her gasp before she muffled a long moan behind her hand, a sudden gush of wetness coating his hand. Her eyes squeezed shut as she threw her head back against the pillow, exposing her slender neck. He watched her as she rode her wave, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. She was so damn gorgeous, the tell-tale blush covering her throat and face letting him know he had done a good job. He still knew how to satisfy his girl.

God, he had missed this. So, so much. She was so beautiful when she let go, a sight that was only for his eyes. He gazed at her, mesmerized, as she slowly fell back to earth, her body relaxing against him.

“Oliver, too much,” she eventually murmured, shifting underneath him and he slipped his fingers out of her, his hand now tracing soothing patterns on her stomach.

Waiting for her to gather her bearings, he pressed soft kisses across her chest, trying to ignore his raging erection. Which was easier said than done because apparently his dick was extremely jealous of his fingers and couldn’t wait to get inside her. Gently, he pulled down her pants, getting rid of her last piece of clothing.

Her hand grew heavier on his skull, lazily lacing through his hair as her breathing calmed down, her eyes unfocused and dreamy. He smiled before pressing one last peck on her nipple and travelling up her body until he could nuzzle her nose. She let out a small, happy sigh and seeing her so sated sent a deep flash of masculine pride in his chest. He kissed her then, leisurely, curling his tongue around hers, slowly coaxing her body back to life. He waited until her leg circled his hips and pressed down on the back of his thigh to pull away. Her mouth was an angry red, her eyes were shining and there was a deep blush across her cheeks.

Her small hands grabbed the waistband of his pants, lowering them and he joined her until they were low enough for him to kick them off. He nestled his hips between her thighs, burying his face in the crook of her neck when he felt her naked skin against his flanks. He could still remember the first time they had made love, even if they had been in too much of a rush to take their clothes off and he felt as nervous as he had that day. The moment their bodies had finally joined would probably remain engraved in his memory for the rest of his life. Every move, every breath, the sounds escaping her lips... He remembered everything.

Felicity’s hands travelled down his back, her fingers stroking his spine and she paused for a second when she felt the scar tissue there. With a small kiss on his head, she resumed her movements while he laved on her neck, grazing the sensitive skin with his rough stubble, just like he knew she liked. He wasn’t disappointed when she shuddered beneath him with a small whimper, pressing down on his ass.

He got the message and shifted, resting his weight on an elbow before taking a hold of his cock. He was painfully hard now and he stroked his shaft twice to relieve the pressure before pressing against her entrance. He raised his head then, locking gazes with her and she let out a trembling smile, her hand slowly stroking his cheek. He took his time, slowly sliding in, stopping before he was fully inside. Her warmth welcomed him, bathing him and he had to bite back a groan at the sensation, reminding himself he had to be gentle. He checked her face to see any sign of discomfort but saw none and with one last stroke, he filled her to the hilt. She bit her lips then, her eyes closing as he settled on his forearms more comfortably before dropping a soft kiss on the tip of her nose, earning a small giggle that went straight to his heart.

“You OK?” he asked nonetheless.

“I’m more than OK,” she whispered, her eyes opening. “I love you.”

He grinned, forgetting for a moment how his body was screaming at him to move. “Say it again.”

She laughed then, a bubbly, happy laugh that only made him smile wider. He knew then that he would never get tired of hearing those three words from her, and even if he wasn’t sure he still deserved them, very selfishly all he wanted was to hear them over and over again.

“I love you,” she repeated dutifully. “Now, move.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured, burying his face in her neck, inhaling deeply before slowly sliding out of her then pushing back in just as slowly. He moaned at the sensation, her muscles welcoming him deep inside her, her hands pressing down on his ass. He could feel her breasts brushing against his chest, her foot on the back of his thigh, her breath on his shoulder as he started to pick up a pace, moving leisurely inside her, taking his time to savor her warmth, his body instinctively picking up the signals of her arousal. The little hitch in her breathing, the way her fingers were stiffening, the little mewls spilling from her lips every time he would thrust back in. He knew her body, he still knew it so well as if those three years had never happened and just like before, all he could think about was bringing her to completion, witness her falling head first into her pleasure, knowing he had been the one to take her there.

His lips searched for hers as one of his hands travelled down her body, gripping her thigh, pushing it up and holding her knee. Her skin was as soft as before, so silky and smooth and he mentally cursed himself once he realized he still hadn’t tasted her yet.

He thrust in deeper, knowing the way he had spread her open allowed him to bump on her clit whenever he would push back in and sure enough, Felicity started to keen at the new stimulation.

Spreading his knees for better leverage, he moved harder against her, his fingers digging into the flesh of her thigh. Felicity’s hands left his ass so she could circle his shoulders, the other arm curling around his back, holding him close to her. She crashed her lips against his shoulder, muffling her small cries of pleasure as he started to gain a steady rhythm. There was a fire growing at the base of his spine, and he squeezed his eyes shut to fight his body’s need to pound into her. Her bed was squeaking under them, but not loud enough to swallow the sounds that were coming out of Felicity’s mouth.

“Oh God… oh God, Oliver,” she moaned desperately in his ear, clinging to his body, trusting him to send her flying over the edge.

Oliver kept the same pace, letting her cries guide him, already feeling her walls fluttering around him. She was close, he could tell by how tight she was, her muscles tensing and when he circled his hips, grinding against her clitoris, she hissed then let out a strangled moan and he knew she was on the edge. It took two more deep thrusts and she was clenching down on him, her long wail echoing in the room as she found her relief.

The sounds she was making, the way her body was squeezing him was too much for Oliver, his needs taking over as soon as he felt her liquid heat bathing his cock. His hips lost any kind of rhythm as he sought out his own pleasure, the fire in his spine growing and growing until it finally exploded. With a deep grunt, he came, pushing deep inside her and holding still, his ears buzzing with the intensity of his climax.

_Holy fuck._

Completely boneless, he let go of her thigh, which fell limply on the bed as he sagged against her, out of breath. Felicity was tracing small circles on his back, her lips grazing his temple and murmuring sweet nothings in his ear. Her touch was warm and soothing, her voice appeasing him and slowly lulling him back to reality. This. This was their first time all over again. No room for desperation and fear, only love and a deep connection.

He felt… alive.

He could have stayed there forever but he knew he was heavy and he shifted in her embrace, making sure most of his weight was resting on his elbows as his slipped his arms beneath her, his face snuggling in her neck.

“I love you,” he mumbled, promising himself he’d never let one day go without telling her ever again.

He felt her smile against his forehead as she whispered back, “I love you too.”

Not a single bone in his body wanted him to move but his softening cock eventually slipped out of her and he knew he had to take care of her. He also didn’t want to risk falling asleep with her, and the way she was stroking his hair was really making it hard for him to stay awake.

With a deep sigh, he eventually straightened on his hands and he dropped one small peck on the corner of her lips before getting up. He padded his way to the bathroom and after quickly taking care of himself, joined Felicity with a wet cloth and gently cleaned her thighs from the traces of their love-making. He was about to tell her he was going to sleep on the couch when she grabbed his hand, pulling on it with pleading eyes. He gulped, unable to deny her anything as he slipped back into bed, this time grabbing the comforter. Settling on his back, he let her snuggle in his embrace, her head resting on his heart, her hand stroking his chest.

“Looks like you still got it,” she said in a teasing voice.

He chuckled then, lacing through her hair lazily. “Looks like it, yes.”

“We didn’t use protection.”

He paused, his hand freezing in her hair. How could he have forgotten twice?!

“I don’t blame you,” she continued. “We stopped using condoms very early on… I didn’t even think about it either. I’ll go to the drugstore tomorrow, don’t worry.”

“I’m sorry, Felicity, I… I didn’t think.”

“It’s OK. It’s the end of my cycle so we should be more than safe and I’ll take care of it tomorrow morning anyway. But maybe we shouldn’t tempt the devil anymore. I don’t think you’d like being a father right now,” she chuckled sleepily.

He felt his throat tightening then because… God. Yes, the thought was terrifying him but… he also couldn’t deny that it had been a deep, secret dream of his. Before. Would he ever get back there? Would he ever be normal enough to maybe one day start a family with her? Would she want him to be the father of her children? He was damaged, would it be fair to impose his issues on innocent children?

Felicity’s head eventually grew heavier against his chest and her breathing became slower, deeper. He waited a few more minutes and, as delicately as possible, slipped out of her embrace. With one last kiss on her forehead, he made sure the duvet was covering her then quietly walked to the living room, picking up his sweatpants on the way.

The TV was still on, and he turned it off before making sure the door was locked and switching off all the lights. Then he grabbed a blanket from underneath the coffee table and laid down on the couch. He didn’t trust himself in his sleep and the image of that young woman he had strangled in a bar in Russia was still dancing in front of his eyes, way too vividly for him to take any chance with Felicity.

Slipping an arm behind his head, he sighed deeply, his eyes staring above him. The room was almost pitch dark, except for a small ray of light coming from the outside. All he could hear was the hand of the clock in Felicity’s kitchen, and the occasional speeding car in the street. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to fall asleep, despite how relaxed his body was. There were too many thoughts running through his head, about Felicity, about him, about his future. Their future. What exactly did he have to offer her in the long run?

The blanket he had grabbed smelled like Felicity’s shampoo and he took a deep breath, letting the so familiar green apple scent invade him. Without even realizing it, he drifted into sleep.

Small steps woke him up and his eyes opened suddenly. The small ray of light was now gone, replaced by the dawn’s very first light. The room was still mostly dark and it surprised him that he had slept several hours. He felt Felicity’s presence before she entered his field of vision and he shut his eyes before she could see he was awake. He wasn’t sure he was ready to explain to her why exactly he had deserted her bed. He felt the blanket shifting, lifting from his body, and the couch dipped underneath her weight when she kneeled, wedging herself between him and the back of the couch. He stiffened, knowing it wasn’t a good idea, but she snuggled in his arms, her head right underneath his chin, her hand caressing his neck and lacing his hair. He gulped then, because he still felt dead tired for some reason and she was so warm against him that he couldn’t bring himself to move away. Hesitantly, he lowered the arm that was beneath his head to wrap around her small frame. She relaxed against him, pressing a little kiss on his chest and slipped a leg between his, setting down more comfortably against him. Her fingers grazing his skull lulled him back to sleep almost effortlessly, chasing away his demons.

 

He finally woke up when the sun was high and bright despite the curtains of her living room. They had shifted in their sleep, Felicity still against the back of the couch but he was facing her now, both arms around her, holding her tight. Her thigh was still between his legs, her face burrowed in his chest. He could feel her breathing against his skin and he pressed a kiss on the top of her head, enjoying those few moments when he had her all to himself. She was wearing his T-shirt, he noticed and… yep. No underwear. Probably his favorite outfit on her. He breathed her in, enjoying the way her hair was tickling his nose and he was about to doze off again, when he noticed she was struggling in his arms, murmuring his name plaintively. He immediately let her go, scared he might have been holding her too tight and in the blink of an eye he was up, standing by the television.

She frowned, rubbing her eyes. “Are you OK?”

“Yeah. Are you?”

“Yes. Why are you standing there?”

“I… you were pushing me away.”

Felicity looked at him, tilting her head. “Because I need to pee, Oliver, not because I wanted you to move halfway across the country.”

With a sigh, she discarded the blanket then padded across the room. Oliver passed a tired hand across his face then made his way to the kitchen, making a small prayer before opening her fridge. To his surprise, he saw a carton of eggs and some bacon, as well as bread and mushrooms. There had definitely been some improvement in Felicity’s grocery shopping. He grabbed everything he needed, then closed the fridge with his foot. He was trying to figure out her coffee maker when Felicity walked in the kitchen.

“It’s a complicated beast but it makes amazing coffee,” she said before pressing a kiss on his shoulder.

“I’ll let you handle it then,” he smiled before making his way to the bathroom. He was flushing the toilet when he realized he had slept much, much longer than he had in a very long time. Of course he had woken up but still. He usually managed three to four hours of sleep and judging by the clock, he had slept almost eight hours. After washing his hands, he went to check on his cellphone which was still on Felicity’s nightstand. He only had one message from Thea asking if he was alright. He quickly replied, not lingering on the details, but promised he’d be home by tomorrow night at the latest.

When he walked back in the kitchen, Felicity was enjoying a cup of coffee, leaning against the counter.

“I didn’t start because I wasn’t sure what you wanted to do anyway,” she said, pointing to the ingredients by the stove.

“Omelette with cheese and mushrooms, bacon and toast?” he proposed.

“Sounds perfect to me,” she grinned, handing him a cup of coffee. “You still drink it black?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

She pinched her lips as she watched him take a sip. She was right, the coffee was really good.

“Why did you jump away from me, Oliver?”

His breath caught in his throat and he put his mug down, coughing. “I thought I was hurting you,” he eventually said, trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible.

“Why? And… is this why you didn’t stay with me?”

“... Yes. And the reason why is that…. I have been violent in the past. In my sleep or… right when I wake up.”

“So it’s not because you didn’t want to sleep with me?”

“No. Of course not,” he frowned, the idea utterly ridiculous to him. How could she even think that? He’d spend the rest of his life with her in his arms if he could.

“... I don’t want to ask about your scars but… if you want to tell me, you know I won’t judge, right?”

He stiffened, his fingers drumming against the counter.

“Oliver. You don’t have to shoulder all of that on your own. Don’t forget it. I think it would help you. Maybe consider telling me about them, one at a time? Or… well or that tattoo.”

Oliver nodded, turning around to grab a frying pan from a cupboard. He switched on the stove, waiting for the pan to be hot, then grabbed the bag of bacon. It was helping him, for some reason, to keep his hands busy with something as mundane as cooking breakfast. Like it was rooting him in reality, in a way.

“I got bit by a shark,” he said as he laid six slices of bacon on the pan. He saw from the corner of his eye the surprise on Felicity’s face. She probably hadn’t expecting him to open up but she was right. She had seen the scars and… if last night had taught him something it was that opening up to her lightened the weight on his shoulders. He wasn’t ready to tell her everything. He probably would never be and his head was still full of questions concerning them. But he wanted to show her he was doing his best.

“This one, I suppose?” she asked, her fingers trailing the scar on his flank.

“Yes. We had made some kind of a harpoon and I was trying to catch some fish and… I got bit.”

“... we?”

He tensed, his hand hovering over the sizzling bacon. “I… I wasn’t alone on the island.”

“I thought you told me no one else made it out alive?”

“There were some people there already.”

“Are they… are they still there?”

“No. One died. Then the three of us made it out.” He turned the bacon on the other side, then asked, “can you give me a plate?”

She must have understood he didn’t want to say anything more because she grabbed a plate and covered it with a paper towel, putting it by the stove. She then reached up on her toes, pecking his cheek. “I’m going to set the table.”

He looked at her as she walked away, regretting that she had put her pajama pants on.

“Dig is going to pick me up in one hour to go to the supermarket. Do you need anything?”

“Nope. Well… Just make sure to buy some proper food since I’m using most of what was in your fridge right now.”

“By the way, I took Monday and Tuesday off from work. I had planned on a spa and maybe a mani-pedi but… well, we have better things to do. My algorithm should be done today or tomorrow at the latest so I figured I could help you? I’ll also take care of that thing you call a desk computer.”

“Felicity…” he sighed as he threw the sliced mushrooms into the pan. “You know I don’t want you any more involved than you already are.”

“Oliver I’m not talking about gun-shopping or breaking into buildings. I don’t think I’d be in any danger in your… lair or whatever you call it. I’ll go with Dig if you prefer.”

“Felicity…”

“It’s not up for discussion, Oliver. You know I’m more than helpful. Also, don’t forget to ask your mother about the investigation.”

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow after dinner,” Oliver sighed, knowing it was pointless to argue with Felicity when she had that hard, stubborn look on her face. Not to mention he knew he couldn’t exactly afford to waste more time.

She looked at him, a bottle of orange juice in hand then winced, putting it down on the counter. She was by his side the next second, her hands circling his forearm. “I’m sorry. I’m really bossy this morning, right?”

Oliver huffed out a laugh because honestly… when was she not? It was something he had always found attractive for some reason. Probably because he wasn’t used to a woman standing up to him. They usually caved in or smiled, happy to be by the side of Oliver Queen. Felicity had been different right from the start. “I can’t say I’m not used to it.”

“Sorry. I’m afraid it’s only worse when I’m PMS-ing. Just so you know what you’re stepping into.”

He leaned down, pecking her lips. “Consider me warned.”

 

By the time their omelette was done, Felicity had toasted a few slices of bread and the table was set. Oliver was famished when he took his place next to her and judging by the way she attacked her plate, he wasn’t the only one. It was with a proud smirk that he started to eat because there was something extremely satisfying for his ego to see how much Felicity had worked up an appetite. She went to take a shower afterwards while he cleaned up the kitchen then went to make the bed and tidy the bedroom. He picked up the clothes that were lying around - mostly their underwear, putting them in the laundry basket and he was opening the windows when she walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her. Gulping, he let his eyes travel to her naked legs while she made her way to one of her drawers, completely oblivious to the way he was ravishing her in his mind. Damn. He wanted to throw her on the barely made bed, spread her thighs and-

She picked up matching underwear and he groaned when he saw the tiny piece of black fabric that was going to be her panties. Felicity looked up at him with questioning eyes, a satisfied little smirk appearing on her lips as she teasingly balanced the lacy bra on a finger. “Do we approve?”

“Yeah. We approve very much,” he answered as he sat down on the bed, keeping his eyes on her. She disappeared into her small walk-in closet and despite his best efforts he couldn’t help but stretch his neck, trying to get a glimpse. When she stepped back inside her bedroom, she was wearing some dark red overalls and a black top underneath, one that left a few inches of skin bare on her waist. Sitting down next to him, she put on a pair of socks, her damp hair hanging loosely around her face. She smelled so good that he found himself automatically leaning in and, before he could stop himself, blurted out, “don’t forget the condoms.”

Felicity giggled at his words, patting his thigh before standing up. “Don’t worry. I’ll get a big box. Jumbo size.”

With a deep sigh, he watched her retreating to the bathroom again but this time he followed her, getting rid of his sweatpants. She had just plugged in the hair dryer when he stepped inside the room and she smiled at him in the mirror, her eyes roaming over his body not so discreetly. With one cheeky wink, he stepped inside the shower and closed the curtain just as she started to dry her hair.

In the past they had made love an alarming number of times considering how very little time they had together. They had shared a bath, a shower and done countless other things. Yet, he had never felt such intimacy as he did in that moment. The two of them sharing the bathroom, going on with their little routine. It was oddly domestic, much more than making breakfast together and it almost scared him how much he loved it.

“Are you going to the gala on Saturday?” she asked once she had put the hair dryer away. “I know it’s a partnership between Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated. I am invited, by the way.”

“No,” he winced as he rinsed the soap of his body. The idea of being thrown into a crowd of people was making him slightly nauseated. “No matter how much my mother tried to convince me.”

“Oh. OK. Well it should be the usual same old, same old. I’m only going to represent Palmer Tech, Ray will be on the East Coast.”

Oliver shut off the water then stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel from the radiator. Quickly drying himself, he wrapped it around his waist as Felicity was applying what looked like the finishing touch of her makeup. Unable to resist, he delicately pushed her hair on the side, pressing a soft kiss on the back of her neck. “You look good enough to eat.”

Laughing, she shook her head then applied some lip balm while he started to brush his teeth. “Right back at you,” she smiled as she slapped his butt before heading out. Pausing on the threshold, she turned around, winking. “Maybe later if you’re nice.”

He grinned, his toothbrush still in his mouth because suddenly his afternoon was looking even better than he had thought. From what she had told him, they wouldn’t get the results of her searches before the end of the day. Plenty of time to ravish her any way he wanted to and… if she wanted to go down on him, he wasn’t about to stop her either. He shifted on his feet, the mere idea already affecting him as he remembered the first time she had done it. On her couch, while watching Dirty Dancing. And the way she had been so eager to please him, so enthusiastic…

He shook his head, rinsing his mouth. Later. They’d get to that later. Once again, he felt a little pinch in his heart, not sure how long exactly they would have together. Right now, they were in their bubble, safe in her apartment but he wasn’t fool enough to think it would be that easy afterwards. How long until he lost control? How long until he snapped and scared her? How long until he got targeted?

He heard a knock on Felicity’s door and tensed, even though he knew it was probably Dig. Her bubbly voice confirmed it was him and he relaxed, quickly getting dressed. He was putting his henley on when Felicity appeared on the threshold, her purse thrown across her shoulder.

“I’m leaving now…” she trailed off, staring at his chest. “Damn. You better not change clothes before I get back,” she added in a breath.

He smirked, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows and he raised an eyebrow in surprise at the small strangled moan that escaped her.

“Hum, Felicity. Dig is waiting for you,” he eventually said, his mouth twitching as she was glued to her spot, her eyes fixed on his arms.

“Yes. Dig. Supermarket. Condoms. Good idea,” she mumbled before taking a step forward, her hand tracing the flat line of his stomach. “Really, really good idea.”

Oliver coughed, fighting to keep his laugh at bay. He couldn’t deny it was extremely flattering to see her fascination with his body. And soothing to know she was attracted to it rather than repulsed. But he had just taken control over himself and the way she was biting her lips, her fingers trailing the outlines of the muscles of his abdomen was tempting his resolve a bit too much. “Later,” he promised before pressing a small peck on her lips.

“Yes. Later,” she nodded, her voice much stronger. With one last tap on his abs, she sighed deeply then walked out of the room. He heard her front door closing then went to lay his towel back on the radiator. He made sure the room was tidy before switching off the light and heading to the living room. The place seemed oddly empty without Felicity around, yet still had that same homey, comfortable vibe. He tidied her couch, folding the blanket and putting it back underneath the coffee table, then plopped onto the comfy cushions, switching the television on. It wasn’t as if there was a lot he could do anyway. He put his feet up on the small table, crossing his ankles as he started to zap, settling on a cooking channel. They were preparing a lemon meringue pie, which he knew was one of Felicity’s favorite desserts. He was far from being an accomplished cook, his expertise merely covering breakfast and basic recipes, but he still paid attention, thinking that maybe one day he could surprise her with one.

Twenty minutes later, he went to get a pen and a sheet of paper from Felicity’s printer, then sat down on the floor in order to scribble down instructions for a baked french toast recipe. Felicity had a sweet tooth, and it seemed easy enough for him to try it one day. The tablecloth was making it hard for him to write and he swiftly pushed it away, his eyes still focused on how the pan was supposed to be greased with butter.

He noted down the ingredients, glancing every now and then for directions, secretly hoping Felicity had at least **one** baking pan.

“Bake uncovered for 40 minutes,” he mumbled, scribbling down. “Check after…”

He suddenly frowned once he saw a little flash of silver on the table. It was only then that he realized he hadn’t been writing on the usual wood surface but on something that looked like glass. French toast suddenly forgotten, his hand reached out and pushed the rest of the cloth until the table was completely uncovered. A lump formed in his throat once he saw exactly why there was a layer of glass on what had always been a wood table before.

The puzzle he had started, and never finished, was still there. The frame was done, and about a third of the pieces were all in place, but he saw right away that Felicity hadn’t touched it in three years. He gulped, taking in every little piece, how unfinished it looked. How unfinished their story had been.

Oliver could still remember his conversation with Andrew, when they had talked about his late wife. He could still remember the pain he had felt at the mere idea of going through what the older man had when he had lost the love of his life. The twisting burn in his heart when he had thought about a world where Felicity wouldn’t exist any longer. How unbearable that concept had been for those few seconds where his brain had dared to imagine the unimaginable.

His three years had been hell but he had always known she was alive, safe. Living her life.

She hadn’t had that comfort and suddenly seeing that puzzle in front of his eyes made him realize what she had probably gone through. He had started to hate himself so much that he had lost sight of the people who loved him, unable to even comprehend how he could inspire this kind of emotion. He still didn’t know how she still loved him or why she wanted to be with him. She was everything to him, the one that had made him a better man from the start but… he hadn’t done anything for her of the same kind. And yet… he had the proof, right in front of him, of how much she had never really been able to move on.

Suddenly, he remembered his conversation with Dig, one week earlier.

 

_“She has… what? She has started to move on? On what earth, Oliver?!_ _You really… you have no idea, do you?”_

_“No idea of what?”_  

_“Of how much she loved you.”_

 

Felicity had always been more guarded. She always held her cards close to her chest, especially in love. He had never doubted her love, even before she had told him those three precious little words before falling asleep, the last words he had heard from her before his life had turned into hell. But he had never comprehended, not until that very moment, the depth of her pain, too blinded by his self-hatred.

_“Those three years were hell, Oliver. I lost you. Forever. I had to accept that you were never coming back, had to accept I’d never wake up in your arms again. I had to face that life that was ahead of me, a life without you and I was never able to really let go.”_

Yet, she had gone on with her life. She had straightened her shoulders, and kept walking despite the obvious pain she kept hidden underneath a tablecloth. She had always been strong and he wondered once more if he would have been able to do the same if the tables had been turned.

The tables could still be turned - a sneaky voice whispered from the back of his head. He forced himself to push it away, desperately trying to not go there.

Grabbing the tablecloth, he smoothed it over the glass, making sure she wouldn’t notice he had moved anything. He wasn’t sure she was ready to share that with him yet, and he knew he might not be either. Accepting the fact that she had mourned him was bringing them way too close to his deepest fear and he could already feel his heart starting to beat faster.

Once again, he reminded himself that she was safe. As long as no one knew what she meant to him, she’d remain safe. He took a few deep breaths, then eventually stood up and went to place the recipe he had noted on her fridge. Pouring himself a glass of water, he gulped it down, his heart slowing down. His phone buzzing forced his thoughts away and he couldn’t help but smile once he saw Felicity had sent him a text.

**Felicity 11:57 AM - Mission condoms accomplished.**

**Felicity 11:57AM - You better be waiting for me naked, a rose between your teeth.**

He chuckled, quickly typing his answer.

_**Do you even have roses?** _

**Felicity 12:01PM - … damn. No I don’t. I have a ficus though.**

_**Isn’t it poisonous?** _

**Felicity 12:03PM - Ugh. It’s also a lot less sexy than a rose.**

**Felicity 12:03PM - ABORT! ABORT!**

**_So no ficus then?_ **

**Felicity 12:05PM - We’re picking up food and Dig is eating with us. Stay fully clothed. I repeat, stay fully clothed.**

**Felicity 12:05PM - You have no idea how much it pained me to write that, btw.**

**Felicity 12:07PM - The stay fully clothed part, I mean. I’m glad Dig is eating with us :)**

**Felicity 12:08PM - We’ll get to the naked part later though. I have supplies. Lots of supplies.**

_**?** _

**Felicity 12:10PM - Condoms, Oliver. I bought four boxes. We should be good.**

Oliver’s eyebrows reached his hairline. Wow. OK. Felicity had always been ambitious and very, very enthusiastic but damn… four. He would have to step up his game.

**Felicity 12:10PM - I mean, no pressure. I have an appointment with my obgyn on Tuesday but I’m not sure the pill will be effective right away... and I remember how we were when we first got together.**

Oliver smirked, remembering very well how they had gone at it like bunnies. He never had that much sex in such a short period of time and it had been absolutely amazing. Honeymoon phase at its fullest. He wasn’t sure it’d be that way again, the both of them more hesitant this time but she was right. Better be safe than sorry.

**_Alright, but now I’m naked on your bed for nothing._ **

**Felicity 12:11PM - I’m sorry? You’ll punish me later ;)**

**Felicity 12:12PM - Oops, gotta go. We’re stopping to get food at Big Belly, do you want something special?**

**_Whatever you want ;)_ **

He grinned, then after a second thought, added:

**_I love you._ **

**Felicity 12:15PM - I love you too.**

 

Oliver stared at his screen with probably the goofiest smile ever until the sleep mode kicked in. He had to focus on what he had right now, and not let his irrational fears take over.

Also, he apparently had four boxes of condoms to put to good use.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... did Oliver make it up to Felicity?  
> Well there's more to come... pun intended *wiggles eyebrows*
> 
> He is opening up a bit, trying to share and he finally saw the puzzle. I think he needs a bit of time to process this information and doesn't want to pressure felicity.
> 
> Also... bubble. He's very much in the mindset of: cuddles, making love, more cuddles, gazing at Felicity, staring at the ass and generally touching the ass, cooking for Felicity, kissing, snuggling. 
> 
> Oh, also: Felicity is good at math, OK? She is also a very responsible woman, don't worry.


	15. Pony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :D  
> Sooooo... I considered updating tomorrow but I figured with all the sneak peeks and so on, people wouldn't really care for it XD
> 
> This chapter is a bit shorter. Expect fluff and fun and smut at the end. So NSFW *but* you can still read it at work or at Church if you stop before the end :p (or listen to your inner little devil and read everything nonetheless).
> 
> Thank you so much for your support it means a lot to me :)  
> Very happy to see the enthusiasm for this sequel, and don't worry things will soon start to speed up.
> 
> Special thanks to Pidanka, loyal delta, and mysticaldetectivepanda fearless beta :)
> 
> xoxo
> 
> Song: Ginuwine - Pony

**"Pony"**  


 

I'm just a bachelor  
I'm looking for a partner  
Someone who knows how to ride  
Without even falling off

Gotta be compatible  
Takes me to my limits  
Girl when I break you off  
I promise that you won't want to get off

_[Chorus:]_  
If you're horny, let's do it  
Ride it, my pony  
My saddle's waiting  
Come and jump on it

If you're horny, let's do it  
Ride it, my pony  
My saddle's waiting  
Come and jump on it

Sitting here flossing  
Peeping your steelo  
Just once if I have the chance  
The things I will do to you  
You and your body  
Every single portion  
Send chills up and down your spine  
Juices flowing down your thigh

_[Chorus]_

If we're gonna get nasty, baby  
First we'll show and tell  
Till I reach your ponytail  
Lurk all over and through you baby  
Until we reach the stream  
You'll be on my jockey team

 

 

 

 

“I’m sorry,” Dig said once they were both in his car.

Surprised, Felicity turned her head to face him. “About…?”

“Oliver. I didn’t tell you. I didn’t like lying to you and neither did he, by the way but… I understood his reasons. I’ll be totally honest, I still understand them. Even though you had the right to know exactly why he pushed you away.”

“I… I don’t blame you. Oliver is your friend and you didn’t want to betray him. I respect that, especially since we both know he desperately needed someone he could trust and rely on. I’m glad it was you. Even though I wish he’d have come to me first, I understand that I probably wasn’t what he needed. You can understand what he went through better than me. I don’t blame you at all, I’m glad he opened up to someone.”

“You’re gonna have to be patient with him, Felicity. It’s… it’s not going to be a smooth ride. You were right. He has changed and I’m not talking about his appearance. If I can give you advice it is to not let him push you away every time. Respect his boundaries but also show him that you’re by his side… whether he likes it or not.”

“Any wisdom you’d like to share with me?” she asked with a smile.

“Choose your battles. There are things he won’t be ready to give or tell you, and things he will be afraid of. I think you know him well enough to tell the difference between them… so don’t take it personally if he doesn’t confide in you.”

She pondered his words, knowing that for now, she and Oliver were still very much in their bubble. Once they’d have to face the outside world, things were bound to change. “For now, things are… more than good. But I know it won’t last. We’re not facing anything at the moment. Just… all I’m asking from you is the same thing I asked from him. Now that I’ve been brought into the fold… don’t lie to me about this. If there is something you can’t tell me, don’t lie. Just admit you’re keeping a secret.”

“Fair enough,” Dig nodded. “Just remember that everything he has done has been out of love for you. Same goes for me.”

“And this is why you’re both still alive and in one piece,” she pointed out teasingly. “But I won’t have the same restraint in the future.”

Dig chuckled, shaking his head as he turned into the parking lot of a Walgreen’s. She had smoothly asked him to stop by, leaving the reason out. There were some things better left unsaid.

As Dig was waiting in the car, she quickly made her way to the Men’s Health Care aisle. There was quite a big selection of condoms, various brands as well as the usual lubes.

“Ribbed for her pleasure?” Felicity hummed, picking up the box. Not that she really needed the extra boost, though. She carefully placed the box back on its shelf once she saw it was only regular size. Oliver needed something a bit more… large. She was a very lucky girl, after all.

On the bottom shelf, she eventually spotted the brand she had bought the first time they had gotten together and picked up a box. Fourteen condoms.

“Mmmh.” She twitched her mouth, deep in thought, then grabbed another box, counting on her fingers. Last time they had had sex… twelve times. In technically less than 8 days. That meant one box should last them about a week.

Biting her lips, she stared at the couple of boxes in her hands then added two more, to be on the safe side.

She was about to straighten up when she saw a bottle of what seemed to be a 2 in 1 lube and massage gel. Oliver used to like her massages and maybe this could be a nice way for them to reconnect. Something slow and intimate.

Standing up, she picked up the Durex Play Sensual Massage 2 in 1, snickering when she realized that the shape was very similar to a dildo. Maybe she should just take some regular massage gel or oil, though, no need to -

“Oh, Felicity, good. I can’t remember if Oliver had used compresses when he cleaned your cut, do you...” Dig’s voice trailed off as she turned around to face him. He suddenly looked around him, frowning, apparently wondering why she was in the men’s aisle.

She gulped then, her eyes dropping to the condoms she was holding protectively against her chest and the dildo-shaped bottle of lube in her other hand. Dig’s gaze followed hers, a deeply uncomfortable expression growing on his face once he saw how she was gripping the lubricant.

“Oh my God, I’m sorry,” she blurted out, throwing everything into the basket.

_... Felicity... you don't **have** a basket._

She squeezed her eyes shut, breathing through her nose to gather enough courage to face whoever's basket she had just hijacked.

A beaming man, who was at least in his eighties, was the first thing she saw. He grinned at her, nodding approvingly at the sight of what she had dropped in his basket.

Dig looked at her, mouth agape, then covered his eyes, turning around. “I’ll… I’ll wait for you in the car.”

“I’m… I’m so sorry,” Felicity mumbled, her face a deep shade of red as she grabbed her belongings back, noticing the six bottles of moisturizer the man had apparently bought.

_Jeez, six bottles?_

Putting the lube back on its shelf, she hid the boxes in her arms as she all but ran away from the man who was trying to invite her to dinner. To say that she was extremely reluctant to face Dig was putting it mildly. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know that she and Oliver were sexually active, or couldn’t guess they would have picked up right away, but still. He had caught her red-handed with four - four! - boxes of condoms and what looked like a sex toy.

_He must think I’m planning to cure Oliver of his PTSD by banging him brainless._

When she finally stepped outside the pharmacy, he was waiting for her behind the wheel, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

She sheepishly sat down, her hands playing with the strap of her purse. “Hum… just so you know it wasn’t a… a...” She bit her lips, knowing whatever word she could use would only make things worse.

“Let’s never mention this again,” Dig said quietly as he started the car.

 

They didn’t make eye contact until they were driving back to their building, almost two hours later, with two bags of take-out from Big Belly waiting on the backseat.

“Are you sure you’re gonna manage?” Dig asked her as they unloaded the car.

“Yup,” she answered, slipping a third bag around her forearm before grabbing the one that held their lunch in her other hand. “I can do this.”

They quickly made their way to the entrance of their building, Diggle continuing to his floor to put his own groceries in the fridge while she walked to her own apartment. Her hands full, she knocked on the door, waiting patiently until Oliver let her in. His eyes widened in surprise before taking the bags from her.

“Dig will be there in a minute,” she told him after a quick kiss, setting their food on the dining table. Oliver was already in the kitchen, storing away what she had bought. She followed him, grabbing a glass and filling it with water before opening her purse, fishing for one of the small boxes she had bought at the pharmacy. She opened it up, then pressed the pill in the palm of her hand, swallowing it with a gulp of water. Oliver looked at her, a cantaloupe in one hand and a pack of cheese in the other and she almost choked at the confusion in his eyes.

“Plan B,” she winked before opening the cupboard underneath the sink and throwing away the empty package. “Just to make sure.”

“Oh,” he said, his eyes dropping to what he was still holding in his hands. He seemed to finally shake out of his trance as he stored them in the fridge before emptying another bag. “And is it… is it OK to use that?”

“Yeah. It’s like the pill only… for emergencies.”

“You’ve used it before?”

“No,” she replied as she brought two bottles of beer and her glass of water to the dining table. Oliver followed her, rubbing the back of his neck and she frowned, wondering what had gotten into him all of a sudden. “OK, we have about one and a half minute before Dig knocks on this door. What’s wrong?”

“Just… I hadn’t realized you were talking about the morning-after pill when you said you were going to take care of it. I thought you just meant we’d use condoms from now on.”

“Yeah, that too, but using condoms now isn’t going to guarantee I didn't get pregnant from the sex we had last night.”

“If it had happened three years ago would you… would you have also taken that pill?” he asked, his eyes avoiding hers.

Her heart sank at the question he wasn’t asking. “Oliver. If this had happened three years ago, when I was barely 21 and had started a new job, I wouldn’t have waited until the next morning. I would have run to the nearest drugstore as soon as possible. This… this is not because of you. I don’t want kids right now. Do you?”

“... No. It wouldn’t be right.”

“Exactly,” she whispered, cradling his face between her hands. “I just want to make sure we don’t have to face an unplanned pregnancy on top of everything else. But one day, I know that this might happen again and I won’t feel the need to run to the nearest drugstore.”

“OK,” he nodded with a small smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pressure you. I was just… I was just wondering.”

“It’s OK,” she grinned. “I remember you were very enthusiastic at the prospect before. But I’d very much like to conquer the world first if you don’t mind.”

He chuckled, dropping a kiss on her forehead. “Fair enough.”

A knock on the door interrupted them and as Oliver went to open it she sat down, unpacking their lunch. Oliver sat by her side, Dig opposite them with the second bag of food.

“Cheeseburger for me,” Felicity chirped as she unloaded the bags, “double bacon cheeseburger for you aaaaand bacon BBQ for Dig.”

She waited until Dig had given Oliver his extra fries and set the onion rings in the center of the table, the smell of food already making her mouth water. She cast a small glance at Oliver, who was munching on a couple of fries, the sour expression on his face gone as he started to talk about baseball with Dig. She still wasn’t quite sure what had brought up his insecurities but she had a strong suspicion it was directly linked to how difficult it was for him to see a future for himself - and therefore for them as well. She was relieved to see it hadn’t seemed to run any deeper than that, but knew they would probably have to talk about it at some point. Yet another topic to add to the long list of things they needed to discuss.

Communication really was the key to any relationship but especially when you had spent three years apart.

She knew it wouldn’t be easy, and that their struggles would be much more complicated than couples usually faced. She could see how sometimes his eyes were drifting away, putting some distance between them, reverting to his instincts and she had seen the scars he bore. Even though she had known he had suffered mentally, seeing the proof on his body as well had been sobering. Someone had hurt him and judging by some of the scars, it had been done on purpose. It had been such a close call, thinking that she might have never gotten him back, the trauma he had been through damaging some parts of himself she wasn’t sure he’d ever get back.

Grabbing her burger, she took a big bite, distractedly listening to some random statistics about home runs. She didn’t mind not being a part of their conversation, perfectly happy to hear Oliver’s voice, knowing it was something she would probably never get tired of. She grabbed an onion ring, eating half of it and putting it down on her plate before taking a sip of water. Putting her glass down, she was about to take another bite when her eyes were attracted by Oliver opening his burger. She was about to ask if something was wrong with it when he just fished out the three small slices of pickle and put them on her plate, not even glancing at her once as if he had done it out of habit more than anything else. He licked his fingers clean, chuckling at something Dig said, completely unaware of what he had awoken in her. A big lump in her throat, she gulped, the gesture oh so familiar, a habit he had taken so early, way before they had even started dating. He had always complained about how she would steal his fries, but at the same time always gave her his pickles, knowing she was borderline addicted to them. It felt so… weird, to see those three slices lying innocently on her plate, Oliver apparently oblivious to what he had done, unaware that no one had ever done that for her again ever since he went missing, because no one had really paid attention to the things she liked the way he always had.

Truth be told, she had forgotten. She had forgotten that adorable habit of his, one of so, so many he had, and it hurt her deeply to realize that without even being conscious of it, she had slowly started to forget him. How many other things would she have had to live without if he hadn’t come back? How many little attentions she had slowly but surely taken for granted, then eventually forgotten, despite how much they had made her smile? All those little details had been what had made her feel special to him.

Her appetite suddenly gone, she put down her burger and wiped her hands before mumbling an apology and heading to the bathroom.

She washed her hands then, letting the cool water run on the inside of her wrists, an old trick of hers whenever she felt nervous or overwhelmed. Sniffling, she eventually turned it off and dried her hands on a towel before closing the toilet lid and sitting down, tearing some toilet paper to blow her nose.

It was ridiculous. Who cried over some stupid pickles?! They weren't even home-made for God's sake!

Eventually she heard a small scratching sound at the door, followed by Oliver’s concerned voice. “Felicity? Are you OK?”

“Yes. Yes I’m fine,” she replied, blowing her nose one last time.

There was a pause then Oliver asked, “can I come in?”

She bit her lips, not wanting him to see her so… emotional, but at the same time knew that it wouldn’t be right to hide herself from him, while asking him to open up. “Yes.”

The door opened slowly, until Oliver’s worried face appeared. “What’s wrong? We just finished our meal. Are you feeling sick?”

She shook her head, a trembling smile on her lips.

“Oh, baby, what’s going on?” he asked softly, walking inside the room and closing the door behind him. He kneeled in front of her, his hands resting on her lap.

Her throat tight, she shrugged then eventually breathed, “you gave me your pickles,” before her chin started to tremble again.

Oliver looked at her in confusion, then blinked several times. “I’m really sorry?” he eventually asked hesitantly.

“I forgot you used to give me your pickles, Oliver. I just… you know, every time you did, I got the tingles in my belly. I used to pretend it was nothing, just me being happy that Oliver Queen, playboy of the year for the fifth time in a row, was probably seeing me differently, but… it wasn’t true. I was just falling in love with you little by little and every time you were doing that, or bringing my favorite latte, or destroying a fax machine or probably a dozen other things, it was just something… something just between us. And I forgot. I forgot about those tingles, I forgot how it felt to have someone who notices those little things I like while you… you still remember.”

Oliver delicately brushed a tear from her cheek before grabbing her hand, holding it tight. “Why did you get me a bacon cheeseburger?”

“It’s your favorite,” she replied automatically.

“Why did you put my bag on the left side of the bed yesterday?”

“That’s where you sleep.”

“How did you know there was something bothering me earlier about the pill?”

“You rubbed the back of your neck,” she answered with a watery smile, sensing where he was heading with his questions.

“Why did you buy a cantaloupe?”

“It’s the fruit you prefer for breakfast.”

“And how do you know that?” He grinned, his hand rubbing her thigh in a soothing pattern.

“Because you always ordered it when we went on our business trip for QC.”

“See? You didn’t forget about me, honey,” he whispered, his eyes soft and warm.

She nodded, accepting the toilet paper he was handing her and drying her cheeks.

“What do you think of reheating your plate and eating on the couch, in front of the TV? I’ll even let you watch Dr Who without complaining.”

“I think it’s one of the best ideas you’ve ever had,” she grinned as they stood up. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I reacted that way. You’ve been through so much worse and-”

“Shhh,” he interrupted her with a finger on her lips. “I know those last months have been tough on you and I clearly didn’t help.”

Entwining their fingers, he led her to the living room where she was surprised to see that Dig was gone.

Answering her before she could even ask her question, Oliver explained, “he told me to call him if we needed him. I think those four boxes of condoms traumatized him. Now go sit on the couch, I’ll bring your food.”

With a smile, she took off her shoes, dropping them by the door, and snuggled in the corner of her couch, near the small table. Turning the TV on, she smiled when she saw that Oliver had been watching the cooking channel and shook her head, zapping until she found old reruns of the A-Team. Oliver brought her glass of water and a few napkins then her plate with most of her burger, several onion rings and a handful of fries… as well as the three pickles. She smiled in gratitude as she sat cross-legged, her stomach growling. She finished her meal in record time, then put her plate on the coffee table and grabbed a blanket before snuggling in Oliver’s arms. She let out a deep, happy sigh as his arms circled her, her hand slipping underneath his henley, caressing his flat stomach absentmindedly. Oliver eventually put his feet up on the coffee table and it barely took two minutes for Felicity to have her attention drifting from the television to his toes. Oliver had big feet, which wasn’t surprising since he also had a big… well. Everything was very well proportioned. She had never really paid attention before to how attractive a man’s feet could be. Unless it was only Oliver’s feet. Which was actually more than probable. She didn’t even realize her fingers had wandered near the button of his pants, sliding underneath the belt and grazing the small trail of hair until Oliver shifted underneath her, clearing his throat.

One quick glance and she was smirking at the sight of the visible bulge growing on the front of his jeans. Unable to resist, she palmed him, feeling him growing in her hand.

“Felicity,” he hissed, his hips bucking.

“Shhh,” she answered before straightening up and straddling him. Her mouth was on his before he had the time to say anything else and judging by the way he gripped her waist, his thumb stroking the small patch of naked skin between her top and the overalls, he wasn’t about to complain anyway. The fire grew much quicker than it had last night in her room and soon enough, Oliver’s shirt was flying across the room, her hands roaming all over his chest. Their lips locking again, he blindly reached for the shoulder straps of her overalls, opening them and as soon as she pulled away to catch her breath, her top was joining his. She could feel him underneath her, hard and ready for her and she knew they wouldn’t last long. Before she lost her mind, she quickly got up, ignoring Oliver’s protests and rushed to the kitchen, fishing for a box of condoms in her purse. She didn’t want to risk it a third time.

She was back in the blink of an eye, dropping the box on the couch beside Oliver but before she had the time to go back in his arms, he leaned forward, his arms circling her waist as he nuzzled her stomach. She laced through his hair while he peppered kisses over her belly, his hand slipping underneath her panties to knead her backside.

Her breathing shortened, the feel of his rough stubble against her skin electrifying her in the best possible way.

Resting his chin against her belly button, he raised his eyes until he could meet hers and she smiled, stroking his jaw, savoring the way he leaned into her touch, his eyes fluttering closed. With one last kiss on her stomach, he slowly turned her around, then unbuttoned the sides of her pants. Rolling her hips, she shimmied out of them, knowing the small lacy thong she had picked out in the morning would probably meet his approval.

She was proved right two seconds later when the pants dropped around her ankles and Oliver let out a groan, his hands landing roughly on the cheeks of her ass.

“Jesus Christ,” he whispered, massaging the soft flesh, tracing the hem of the tiny panties with his fingertips.

The loud smack that echoed in the room startled her as much as the sudden burn on her butt. It took her a few seconds to realize he had spanked her, not brutally at all, but enough to cause a flash of heat on her skin.

“You said I could punish you,” Oliver murmured, the words almost muffled as he pressed his lips against the other cheek.

She yelped when he bit down on the flesh, then relaxed when his tongue soothed the ache.

_Wow._

She rubbed her thighs together, the small pain only making her more hungry for him.

Oliver’s lips started to travel all over her backside while one of his hands sneaked around her waist, resting over her mound until she slightly widened her stance, just enough to allow him to slip his palm between her legs. He pressed hard and she pushed her butt against his lips in reaction, meeting his groan of approval.

“Take off your bra,” he ordered, trailing kisses from the small of her back to her flank.

Obediently, she did as he told, her arms reaching behind her back before she even realized what she was doing. The lacy fabric slipping across her nipples as she took it off made her sigh, the small friction making the little buds even harder.

Oliver’s hand started to rub between her thighs, slowly, leisurely, stoking the heat until she was moaning out loud, the need in her core growing too big for her to keep silent. She was already wet and Oliver’s softs words of encouragement were only turning her on even more.

All of a sudden, his hand left her and she keened at the loss of contact, her thighs squeezing automatically to bring some pressure back. His fingers slipped underneath the small strips of fabric on her hips then slowly pulled down until the underwear was rolled up underneath her ass. His hands then circled her thighs, pushing the fabric lower and lower until it eventually fell on the ground, over the pants that were still around her feet. She moved then, turning around just in time to see Oliver opening his belt and the buttons of his pants, shoving them down with his underwear until they passed his knees. He kicked out of them then grabbed a condom from the box and tore the small foil package open, sheathing himself. He grabbed her hand, staring at her, and pulled on her arm until one of her knees rested on the sofa by his thigh.

“Ride me,” he said, his hand pressing on her ass until she was straddling him. She was slightly higher than him in that position, her knees slipping on the fabric of the cushions until she was pressed against his length. She moaned, closing her eyes when she felt him there and couldn’t help but roll her hips, sliding up and down the heavy shaft, coating it with her juices. The swollen head of his cock bumped against her clit and she gripped his shoulders to keep her balance. Oliver’s breathing was ragged and she opened her eyes, meeting his. He was staring at her, his gaze hungry and impatient and she nodded before shifting back a few inches, enough to slip a hand between them and hold him in place while she sank down on his length.

Her groan mirrored his when she felt him stretching her walls, his hands tightening around the globes of her ass as he guided her movements. She slid up, then down again, savoring the way he felt inside her then reached out for the back of the couch, gripping it tightly as she started to move, her rhythm quickly gaining speed as the fire inside her started to spread.

One of Oliver’s hands left her backside and he presented two fingers in front her mouth, pressing against her lips. Automatically, she sucked on them, noticing the way his eyes darkened visibly when she circled them with her tongue, imagining she was playing with something much, much bigger. Soon. Very soon.

He slipped his fingers out of her mouth and wedged them between their bodies until he reached her sex. He gently pressed against her clitoris, rolling the little bud delicately, the flash of pleasure causing her to slam down on his cock, her nails digging into the back of the couch as she started to ride him harder, little mewls escaping her lips as her pleasure started to build.

Desperate to taste him, she kissed him, her hair falling around their faces as their tongues battled for dominance.

Their lips parted when she gasped suddenly, the wave she was riding taking her higher and higher, the coil of pressure in her core growing impossibly tight.

She bit her lips, sliding up and falling back down on him faster, harder, Oliver’s fingers coaxing her closer and closer until one stroke finally pushed her over the edge.

“Oh… oh… ooooh,” she panted, wincing in pleasure as she fell head first into her orgasm, savoring the slides of heat in her core, the way her walls were tightening around him. Out of breath, she sagged in his arms, her thighs burning.

His fingers left her as he circled her waist, lifting her and rotating them until she was on her back, Oliver still inside her. Her thighs fell open on the couch, too numb to cling to him as he started to push inside her, his head buried in the crook of her neck.

One of his hands was still holding her ass, pushing her up to meet his thrusts, and all she could do was circle his shoulders with her arms and hold onto him as he sought his own relief. His hips were slamming into her, his pace furious, his hunger betrayed by the muffled grunts in her ear.

He came with a low groan, pressing himself against her, thrusting a couple more times as he rode his own wave of pleasure.

He eventually let go of her butt and shifted until they were both on their sides, their hearts beating wildly. She kissed him softly, her hand traveling across his chest, damp with his sweat as he tried to catch his breath.

“I am so going down on you next time,” he breathed, his finger pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

She grinned, remembering very well how incredibly good Oliver was at that. “I definitely won’t complain.”

With one last kiss, he pulled out of her then tied the condom, dropping it on the floor, and grabbed the blanket to drape over them.

She yawned, stretching her limbs, smiling at the soreness she felt in all the right places.

“Nap?” he asked as she curled up against him.

“Mmhmmh,” she nodded, her eyes already closing.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...?
> 
> What did you think? Hope you liked the condom scene from Felicity's POV ;)  
> Not much really happened in terms of plot... but it felt good to write something a bit lighter :)
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi!


	16. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :)  
> So... smut at the end, NSFW.  
> OTA before that though and things are moving along...
> 
> Song: I don't want to miss a thing - Aerosmith
> 
> SPecial thanks to pidanka and mysticaltedectivepanda <3

**"I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"**  


 

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping  
While you're far away and dreaming  
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender  
I could stay lost in this moment forever  
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure

Don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream would never do  
I'd still miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you feeling your heart beating  
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming,  
Wondering if it's me you're seeing  
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together  
And I just wanna stay with you  
In this moment forever, forever and ever

I don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream would never do  
I'd still miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna miss one smile  
I don't wanna miss one kiss  
Well, I just wanna be with you  
Right here with you, just like this

I just wanna hold you close  
I feel your heart so close to mine  
And just stay here in this moment  
For all the rest of time, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Don't wanna close my eyes  
Don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream would never do  
I'd still miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream would never do  
and I'd still miss you, baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep, yeah  
I don't wanna miss a thing  
I don't wanna miss a thing

 

 

 

 

She was awoken less than an hour later by an alert coming from her phone.

“Don’t move,” Oliver whispered before climbing over her. She heard him open the trash can in the kitchen, probably throwing the used condom away, then he was back, carrying her purse where the beeping sound was still coming from.

Groaning, she sat up, rubbing her eyes and she turned it off. “Algorithm reporting for duty,” she explained with a yawn. Damn, she wouldn’t have minded another thirty minutes of sleep.

“Should we head to the foundry?” Oliver asked, his voice neutral. She turned her head to face him, her eyes narrowing. There was something in the way he was looking at her, as if he was holding onto something but she didn’t know what.

“Well we can also stay here. I can get the results on my own laptop if you prefer?” she asked, wondering if her suspicions were right.

The flicker of relief that passed on his face confirmed that there was indeed something going on. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

“Is there a reason why you’d rather we stay here instead of heading to the foundry?”

“No… just… we’re safe here,” he shrugged. “Might as well stay inside.”

She could sense there was something more going on, and it probably had to do with the fact that he had left the world outside her apartment. Here it was comfortable, familiar, a place he knew very well, surroundings he could control. Maybe the way he had been relaxing in the last 24 hours had more to do with the fact that he was in a place where he could actually lower his guard, more than anything else. Either way, Oliver needed a break and if she could offer him that, she would. Even though she could tell that at some point they would have to face the outside world and that it might cause some friction between them.

“I should get dressed,” she said, knowing that for now they had other things to attend to. She was about to get up when she realized she still had her socks on. Giggling, she wiggled her toes, shaking her head. “And I thought I was doing a number on you with my sexy lingerie.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh as he glanced at her feet, his hand stroking her thigh. “I only noticed the lack of freezing toes on my calves.”

“Did you sleep?” she asked.

“No. But those were some very good episodes of the A-Team,” he smiled reassuringly. “And it felt good to tune out a bit.”

With one small peck on his cheek, she stood up, picking up her clothes, then made her way to the bedroom. She got dressed, tying her hair and when she was back in the living room, she saw that Oliver had tidied the room and was fully clothed as well.

_Mmmhh… that henley…_

She forced her eyes away from the way the deep grey shirt was clinging to his figure, showcasing his strong forearms. She could tell her lust for him was awakening once more, so similar to how it had felt the first time. Now that he was with her, by her side, it was as if her heart was satisfied, and her body was now asking for its turn. She had three years of Oliver-induced orgasms to catch up on, after all.

All in due time. All in due time.

“Call Dig,” she told him as she cleared her dining table, setting her laptop and her tablet on it. It took her a few minutes to access the information her searches had found and by the time Dig was knocking on her door, she had already launched a scan to find out the common guests at each event.

“I am printing the list of all the events that Robert went to. We found all of them now,” she told him as soon as he sat down. Oliver was making coffee, and it made her smile to see him bring her a cup. He winked at her as he put the mug down, probably remembering how, back when she was still his assistant, he had been the one to bring her coffee and not the other way around.

“We have several galas, two openings for new buildings, a few charity dinners, three receptions to celebrate whatever achievements. They happened in different places, organized by at least four different event planners. All were in Starling, though. Or around Starling.”

“Why are some marked down in his agenda and others are not?” Dig asked.

“I wondered about that too. Oliver?”

“I’m not surprised. Usually, my mom took care of that, she was the one who noted down everything in her own agenda. The ones we will find in my dad’s papers are the ones he was supposed to attend as CEO. The other ones were as Robert Queen and it’s not surprising they’re not in his professional agenda.”

“I am making several lists of the attendees. The first list will be the people who attended all of the events, then the second one will be those who attended all of the events but one, and so on and so on,” Felicity explained as several tabs began to pop up on her screen. “I don’t think we should only focus on those who were always there, because accidents can happen. But at least it will give us a clear idea of the usual crowd.”

Felicity stood up, walking to the printer and snatching a few papers where all the events had been listed, along with a bit of information for each - date, place, occasion, event planner, and so on. She handed them to Oliver, adding, “see if anything rings a bell?”

As the printer started to work again, she went to pick up the first list of guests. Unsurprisingly, Robert Queen was the first name she saw.

“There’s a bunch of people I never heard of here, but also a few familiar names,” she mumbled, her eyes scanning through the documents. “Including Isabel. Well. Long time no see, Ms Rochev. She was one of my main suspects a few months ago,” she explained when she saw Oliver’s eyes widening in surprise.

“Was? Did you find anything?”

“No. She’s been very quiet. Went back to work for her old company only recently. That doesn’t mean she has nothing to do with this, though.”

While Felicity started to search for any other unusual event in Starling the last three years, Oliver and Dig were cross-checking the lists she had pulled out, the three of them working mostly in silence, the TV as the only background sound in the room.

“Wait a second,” Dig said eventually, dropping his papers to flip through what had turned into an impressive pile of notes. “Those events, by who were they planned?”

Felicity frowned, standing up from her seat. “I made sure the event planners were all added in what I gave you.”

“No. Those are the event planners. But who was behind that? Who hired those people? Because if I remember correctly, the gala for Children of the Glades was organized by QC. I was there as extra security for you, Oliver.”

Oliver furrowed his brow as he obviously searched his memory. “Was that the one when I got caught with one of the benefactors’ wife in the ladies room?” He asked, scratching his head. Apparently realizing what he had said he turned to Felicity, his cheeks flaming up. “That was… way before you. I mean… at least a year before my dad died.”

Raising her eyebrows, she glared at him. “Really. In the ladies room? God, you were such a douche back then. At least take her to the limo or something.”

“Yeah… that’s the one. Hard to forget,” Dig smirked. “Also, as the driver of said limo, thank you for picking the bathroom.”

“Anytime.”

“Excuse me?” Felicity asked, perking an eyebrow.

Oliver gulped, adding, “metaphorically speaking, I mean.”

Dig looked at them, chuckling. “Anyway, my point is that we should compare the organizers with the lists. If they used it as cover, chances are they made sure everyone had the right invitations. So we should add them as well and first focus on them.”

 

One hour later, they had a list of thirty names.

Felicity pouted when she saw that apart from Robert, there was also the deputy mayor, the police captain, at least a dozen CEOs and philanthropists, and a few other members of the high society. Some were familiar, others not. Some had passed away and Felicity knew she’d have to search for the circumstances of their deaths as well.

“Oliver…” Felicity whispered, knowing he wouldn’t like what she was about to say. There was something quite obvious in that list of names, and she knew he must have caught it too.

“Yes?” he asked her, his eyes still fixed on the list.

“... all those people are established members of Starling’s elite. There is no one… self made here.” 

“Yes… which makes sense since it has started about four years ago.”

Felicity exchanged a glance with Dig and she knew right away he was on the same page.

“I’ve met most of those people when I worked at QC. I still do, but… not as often as those galas and receptions seem to suggest,” she explained slowly. “Despite my position at PT, I don’t… I don’t seem to be part of that circle. It really is… old-fashioned high society. Old money.”

“Yes… so?” Oliver asked, obviously confused about her train of thoughts.

“Oliver,” Dig interrupted with a small nod, letting her know he was taking it from there. “Those people belong in the same circle as you, Oliver Queen. If you want to find out more about them… you’re gonna have to mingle.”

“What do you mean? My family is already involved.”

“No. You’re gonna have to get involved yourself. You’re observing things from the outside right now. You need to make them suspicious if you want to get on their radar. Like Felicity did.”

“So, I go and ask questions? I’m already going to the private agency so…”

“Yes. But that might only lead you to another impasse. You need to get in the inside.”

“Oliver,” Felicity continued, her hand covering his. “What we’re trying to say is that… from the outside, we get leads. But as long as you stay outside of their circle, it’s going to take us forever to figure it out. You should go to the reception on Saturday. Ask questions, drop hints. See who reacts, see who doesn’t. You’re good at reading people.”

She could see he was battling with himself, but eventually Oliver nodded. “You’re right. I have to poke the bear.”

“I’ll come with you, you won’t be alone,” she smiled reassuringly.

“No,” he stated, raising a finger. “No way.”

“Oliver…”

“No, Dig. That is out of the question.”

“Oliver, I am already invited. I am representing PT,” Felicity tried to placate him.

“Then cancel.”

“I can’t do that, Ray isn’t there,” she frowned. It was part of her responsibilities to represent the company. She had already accepted the invitation and she wouldn’t back down on that.

“Man, I’ll go with you as your bodyguard. Felicity will go as a guest, and you guys won’t have to interact. All that tension between you will only convince people you guys haven’t rekindled anyway. It will be far more suspicious if Felicity cancels.”

“Tension?” she asked, surprised.

“Those four boxes in your purse, what else do you call that?” Dig deadpanned and she blushed furiously under his stare.

_Fair enough. Sexual tension **is** a kind of tension after all._

 

***

 

Dig left shortly afterwards. There was still a tension in the air, a tension Oliver was fully aware was mostly because of him.

He sighed as he looked at Felicity who was washing the mugs they had used, knowing she hadn’t really appreciated his comments. Standing up, he made his way to the kitchen, only stopping once he was behind her. Circling her waist with his arms, he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to order you around.”

“It’s OK, Oliver. I don’t mind that, I am bossy enough myself as it is. But Palmer Tech is my job. And even if it makes you uncomfortable for the two of us to be there, I still have to go. It’s my responsibility.”

“I know. I just… I’m mostly afraid I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself.”

Felicity relaxed in his arms, leaning back against him as a small laugh escaped her. “Now, really? You’re gonna have to work on your self-control, Mister Queen.”

“I’ll show you about self-control, Miss Smoak,” he murmured in her ear before pressing a kiss on her neck. “Although I would really appreciate it if you didn’t wear that gold dress.”

“The short one? From the first time I went to the mansion?”

“Yes. That one,” he breathed dreamily, still remembering the way the fabric was clinging to her curves. She had started to work for him a couple of weeks earlier and despite a certain affection, he had never really seen her as a… woman. After that reception, though, it had been quite impossible to just see her as his assistant. God knew he had tried.

“I can’t believe you still remember it,” she grinned, turning into his arms.

“I’ll remember that dress in my next life,” he stated confidently, his hands travelling south on her body. “You have no idea of all the things I want to do to you while you wear that dress. Your ass looked like a piece of art. The Mona Lisa of paintings.”

Felicity giggled. "You're so poetic, Mister Queen. I’ll have to wear it again, then. But don’t worry, it’s absolutely not appropriate for Saturday. Although… that reminds me… you’re gonna wear your suspenders?”

“Hum… probably?” Oliver frowned, wondering what his suspenders had to do with her wardrobe.

“I really, really like you in suspenders,” she murmured, her fingers stroking the back of his neck. “I think we’re gonna have a good time after that reception.”

“Really?” he asked, amused. “What’s with my suspenders?”

Felicity blushed furiously and he smirked, knowing he would stop at nothing until he figured out exactly what was going on in her mind. Hopefully, he’ll get a few clues on Saturday. And suddenly… that reception seemed much more appealing to him.

After one small kiss on his jaw, Felicity stepped out of his embrace, muffling a yawn. He had noticed the dark circles underneath her eyes, something Dig had told him had a lot to do with her lack of sleep lately.

“Why don’t you take another nap? We still have at least two hours before dinner,” he offered as he followed her into the living room.

With a small pout, she shook her head. “I’d like to work a bit. I usually check the weekly reports on Saturday afternoons but…”

_But we had sex and you fell asleep. And then we focused on something different._

“You told me you were taking a few days off. You could do it later,” he insisted, knowing she needed to slow down a bit.

Biting her lips, Felicity tilted her head, obviously conflicted. “I don’t want to sleep while you’re here,” she eventually mumbled, playing with the hem of his henley.

Oliver perked an eyebrow, his interest piqued. Well, if she really wanted to, he could think of several things to keep her busy…

“I’d rather get ahead on work,” she said, stepping out of his embrace.

… or not.

“You can watch TV if you want to, I don’t mind the background sound,” she threw over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner of the kitchen and into what she called her office - in reality the side of her living-room that was partly hidden by the kitchen.

By the time he finally decided to move, Felicity was already sitting in front of her desk computer, a mug of tea next to her.

Grabbing her laptop, he plopped on the couch, deciding he might as well look into what had happened with the family company while he had been away so he wouldn’t completely feel out of the loop on Saturday. He closed the laptop two hours later, his mind processing everything he had read. At least he felt less ignorant now, and more confident in his abilities to play the part convincingly.

As it was already past dinner time, and seeing that Felicity was still deep in her work, he made his way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he pulled out their leftovers from the night before. Checking their contents, he saw they still had one helping of eggplant parmesan, some lemon grilled chicken, pasta bolognese and two big cannellonis with ricotta and spinach. With a nice salad, it would be more than enough for the two of them.

Taking care of the mess on her dining table took a bit longer, and by the time he had set the table, Felicity had joined him.

Swapping one container in the microwave for another, he took a knife and a chopping board while Felicity hopped on the counter, observing him. He had found some cherry tomatoes as well as a cucumber in the fridge and they would do nicely with the pack of lettuce Felicity had bought as well.

“Can I do something?” she eventually asked as he was washing the vegetables.

Oliver smiled, drying his hands on a towel. “Yes. Talk to me.”

“Talk to you?” she repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Usually people ask me to stop talking, not the other way around.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. Something that happened while I was away,” he explained gently as he started to cut slices of cucumbers.

Felicity frowned as if she was in deep reflection, then eventually nodded. “Alright. I met Robert De Niro in New York. My mom tried to hook me up with the son of one of her friends, thinking we would be a good match because, and I quote, we were both allergic to nuts. I’ve kept touch with Sara who has been traveling the world, by the way.”

“You didn’t move away,” Oliver said softly as she stole a slice of cucumber when he poured them into the salad bowl.

She paused, then quickly gathered her bearings. “No, I didn’t.”

“Why?”

“... it’s my first real home. When I came back, I just wanted to feel at home. I had just been promoted to Vice-President and this mountain of responsibilities dropped on me… moving out wasn’t even on my mind. And…” she trailed off, lowering her eyes.

“... and?” he prompted her, handing her another slice of cucumber.

“Almost all the memories I had of you were in here. I couldn’t… I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them.”

He noticed she didn’t mention the puzzle, and he didn’t push her. He grabbed a handful of cherry tomatoes, slicing them in halves before dropping them in the salad bowl as well. Felicity took the second container out of the microwave, replacing it with yet another one.

“Your turn,” she said. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Focusing his attention on the lettuce he was pouring over the tomatoes and cucumbers, Oliver mentally went through those three years. There was very little he wanted to share with her. Or to share with anyone, actually.

In the end, he focused on one of the only good things that had happened to him. “I learned how to use a bow.”

“... what?” Felicity asked, grinning. “Like a real bow? With arrows?”

“Yes. It’s one of the only weapons you can make yourself. Very useful for hunting.”

“You do know I always had a little crush on Robin Hood, right?”

Oliver smirked as he poured dressing over the salad. “Don’t expect me to start wearing green tights, though.”

“Oh,” she pouted, her shoulders slumping. “The sexiest part of Robin.”

He playfully pinched her thigh. “Behave.”

“Seriously though… how did you learn?”

“On the island. One of the men who was there used to be an archer. He taught me. It kept me busy.”

“Are you good?”

“I’m decent. Good enough to be able to kill wild game... well at least the ones that didn't move too fast. He was excellent, though. Also I haven’t used a bow in more than a year, so I’m probably rusty.”

“Wow.”

Oliver lowered his henley, showing her the scar he had underneath his right shoulder. “He also gave me that scar.”

“Wait… what? I thought he taught you…?”

“Eventually, yes. Consider this as a very rough teaching method,” Oliver chuckled. He could see she had questions, but for now he didn’t want to ruin the mood. “Your turn?” he added as the microwave pinged.

“Well… I still don’t know how to use chopsticks,” she said in a small voice, hopping off the counter. “Dig tried to teach me but then he gave up.”

“How is that even possible?” Oliver snorted, shaking his head. “I’m gonna have to give you private lessons.”

“I’d rather you gave me private lessons in other areas if you don’t mind,” she cheekily said, walking past him and bumping her hip against him.

_Oh baby… you’re in._

 

They kept sharing stories during their meal. Oliver only telling her about a few details, Felicity taking the time to explain everything and answering his questions. She didn’t complain once, didn’t push him either even though he knew it wasn’t fair to be dying to hear about every little thing about her while he had been gone and be so closed up concerning his own experience. She told him about Ray’s wife, how she had supported him after her death, shouldering more and more responsibilities. In return, he shared the fate of Yao Fei, the one who had taught him how to use a bow and also the only one who hadn’t made it off of the island. By the time they were done, they had moved back to a lighter topic, namely Felicity’s newest project concerning medical applications. If he was totally honest, he lost track of what she was saying after the second sentence, her technical jargon going way above his head, but seeing her so enthusiastic and full of life more than made up for it.

In the end, he was confident he knew more about Palmer Tech than Queen Consolidated. After Felicity had taken a quick shower, they snuggled in front of the TV, sharing a plate of sliced apples for dessert. His hand was lazily stroking her leg, the skin so soft underneath his palm, glowing in the dim light of the candles.

Teasingly, he played with her toes until she squirmed in his lap and hid her feet underneath the blanket she had draped over her small frame.

“It tickles,” she mumbled, handing him a slice of apple. He bit a piece, watching her as she popped the rest in her mouth, her lips red and so, so tempting. Sliding his hand underneath the blanket, he let his fingers travel north until they reached the top of her thigh, taking full advantage of the fact that she was only wearing his shirt. Again. He hadn’t realized how many clothes of his she had kept and seeing how she had insisted on washing the ones he had worn, he suspected she probably wouldn’t run out of them anytime soon.

Not that he minded.

Ignoring what was happening on the screen, he quietly observed her. She was munching on apples absentmindedly, occasionally offering him a piece of fruit, her tongue peeking out to lick the juice every now and then. How could something as mundane as eating a snack be so hot? All he could think about was her devilish mouth, how it felt to kiss her, the way she could take his breath away so easily.

She presented another slice to his mouth and he shook his head, too mesmerized by the way her teeth bit into the fruit.

“Not hungry anymore?”

_Baby… I’m starving._

He cleared his throat, forcing an answer. “Not really. Not for that.”

“You want something else?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “I have cookies and yogurt.”

“No,” he whispered before leaning in, unable to resist any longer. Her mouth was sweet and fresh, the taste of apple exploding on his tongue. She let out a small moan, her hand reaching out for his hair as she shifted on his lap. As he deepened the kiss, he tried to move the plate out of her grip but she resisted. Leaning away from him, she whispered,  "just because you’re not hungry doesn't mean that I have to stop eating.” He saw the little glimmer in her eyes and he couldn’t help but smirk. She wanted to play.

He loved to play.

“Fair enough,” he murmured, grabbing a slice of apple and bringing it to her lips, tracing the fruit on the red flesh then eventually slipping it inside her mouth. He did his best to ignore the mental picture that the movement awoke in his mind, trying to not think about how it felt to be between those lips, but the way she delicately pressed her teeth on the fruit made him realize she probably was doing it on purpose.

Little vixen.

She moaned as she swallowed and the sound went straight to his cock.

“Felicity…”

“The plate is not empty, Oliver,” she answered teasingly before suckling on a slice.

He gulped, his eyes fixed on what she was doing, his hand now traveling to the inside of her thighs. She squeezed her legs together, but he still managed to wiggle his fingers, stopping when he felt naked skin where he should have felt fabric.

“Felicity Smoak,” he grinned. “No panties?”

She pinched her lips, a small blush invading her cheeks.

“You’re only making it easier for me, you know,” he breathed, gently coaxing her legs open for him. He teased her, only using the tip of his fingers, barely grazing the sensitive skin until she was literally squirming in his lap.

Still, she didn’t want to admit defeat, holding the plate firmly when he tried to take it away once again.

He looked at her, seeing the stubborn expression on her face as well as the amused smile stretching her lips.

_Game on._

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pushed her back on the sofa, quickly standing up, forcing himself to ignore the obvious tent in his jeans. She didn’t though, her teasing smile turning into a downright proud smirk as she glanced at his crotch.

Leaning, he slipped an arm underneath her thighs and the other behind her back, lifting her up in one go.

“Hold on to that plate, honey,” he said as he made his way to her bedroom. He pushed the door open with his shoulder then carefully put her down on the bed and switched on the bed lamp. He placed the apples on the night stand, well within her grasp then grabbed her shirt, lifting it up. She was still wearing her glasses and when she moved to take them off, he held her back. He wanted her to see everything he was about to do to her.

Picking up his pillow, he gently forced her to lie down, lifting her hips and placing it at the small of her back.

“Eat your dessert, baby,” he winked before pressing a kiss on the valley between her breasts. “I’m going to have mine.”

She giggled, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm as she lifted a slice to her mouth. “In my defense, these are delicious apples.”

“If you don’t finish your plate, I won’t stop after your first orgasm,” he murmured against her skin. “It will be your punishment.”

She frowned, swallowing. “I think we’re gonna have to work on your definition of punishment because it seems like I win either way.”

He hummed, his lips now travelling to her breast to lick around the small aureola. He heard her small gasp, felt her chest rise to meet his mouth and he couldn't help but grin, blowing on the wet skin. He saw, from the corner of his eyes, how she dropped the slice of fruit she had in her hand back onto the plate and he smirked, traveling across her chest to suckle on the other little bud. He let his hand travel down her stomach, his fingertips brushing her skin before they came to tease her sex. Slowly, he stroked her outer lips, taking his time, noticing the way she was already rocking her hips against him. Pressing a soft kiss on her throat, he whispered in her ear, “I’m going to make you come with my mouth.”

She whimpered, her hand resting on his head as he slowly slid down her body, pressing kisses along the way, rubbing his stubble against her skin. He kneeled between her thighs, spreading them open for him, then got rid of his own t-shirt. He wanted to feel her bare legs on his shoulders, wanted her skin against his. His eyes fixed on hers, he licked a finger, then slowly wedged it between her outer lips, catching the way she threw her head back as a result.

Felicity bent a leg, letting her foot rest flat against the bed as he teased her entrance, barely entering her. He could feel her dampness already and his mouth watered at the idea of tasting her. Unable to resist any longer, he laid down comfortably between her legs, trailing kisses from her knee to the top of her thigh and savoring how incredibly soft her skin was underneath his lips. The closer he got to where she wanted him, the more her back was arching, her legs shaking until he pressed his mouth on her. He licked at her entrance, his tongue pressing in, thrusting inside her and stroking her walls. She keened then, her hand gripping his hair as he licked a long trail until he reached her clit. Flattening his tongue, he rubbed it against the hard bundle of nerves, circling it lazily and God she tasted fucking amazing, so warm, so wet for him and he was going to make her come so hard she’d still feel it tomorrow.

Opening his mouth wide, he sucked on her clitoris, the tip of his tongue flicking delicately against it until she started to pant his name. Her nails digging into his skull, her thighs quivering, trying to close on his head but blocked by his shoulders, she pressed his face against her, rubbing herself over him.

There was nothing more sexy than Felicity losing control that way, using him for her pleasure, her body taking charge. The sounds that were escaping her throat were turning him on like crazy and he was now painfully hard, making him wish he had taken off his pants first.

With a small pop, he released her clit and brought two fingers to her entrance, thrusting inside before letting his tongue trail down her nether lips and suckling on them. Curling his fingers inside her, he rubbed, circling and circling until she gasped loudly, her hips jostling.

Flattening his tongue, he massaged her heated flesh, focusing on her clitoris, knowing that she was getting close to her release by the way she was pulling on his hair. Her cries were echoing loudly in the room, each stroke of his tongue making her moan his name louder and louder. Her foot dug into his side as she arched her back violently, her walls fluttering around his fingers and he moved the hand that was under her ass until it was covering a breast, palming the mound of flesh. She automatically grabbed his wrist, guiding his movements, her other hand still firmly on his skull. He raised his eyes then, watching her as she approached her release, her head thrown back, biting her lips as she tried to muffle her screams. He knew it wouldn’t take much more now, his hand almost soaked with her pleasure as he rubbed and rubbed against the spongy spot he had found inside her, his tongue never losing contact with her. She suddenly tensed underneath him and he pressed harder on her clit until her walls clamped down on him.

“Yeeeees… yes yes yesssss,” she hissed, her head snapping up as she finally tipped over the edge. She tensed for a few seconds, riding her wave as muffled moans escaped her throat, then she plopped back against the bed, her breathing short and ragged.

Oliver pressed a kiss on the inside of her thigh, his fingers leaving her. His eyes roamed over her body, taking in the blush across her chest, the sheer sheen of sweat, the hard nipples and the way her legs were now resting completely boneless one each side of him.

He let her catch her breath, his chin resting on her abdomen, a little smile stretching his lips at the gorgeous view she was offering him.

Her hand eventually relaxed in his hair and he crawled up her body until he could brush her lips. She lazily kissed him back, moaning into his mouth before getting rid of her glasses.

“Condoms in the drawer,” she breathed, her lips traveling across his jaw. He automatically stretched his arm to open the drawer, only to meet something cold. The plate. One glance confirmed what he thought.

He leaned back, meeting her eyes sternly and ignoring her hungry eyes. “Oh baby… you didn’t finish your dessert.”

 

***

 

Felicity blinked, trying to make sense of his words. Dessert? She didn’t care about dessert. She wanted to have sex. She wanted him, moving inside her, her arms holding him as close to her as possible.

Her eyes widened when she saw him travelling back down her stomach. “What… what are you doing?”

“I told you. I told you what would happen if you didn’t finish your dessert,” he said innocently.

“Oliver, I can’t. No way,” she laughed, trying to grab his shoulder and pull him over her. She was too sensitive. Her orgasm had been way too good for her to be able to climax again, at least not that way. Maybe she could get a second climax with him inside her if he wasn’t too worked up, but not with his mouth, that was way too intense.

“Tsk, tsk,” he clucked his tongue, shaking his head. His hands spread her open for him once more and for a few seconds he did nothing else, his eyes looking at her. Intimately. She felt her face flaming up because well… talk about a close-up but then he softly blew on her heated folds and… damn it. That felt good. That felt really, really good.

“I could eat you all night, Felicity,” Oliver murmured, his voice hoarse. “You have no idea how many times I’ve dreamed of my face between your thighs, making you come over and over again with my tongue, making you scream so loud everyone in your building would know exactly what I was doing to you, how good I was making it for you, until your legs would turn into jello. Then I would flip you over and pound into you from behind, until you beg me to come inside you, until your arms can’t hold you up anymore and you’re just a quivering mess.”

Oh God.  

Gulping, she found herself pressing down on his head once again, her arousal coming back with a vengeance, no matter how sated she had been merely a minute ago.

She squeezed her eyes shut when his tongue circled her clit, avoiding the little bud at first, then grazing it more and more until he started licking her. Thoroughly. The slight pinch of discomfort she felt at first, her flesh hypersensitive, only peaked her pleasure once she got used to the intense caress. His words still ringing in her ears, she found herself climbing up again, much, much faster and he wasn’t even using his fingers this time, letting his devilish tongue do all the work.

“Fuck,” she moaned, gripping her pillow tightly, her heels digging into the mattress as the heat in her core grew stronger and stronger. “Oliver… Oliver I’m close.”

He hummed against her, his tongue moving in circles then up and down until he opened his mouth wide, sucking on her flesh. He released her clit, letting his tongue massage it, and it was so soft, so wet and warm, making the coil of tension grow tighter and tighter, her orgasm just a few seconds away. Oliver licked her lazily, letting her savor the way the flat of his tongue was sliding across the bundle of nerves, and all she could do was accept the pleasure, holding onto his hair, her heels digging into the mattress. She felt his teeth grazing the sensitive button and the slight pinch of pain it brought was enough to make her fall head first into her orgasm, the intense heat spreading over her abdomen, bringing her that blissful relief.

“Oh my God. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” she half panted, half laughed as she slowly came back to earth, her hands covering her eyes.

She felt the mattress shifting, heard a rustling of clothes as Oliver undressed himself and she couldn’t resist, her hands lowering to gaze at his body.

He was absolutely divine.

“You good?” he asked as he fished out a condom from the drawer.

She nodded, eyes fixed on his erection. He was more than aroused, big, hard, the head a purple shade and she licked her lips, already raising on her elbows.

“Uh-uh,” Oliver shook his head as he sheathed himself. “Lay back.”

“You don’t want to flip me over?” she couldn’t help but ask with a smile.

Oliver raised an eyebrow, pausing with a knee on the bed then before she could add anything else she was lying on her stomach, his hand landing roughly on her ass.

She gasped at the sudden burn, but it didn’t hurt, only bringing nerve-endings to life and she found herself pressing back against him.

_I can’t believe I’m into spanking now._

He grabbed her hips, lifting her up until she was on all fours,  then nudged her legs apart as he knelt behind her.

She bowed her head when he sank into her, her flesh welcoming him back. She heard his sigh when he bottomed out, felt the way his hands tightened on her hips before sliding out and pushing back in. He felt deep, so much deeper that way, the angle letting him brush against that special spot inside of her and even though her body should have been more than satisfied, she found herself pushing back, meeting his thrusts, chasing her pleasure again.

It was good, so, so good, his strokes slow but hard, his hips slapping against her ass, his fingers digging into her flesh.

She bit her lips, trying to hold back her moans to no avail as little whimpers started to spill from her lips, Oliver’s relentless thrusts stoking the heat in her core. She could feel herself tightening, her legs stiffening as the pleasure started to build again, so similar and yet so different from when he had gone down on her. This time it was coming from inside and judging by the way her muscles were already trembling, she could sense it was going to be earth-shattering. The heat was spreading out, her thighs shaking, and the grunts escaping Oliver were only turning her on even more and she knew she wouldn’t need much. She tried to lower a hand between her legs but she was shaking so hard that she couldn't hold her weight on one arm.

“Oliver,” she breathed. “Please…”

He seemed to understand what she wanted because one hand suddenly left her hip and the next thing she knew, he was pressing his fingers against her clit, sending a flash of white-hot pleasure to her lower belly. Squeezing her eyes shut, she focused on the tension that was growing tighter and tighter, unable to hold back her cries this time.

A loud gasp escaped her after a particularly hard thrust, and she came with a strangled wail. Collapsing on her elbows, she rested her forehead against the bed as Oliver fucked her through her orgasm, sending her even higher, her muscles clamping down on him almost viciously. She was panting, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly, the pleasure spreading slowly from her core to her thighs, until she felt tingles everywhere in her body.

“Holy fuck,” Oliver whispered behind her, his hips rocking slowly, both hands now squeezing the cheeks of her ass.

She must have zoned out for a bit because suddenly she was on her back, Oliver lying on top of her, still inside her.

“You OK?” he asked softly, dropping the tiniest kiss on the tip of her nose.

“Yeah… yeah. I think I passed out but… yeah,” she said dreamily, stroking the small of his back. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time her body had been so blissfully relaxed.

“You were pretty out of it for a minute,” he confirmed with a lopsided grin.

“Did you…?”

“No,” he murmured before capturing her lips. He moved then, pulling out of her and sliding back in, his movements faster now. His breath was hot, humid against her cheek, his skin damp with his sweat as he chased his own release. Tightening her legs around his hips, she hugged him close to her, her arms clinging to his back. Suddenly, Oliver straightened on his arms, his eyes fixing on hers as his pace picked up, tension taking over his body. Desperate to bring him to completion, she spread her legs wider, letting him pound into her and it only took three more thrusts, Oliver slamming into her one last time with a deep groan.

He winced, almost as if he was in pain, holding deep inside her before exhaling loudly, his face relaxing.

He eventually dropped onto her, catching his weight on his elbows, his face snuggling into her shoulder as she stroked the back of his neck, her fingers lacing through his hair. Pressing little kisses on his shoulder, she let him catch his breath until he rolled to the side with a heavy sigh.

With one last kiss, he got up and padded to the bathroom, Felicity too lost in the afterglow to even move a toe. She heard the water running and a few minutes later, Oliver was back. She straightened her legs, mewling at the soreness she felt in her lower body as she snuggled in his arms.

“If we keep this up, I won’t be able to walk by the time I have to get back to work,” she mumbled against his chest.

Chuckling, Oliver dropped a kiss on her forehead. “We were worse last time.”

“Yeah well, I’m not twenty-one anymore,” she grumbled before leaving his embrace. Rubbing her eyes, she went to the bathroom, quickly brushing her teeth. She heard Oliver making his way to the living room, probably making sure the door was locked and the candles were blown out. As she tied her hair, she noticed several red spots on her neck. Beard burn. With a smile, she poured some moisturizer in the palm of her hand, delicately rubbing her skin. Giggling, she noticed that her inner thighs were also irritated and massaged some lotion there as well.

Clearly… she’d have to buy more moisturizer.

_Maybe not six bottles, though._

 

***

 

Once Felicity had closed the bathroom door, Oliver stood up, picking up the plate of apples still on her night stand. He quickly finished it, then poured himself a glass of water. Gulping it down, he refilled it then made sure the door was locked before blowing out the candles.

He picked up the clothes that had been thrown on the floor, piling them up on the rocking chair. By the time Felicity was done, he had rearranged the bed, the glass of water waiting for her on her night stand.

“You should drink,” he told her, his chin pointing towards it.

She smiled gratefully, taking several sips of water before slipping underneath the sheets, patting the spot next to her. He hesitated, but something in her eyes made him cave. He wasn’t really tired anyway so there wasn’t any risk for him to fall asleep. He joined her underneath the sheets, automatically opening his arms for her as she nestled herself against his chest. She dropped one small kiss over his heart, her fingers tracing his tattoo, reminding him that one day he’d have to tell her about it. He thought she would ask him questions for sure but she kept quiet, her breathing evening out until she slowly fell asleep, the bed lamp still on.

The light was playing in her hair, casting shadows over her cheeks. He knew he should leave now that she was asleep, but he couldn’t. Not yet.

During the afternoon, when she had fallen asleep on the couch, he had been unable to keep his eyes off her. Knowing he was keeping her warm, guarding her, keeping the nightmares away was enough for him. It was all he needed. And after missing her so much, for so long, it seemed almost wrong to lose some precious time with her by doing something as useless as sleeping. He wanted, he needed to see her, to feel her against him, to convince him she was real. They were real.

How many times had he fallen asleep with her name on his lips? How many dreams had been filled with her? He had seen this future ripped away from him so clearly in his head, his heart full of hopes of a house, a dog, a family. And even his wildest dreams, the ones that woke him up in the middle of the night with happiness bursting in his heart… nothing could compare to the simple joy of having her in his arms again. Feel her breath against his chest, the touch of her skin… he didn’t need anything more. Again he wished he could stop time, and stay inside their little cocoon forever. This… this would be perfect.

He could feel his eyes growing heavy but he fought the feeling, longing for a few more minutes where she was only for him. What were her dreams made of? What had they been made of while he was gone? Would she ever tell him? He wanted to know everything, the smallest thought, make up for those three years where he had been unable to give her everything she needed.

He fought against sleep, but he was so warm, so comfortable and relaxed by her side that he eventually drifted away.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... OTA has come up with the beginning of a real plan. One that will involved a little bit of undercover missions ;)  
> Felicity and Oliver going at it like bunnies. But it will slow down. Well I won't write smut for a few chapters at least, that doesn't mean they won't have fun O_O This one seemed like a good one to end it for a little while though :p
> 
> Also for those who read HGW, Oliver and Felicity had a little fun with a test at the end of the story, where Oliver found out that dirty talk was a turn on for Felicity... he didn't forget ;)
> 
> Hope you liked the chapter, tell me what you thought of it ;)
> 
> Find me on twitter @PimsiePim or Tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy come say hi :)


	17. Bubbly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So no smut in this chapter, you can read it at work, at school, at church, at your in-laws and so on :)
> 
> Tommy, Thea and Moira show up... adorable boyfriend!Oliver and a... slightly different Felicity too.  
> Hope you'll like it ;)  
> SPecial thanks as usual to mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka for their help :)
> 
> Song: Bubbly - Colbie Caillat

**"Bubbly"**   
  


Will you count me in?

I've been awake for a while now  
You've got me feelin' like a child now  
'Cause every time I see your bubbly face  
I get the tingles in a silly place

It starts in my toes  
And I crinkle my nose  
Wherever it goes  
I always know  
That you make me smile  
Please stay for a while now  
Just take your time  
Wherever you go

The rain is falling on my window pane  
But we are hiding in a safer place  
Under covers staying safe and warm  
You give me feelings that I adore

They start in my toes  
Make me crinkle my nose  
Wherever it goes  
I always know  
That you make me smile  
Please stay for a while  
now just take your time  
Wherever you go

But what am I gonna say:  
When you make me feel this way  
I just mmmmm

And it starts in my toes  
Makes me crinkle my nose  
Wherever it goes  
I always know  
That you make me smile  
Please stay for a while  
Now just take your time  
Wherever you go

Dada dumdudum dumdadadadadum  
Ohbodododododododum mmm mmm

I've been asleep for a while now  
You tuck me in just like a child now  
'Cause every time you hold me in your arms  
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth

It starts in my soul  
And I lose all control  
When you kiss my nose  
The feeling shows  
'Cause you make me smile,  
Baby, just take your time  
Now holdin' me tight

Wherever, wherever, wherever you go  
Wherever, wherever, wherever you go

Wherever you go  
I always know  
'Cause you make me smile  
Even just for a while

 

 

 

 

“We’ll never get out of bed if you keep this up,” Felicity mumbled into her pillow.

Oliver chuckled, his fingers slowly traveling up and down her spine. She was lying on her front, the duvet only covering her lower body while Oliver was caressing her back lazily, dropping a small kiss every now and then. They were lingering in bed after a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon nap, which had followed some even more thoroughly enjoyable love-making.

“I’m afraid you’re way too tempting, Miss Smoak,” Oliver murmured, his lips brushing a kiss on her shoulder.

“When are you leaving?”

Oliver sighed, dropping his forehead on her upper back. His short hair brushed her skin, making her shiver. “Soon. I can still cancel and we can spend the next few days here, though.”

“Nope. You have to talk to your mother, you know that. Also, I feel like my lady parts might need a small break.”

Snorting, he pinched her butt, instantly rewarded by her loud squeal. “You’re the one who, and I quote, wanted to climb me like a tree.”

“I needed the work out.”

“Sure. And this morning was because…?” he trailed off with a smile as he nuzzled her hair.

“... yoga?” she answered, the grin obvious in her voice.

“You stayed on your side the whole time, Felicity.”

“... yoga for beginners?”

Laughing, he pressed one last kiss on her cheek before standing up. He stretched, making his way to the bathroom, then took a quick shower. When he was back, Felicity was dressed in sweatpants and one of his hoodies, sitting cross legged on the bed.

“Dig will drive me to the foundry tomorrow morning before heading to work, he said-”

“No,” Oliver frowned, his T-shirt hanging limply from his hand.

“Oliver,” Felicity sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “We’re not going through this again.”

“Felicity, we both agreed it was best if I stayed at the Mansion for a little bit, and it wasn’t so you could be all alone out there.”

“There is a code, no one can get inside. I would actually point out that it’s just as safe there as it is here. By the time you make it back, I’ll be done with the computer anyway. I’d also like to upgrade your security as well while I’m at it,” she shrugged. Before he could reply, she added, “and no, I’m not asking for permission. Dig is going to drive me, you know very well I’m more than safe with him. I won’t leave without either of you, I promise you.”

“Felicity,” he breathed, resting his hands on his hips.

“End of discussion.” She stood up from the bed and took the few steps that were separating them. After a quick kiss on his lips, she let her hand travel down his chest. “Now please cover all that hotness or you’ll never make it there.”

Understanding there would be no point in arguing, he sighed. Yet, he was unable to keep the smile off his lips at the way she was gazing at his abdomen. “I thought your lady parts needed a break?”

“Breaks are for wimps,” she murmured, her finger tracing the thin strip of hair from his belly button to the waistband of his pants. A little shiver ran down his spine, his hands itching to grab her and kiss her senseless. A small glance at the alarm clock on her nightstand told him it really wasn’t a good idea.

Oliver groaned, shifting, and forced himself to take a step away. “No matter how much I want to… I have to talk to my mother.”

“Right,” Felicity sighed, folding her lips over her teeth. “And it’s my laundry day. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon? I’ll be the girl underneath your desk.”

Oliver grinned at the small blush that invaded her cheeks.

“I meant… fixing your computer, not… not…” her eyes traveled across the room, obviously avoiding his as she twisted her hands. “Not that other thing I might have fantasized about a hundred times,” she added under her breath, immediately piquing his interest.

“What?” he couldn’t help but ask with a smirk.

“What?” she repeated innocently. “Nothing.”

“Felicity…” Oliver whispered teasingly, pulling her into his arms.

“Your mom is waiting for you.”

Oliver winced, all dirty thoughts about Felicity underneath a desk while he was sitting on a chair immediately vanishing from his mind. “You sure know how to ruin a mood.”

Patting his chest, she slipped out of his embrace. “Go talk to your mother. Bring me intel.”

Oliver looked at her as she walked out of the room, then eventually shook his head and finished getting dressed.

Bossy Felicity would always be his favorite kind of Felicity.

Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

  
  
  


“My, my, my… my brother is still alive!” Thea welcomed him with snark as soon as he walked in the door at the mansion. Locking his jaw, he shrugged out of his jacket before pressing a kiss on her cheek.

“Sorry, Thea. I’ve been… busy.”

“Yes. Busy. Catching up with some mysterious friend no one ever heard about,” she snapped, turning around. He saw the anger in her eyes and it took him aback. He wasn’t exactly used to see her mad or so full of spite.

“Thea,” he sighed, going after her and grabbing her elbow to make her face him. Her eyes dropped to his hand and he let her go, holding out his hands. “What do you expect from me?”

“I don’t know. Maybe to see you happy to be back with us for once? Seriously, Ollie, it looks like you can’t stand being here with us. Why? What is going on?”

“Nothing is going on, Thea, I just need-”

“Time. Yes. And space, I’ve heard that one too. I just didn’t know time and space meant going back five years ago and have you sleeping around everywhere.”

Oliver frowned, taken aback. “Thea, my private life is none of your business.”

His sister stared at him, a small grimace of disgust on her face. “How can you do that to her?”

_… Wait, what?_

“Cut the crap, Oliver. You break up with Felicity because you’re not in the right headspace to be with someone and you spend your days and nights away with some mysterious ‘friend’. Not hard to do the math. At least this time you have the decency to not cheat, I’ll give you that. Laurel wasn't that lucky.”

Realization suddenly dawned on Oliver. “Is this about Felicity?”

“Well yes it is! Of course it is, Ollie!” Thea huffed, throwing her arms in the air. “Felicity helped me, even when I was a bitch to her. She stood there and helped me because I’m your sister even though she should have totally walked away. Not to mention, in case you forgot, she is my boss and your behavior puts me in a very awkward position that would be totally resolved if I let my instincts take over and murder you right now, by the way.”

Oliver pinched his lips, trying to hide his amusement, knowing it would only make things worse. “Thea… I’m not sleeping around. The situation between Felicity and me is very… complicated. But you have to believe me, I would never… **never** purposely do anything that could hurt her.”

Thea observed him quietly, her arms crossed on her chest. Eventually, she nodded her head. “I swear to God if I find out you screwed up…”

“You won’t.”

_At least nothing about me cheating on Felicity._

“OK. Good. I just… I really hope you two will find your way back. You were so happy and… she loved you so much, Ollie. You don’t find that easily.”

“Look at you, all wise and grown up,” Oliver smiled tenderly, circling her shoulders with his arm.

“Well, I have to since my dumbass of a brother has the emotional range of a teaspoon.”

“Hermione Granger,” Oliver said proudly. He had read all the Harry Potter shortly before the Gambit, tired of being out of the loop whenever Felicity would make a reference.

“... maybe there is hope for you, after all,” Thea smiled in obvious surprise, as they made their way to the dining room.

It turned out Oliver was the last to arrive, earning him a small frown from his mother as he sat down. Walter wasn’t there, he noticed right away as he took seat at the head of the table, opposite his mother. Thea was on his right, Tommy on his left.

His best friend shot him a curious glance as he pulled out his seat, but kept quiet until Moira stood up to let Raisa know she could serve dinner.

“What?” Oliver asked, getting uncomfortable under Tommy’s scrutiny.

“Thea, cover your ears,” Tommy said.

“What? No! I’m not a kid anymore!” Thea said, her mouth full of bread.

“Thea…” Tommy insisted, tilting his head.

Grumbling, she eventually covered her ears, her elbows resting on the table. “Just so you know, this thing will eventually have to stop. I’m almost 19!”

“Don’t remind me,” Oliver and Tommy said at the same time. They both exchanged a small, amused look but before Oliver could say anything, Tommy interrupted him.

“You didn’t spend the weekend on a fishing trip. I know you. You’re relaxed, your eyes are shining and you look like my dog when I congratulate him on being a good boy. You, my friend, got laid.”

“Will you stop… comparing me to your dog?”

“Don’t try to change topics. Tell me, is it a charming blonde girl with glasses and the most amazing ass to ever walk the earth?”

“Stop talking about Felicity’s butt,” Oliver hissed.

“It’s all I can do with it, at least give me that. I’m not the lucky man in this story.”

“It’s none of your-”

“Business. I know. What can I say, I like gossip. Anyway,” Tommy smirked, raising his glass. “Here’s to your blue balls. They had a good, long life but they won’t be missed.”

“Tommy…”

“Don’t worry, my speech at your wedding will be much more classy. Just a suggestion though, avoid the whole sea theme, I don’t think it would be appropriate. I would go with something more sophisticated, maybe with fireworks and doves. Chicks love doves.”

“... are you planning my wedding? Even though I’m single?” Oliver insisted. No matter how very much **not** single he saw himself, he still wanted to make sure no one thought he had rekindled things with Felicity. It was much, much simpler that way. 

“Why, yes. Yes, I am,” Tommy answered, popping a piece of bread in his mouth.

“Wedding?” Thea’s excited voice reached them.

“Thea!” Tommy exclaimed as she dropped the hands that were supposed to cover her ears.

“Oh come on, you doofus, the whole cover your ears thing never worked anyway.”

“There is absolutely no wedding in the works. And I am single. End of the story,” Oliver calmly stated.

“You know, I don’t think Felicity is really into doves,” Thea continued, ignoring him.

“Really? Swans maybe? I could work with swans.”

“Why on earth do you need swans, Tommy?” Moira asked as she walked back inside the room.

“My next birthday. I’d like to spice things up a bit,” Tommy replied, not missing a beat.

“It’s in ten months.”

“You know me. I take those things seriously.”  
  


 

All in all, the dinner went rather smoothly. They avoided divisive topics like QC or Oliver’s frequent absences and by the time Tommy was leaving, Oliver felt calm, relaxed enough to face something much more difficult. He knew it wouldn’t be easy for him to talk to his mother and that he’d have to walk a fine, fine line as well.

“Mom, can I talk to you?” he asked as she was leaving the dining room.

She looked at him, surprised, while Thea subtly walked past her, muttering something about her bedroom.

“Well… of course, yes,” Moira answered as Oliver joined her by the door, knowing a sitting room would be better if they didn’t want to get disturbed.

“So what is it about?” his mother asked him as they were both sitting on a small sofa. “Is there something wrong?”

“No… not really. I’ve been thinking a lot lately and… that’s also why I haven’t been around a lot.”

“Alright… and?”

“I’d like to get access to the investigation from the private agency,” Oliver said in one go, his eyes fixing on Moira’s face.

Her smile dropped from her face for the shortest moment - but he had the time to see it before she placed it back. “Why would you need that, Oliver? There was nothing remotely conclusive, you know.”

“Yes but… I need to know what happened, mom. I made it back but the others didn’t. I’d like to know if we found anything concerning them.”

“No. We didn’t.”

“... really?” Oliver asked, frowning. He hadn’t expected her to shut him down so quickly. “Not even about the body of a crew member?”

Moira licked her lips and took a deep breath. “You have talked with Felicity, haven’t you?”

“No. With a common friend,” Oliver said. It wasn’t exactly a lie, after all. “Is it true or not?”

“I… I’m not proud of what I did, Oliver. But there was nothing good for her to find and I did what I had to do to make her understand it was pointless.”

“So you lied to her?”

“... yes.”

Oliver observed her, sensing there was something more she wasn’t saying. “Why?”

“Oliver… it was three years ago and an awful time for all of us.”

“Well, yes, but she wasn’t asking you to relive it, she was just asking how to get answers if you didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Thea works for her and I didn’t want your sister to drown in the past. I know it’s because of a conversation the two of them had that Felicity came to talk to me. You know how stubborn your sister is, it seemed easier to convince Felicity that it was pointless.”

_… You really don’t know her at all, mom. Felicity Smoak could give anyone a run for their money when it comes to stubbornness._

“I understand that,” he said nonetheless, “but I’m back now. It’s not about Thea, nor Felicity. It’s about Andrew, Ali and all the other ones who died, mom.”

“Most of the investigation has been lost, last time I checked. There was a small fire in their offices. But I’ll see what I can do for you to have whatever they could salvage,” Moira eventually nodded.

“Thank you. I can go there myself too, it’s not like my days are as busy as yours,” Oliver smiled, trying to lift the mood.

“I’m the one who hired them, Oliver. They probably won’t let you access their files if I don’t specifically allow them to.”

“Fair enough.”

“Good. Is that all you wanted to tell me?” Moira asked, standing up.

“Actually… no. There is something else.”

Moira sat back down on the small sofa, her hands neatly folded in her lap.

“Mom… there is something I have to tell you about dad.”

“Yes?”

“He… He wrote me a letter a few days before he died.”

“A letter?” Moira asked in a small voice. “You never told me about a letter?”

“I found it on the Gambit.”

He saw the way his mother took a short intake of breath, blinking her eyes. She was nervous.

“What did he say?” she asked in an even voice.

“Apparently he was… he was involved with some suspicious people. He wrote about corruption and illegal business practices and so on.”

Moira gulped, her eyes travelling to the fireplace in front of them. “Your father always walked a fine line, Oliver. That’s why he was so successful. He was very smart in terms of business and yes… sometimes he might have gone too far. But that’s in the past, now. You don’t have to worry about any of that falling back on our family or even QC.”

“He thought he was going to be murdered, mom,” Oliver stated calmly, sensing whatever he was telling her wasn’t enough to make her realize the gravity of what he had found out.

“... what?” Moira gasped. “Oliver… this is…”

“I know, mom. And a few days later, his helicopter crashes. It’s not hard to do the math.”

Moira stood up and walked to the fireplace, her fingers drumming on the mantle. Keeping her back to him, she said, “Oliver… that helicopter crash was an accident. We... the police never found anything that could even make us think it had been criminal.”

“Mom, it can’t be a coincidence! Dad, the Gambit, and when Felicity starts digging for some answers, she gets assaulted.”

“What? When? Is she alright?” Moira asked turning around.

“Yes. Don’t worry, no harm done, someone helped her apparently.”

“Oh good,” she breathed, pressing a hand against her heart. “What happened to her?”

“She wanted to check a warehouse in the Glades one night and-”

“The Glades? At night? Oliver… anyone could get assaulted walking around alone in that part of the city past sundown!”

“You don’t understand… they wanted to scare her,” Oliver said through gritted teeth. “They talked to her and it was pretty obvious it wasn’t just random. Mom, my point is… you should upgrade the security. Here, at QC too.”

She looked him, then eventually nodded. “If it makes you feel safer, I will.”

“Thank you.”

“But you know nothing has happened ever since you’ve been back or even before. There is no need to worry, no one is after us.”

“No one threatened you? Or approached you concerning dad?”

“No, Oliver. No one,” she exhaled slowly as if her patience was running low. He knew he must have sounded completely paranoid but he still had to make sure.

“Mom, I know it might sound crazy but dad was worried they might get to you or Thea and-”

“Oliver, your father wrote that letter right after the whole fiasco with Isabel and you, and he was in a bad place, emotionally speaking. He might have felt cornered because everything was escaping him, you know how he was. Maybe he overreacted?”

_He wasn’t overreacting. His entire behavior the few months before his death only made sense because of that letter._

“I’ve always wondered about the gas explosion. It was proven to be arson but we never found the culprit. It fits with what he wrote me.”

“Well… we both know who was trying to blackmail him, don’t we?”

“It didn’t seem like he was talking about Isabel.”

“I doubt he would have mentioned her in a letter to his son.”

“Did we ever find out what happened to her? Her child?”

He didn’t even know if he had a brother or a sister.

“No. I never wanted to know. The less I know about that woman, the better I will be. Oliver, I know that right now things seem confusing but… you have to stop looking back. Go back to your life, your father wouldn’t have wanted you to waste your time over things that probably never existed. I’d love to see my son happy again and that won’t happen if you keep looking back.”

“I’m not sure it’s ever going to be possible, mom. I’m not the same man,” Oliver whispered as she sat down next to him, taking his hand between hers.

“With time, everything is possible. But if you keep living in the past, nothing good will come out of it. You have to move forward, honey. We all have.”

“I’m trying. It’s not as easy as everyone seems to believe.”

They stayed silent for a little while, Oliver deep in thought. He understood what Felicity had said now. There was something going on with his mother. Her small hesitation, the flicker of fear he had seen in her eyes… his first instinct had been that she was hiding something from him and had been threatened herself as well. But her genuine surprise at the news of Felicity’s assault seemed to rule it out. Could her hardened behavior really be only because of the brutal loss of her husband and son in such a short period of time? Or was there something more at play?

“Mom…” he trailed off, knowing he needed to at least ask one question.

“Yes?”

“Did you know? About dad? The things he was doing?”

“... No. No I didn’t, Oliver. I found out months after he passed away when Walter and I took over at QC. I always had doubts about certain contracts and so on, but I didn’t know it had run that deep. Your father wasn’t a criminal, Oliver, I don’t want you to think that one second. But yes… along the way he lost sight of his values.”

“Is this why you pressured me to get back to QC? So you could… mentor me?”

“It played a part, yes. QC is stable at the moment. Easing you back in would have also allowed me to guide you towards the right kind of people.”

“Would you have ever told me?”

“No. Just like I would have never told Thea. What would be the point?”

She patted his hand with a smile. “I still have some work to do. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?”

“No,” Oliver answered, standing up. “No, I think I have the answers I needed. Don’t forget to call the agency, I’d like to go there tomorrow.”

“I’ll send them an email tonight,” Moira promised, leaving the sofa as well. “Just don’t expect too much, Oliver.”

“I won’t. I just want some closure,” he shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Good.” Pinching her lips, Moira tilted her head. “By the way… what happened to that letter? Was it destroyed with the Gambit as well?”

“I suppose so,” Oliver answered.

“And there was no name mentioned… nothing?”

“No. Nothing specific.”

“Good.”

“You look… relieved,” Oliver stated calmly.

“Well… yes. If it has been destroyed, then no one will find out about your father. It’s better for everyone.” With one last smile, she walked out of the room, leaving Oliver to his thoughts.

At first he had thought his mother didn’t know much more and that her weird behavior with Felicity had been because she had been threatened herself.

But her question concerning the letter and her reaction were telling him another tale.

Moira hadn’t been relieved at the idea that the letter had been destroyed. She had been relieved when he had told her the contents didn’t reveal anything… or anyone.

He called Felicity once he was in his room, giving her a summary of his talk with his mother. She didn’t seem surprised, but mostly was as intrigued as he was. She sounded unexpectedly tired on the phone, which worried him. She had seemed well rested when he had left but maybe all the stress and… well the physical activity were taking a toll on her. He felt guilty then, knowing he had played a big part in both. Knowing she had two days off made him feel slightly better but two hours later, he was still thinking about her small voice, lying on his bed.

Night had fallen, but he was unable to fall asleep. Eventually, he sat up then grabbed his cellphone, quickly sending her a text.

_**Are you asleep?** _

Her answer came a few seconds later.

**Felicity 10:05 PM - No. Watching TV.**

_**Can I come over?** _

He had to wait longer for her answer, which made him frown. After a couple of minutes, she finally replied.

**Felicity 10:09 PM - I don’t think it’s a good idea.**

Gulping, he stood up, already getting dressed.

**_Why? What’s wrong?_ **

**Felicity - 10:11 PM - Nothing. I just planned on watching TV and eating ice-cream. Nothing very fun and you told your family you’d spend the night at the mansion.**

Frowning, he put his shoes on, sensing there was something more.

**_I’ll be there in half an hour at most._ **

 

He quietly made his way downstairs and into the garage. Out of habit, he took a few detours, checking to make sure that no one was following him, then parked several streets away from her place. It was dark, and he made his way to the back of her building quickly, scaling the now familiar fire escape stairs. The window was still slightly open and he clucked his tongue, promising himself to lecture her about it.

Soundlessly, he dropped on the floor of her bedroom, the sound coming from her living room confirming to him she was watching TV. He quickly texted her, not wanting to scare her and after toeing out of his shoes, made his way to the living room.

Felicity was sitting, leaning on the armrest with a spoon in her mouth, wrapped in her favorite blanket.  She blinked when she saw him but didn’t jump, his text having obviously warned her of his presence.

“Hi,” he whispered, shrugging off his jacket and draping it on the back of a chair. He rolled the sleeves of his henley up his arms as he took the few steps separating them.

She moaned then, a small teary whimper, just before her chin started to tremble and before he even had the time to wonder what the hell was going on, she was crying, straightening on the couch, digging her spoon into what looked like a large pint of ice-cream.

Completely at a loss, he kneeled down in front of her. He had seen her cry before, but… the whole ice-cream-sobs combo was a new, unknown territory for him.

... Unless it wasn’t?

“What’s wrong?” he asked in a soft voice.

“I have my period,” she sniffled.

_Suspicions confirmed. OK. Period. I can deal with that._

“And it makes you cry because…?”

_Does it always make her cry? Twelve times a year, until she’s around fifty probably, that makes 25 times 12… 300 sobbing sessions to deal with. I’m gonna have to find something. Her nose is all red and her glasses askew. Maybe a puppy? Or a gold fish? No. No gold fish. You can't cuddle a gold fish._

“Because you’re all… hot and that fucking henley makes your arms look like… like something I want to dry hump God forgive me for I have sinned or whatever it is that Christians say and you’ve been gone for three fucking years and we only had 48 hours to catch up and now no more sex. No sex, Oliver, for at least five days, probably six!”

Oliver pinched his lips, trying very hard not to laugh at the despair in her voice.

“You know, we don’t have to wait six days, I don’t mind-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” she said, licking her spoon clean. “I mind! I mind very much!”

“Alright,” he tried to placate her. “We’ll just wait six days and then we’ll make the most of the next three weeks.”

“Three years, Oliver. Three years of Oliver-induced orgasms to catch up on. We’ll never make it! I did the math, you know! Even counting just one orgasm per day, that makes more than a thousand. I know we wouldn’t have had sex everyday but well, I got used to my mandatory two or three each time so I rounded it.”

_Oliver-induced…?_

He didn’t even try to hide his smug smile, too busy picturing the thousand orgasms he’d have to give her… plus all the other ones after, to actually pay attention to Felicity’s rambling. She had missed his orgasms. **His.** The Oliver-induced orgasms. He knew sex was amazing between them but truth be told, he'd never get tired of hearing her praising his abilities.

“... in the bath and then against the couch and also maybe on the dining table again and we never had the chance to do it on a chair. I have very sturdy chairs, Oliver!”

Oliver folded his lips over his teeth, nodding. “I’m sure the chairs will still be there next week, honey.”

“I wash shupposh to have mo’ time. We we’ shupposh to have mo’ time! A’ leasht two mo’ daysh!” Felicity said her mouth full of ice-cream. She swallowed, already digging into the pint again. “But nooooo, the entire universe is against me and my orgasms.”

Trying his best to muffle his chuckle, Oliver took the ice-cream out of her hand. “I think you’ve had enough sugar.”

Felicity narrowed her eyes, glaring at him, her nostrils flaring. Gulping, he put the ice-cream back in her hand. “... or not, I guess.”

She groaned, tightening her hold on her spoon and he added, sheepishly, “... my love.”

Wow. He’d have to tread carefully if he didn’t want to be castrated by the end of the night.

_Challenge accepted._

“What can I do? Get you some tea? Water?”

She shook her head, licking her lips. “I took a painkiller thirty minutes ago but it’s not helping.”

Oliver grimaced, hating feeling useless. In a way, it was an important moment and he didn’t want to be one of those clueless boyfriends. He tried to search his memory, thinking about what girls liked during that time of the month. Sweet things were out of the question, judging by the amount of ice-cream Felicity had already ingested. Painkillers as well, apparently.

“Hot water bottle?” he asked eventually.

“It’s in the bathroom. I never use it because I’m not comfortable on my back and it never stays in place.”

“If I promise you I’ll find a way, will you let me put the ice-cream away?”

Felicity nibbled on her lower lip, hesitation clear in her eyes. Eventually, she let out a deep sigh and handed him the pint. “If it doesn’t work, I want it back. I... I need it, Oliver.”

“Pinky swear,” he whispered, straightening up. He dropped a kiss on her forehead then went to store the ice-cream back in the freezer, finding the abandoned lid on the kitchen counter. He poured water in the electrical boiler while Felicity went to the bathroom. She came back a couple of minutes later, handing him the most ridiculous hot water bottle he had ever seen. It was covered by a thick fleece fabric, small stags with tiny light bulbs on each tip of their antlers. He shook his head, pouring hot water in and closing it tightly.

“Do you want to go to bed or watch TV?” he asked Felicity who was already sitting back on the couch.

“I won’t be able to sleep anyway, so I’d rather watch TV if you don’t mind.”

“No problem,” he smiled. “How are you the most comfortable usually?”

“Lying on my left side,” she replied automatically.

Nodding, he went to lie down on the couch, making sure there were enough cushions against the armrest. “Come on.”

Frowning, Felicity looked at him before joining him, her back to his front so they were both facing the television. He let her get comfortable, his arm underneath her neck, then pulled the blanket over their bodies.

“Raise your hoodie,” he murmured in her ear. Once she was done, he slipped his arm around her waist, carefully placing the hot bottle low on her abdomen, keeping his hand on it so it wouldn’t fall.

"There?"

"Yes," Felicity sighed, relaxing against him as she dropped the hoodie back over his hand. “Weren’t you supposed to spend the night at the mansion?” she asked in a small voice.

“I couldn’t sleep. Then I texted you and you seemed off. I got worried,” he replied, pressing a kiss on her head.

“I’m sorry. I figured it would be pointless for you to come over since… well you know.”

Oliver paused, raising his head and trying to see her face. “What? Since we can’t have sex, you mean?”

“... yeah?”

“You silly girl,” he grinned, nuzzling her ear with his nose. “What were you planning to do? Eat your weight in ice-cream?”

“Of course not. Ice-cream is only the first step. Then it’s chocolate.”

“My bad. I have a feeling I have a lot to learn.”

“Well, yes probably,” she said, patting his arm. “But I have a feeling you’re gonna be good student.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. In no time you’ll be buying me tampons.”

Oliver laughed, resting his forehead on her shoulder. “Weirdly enough… I actually kinda look forward to that. I’m sure it will be an interesting experience.”

“Oliver Queen, getting adventurous in the Women’s health aisle at Walgreens. I’m sure a lot of people would pay good money to see that.”

“As long as it doesn’t end with me hijacking an old lady’s basket…”

“Shut up,” she laughed, slapping his wrist.

“Ow.”

“Sorry,” she whispered, stroking the back of his hand.

He smiled, his head dipping into the cushions even more.

“It should get better shortly then we’ll go to bed,” Felicity continued, her fingers still tracing lazy patterns, travelling up his forearms.

“It’s OK. I’m good, here.” Spreading his hand, he let his thumb grazed the skin of her stomach, smiling at the little moan of contentment that escaped her lips.

“I know it’s not comfortable,” she whispered drowsily.

“Shhhh…”

“Just five minutes.”

She eventually relaxed in his arms, her breathing evening. It was only when he was sure she was deeply asleep that he allowed himself to close his eyes.

  
As promised, his hand didn’t move until he woke up a few hours later.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...? Did you like it?  
> Next chapter will bring directly a lot of answers concerning Moira... Oliver won't take no for an answer because... because of some stuff happening O_O. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the little Thea/Tommy/Oliver scene, I thought it was cute to get the sibling relationship we were robbed of on the show :(
> 
> Tell me what you thought of it ;)
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi!


	18. The Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Little mid-week update :)  
> Safe chapter to read in public... again, woot woot isn't that three in a row? Oh... no actually only two... O_O  
> Thank you to all of you who reached out and voiced your support, it means the world to me *hugs for everyone*
> 
> Special thanks, as always, for mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka. <3  
> Song: The Promise, Tracy Chapman

**"The Promise"**  


 

If you wait for me  
Then I'll come for you  
Although I've traveled far  
I always hold a place for you in my heart

If you think of me  
If you miss me once in awhile  
Then I'll return to you  
I'll return and fill that space in your heart

Remembering  
Your touch  
Your kiss  
Your warm embrace  
I'll find my way back to you  
If you'll be waiting

If you dream of me  
Like I dream of you  
In a place that's warm and dark  
In a place where I can feel the beating of your heart

Remembering  
Your touch  
Your kiss  
Your warm embrace  
I'll find my way back to you  
If you'll be waiting

I've longed for you  
And I have desired  
To see your face your smile  
To be with you wherever you are

Remembering  
Your touch  
Your kiss  
Your warm embrace  
I'll find my way back to you  
Please say you'll be waiting

Together again  
It would feel so good to be in your arms  
Where all my journeys end  
If you can make a promise  
If it's one that you can keep  
I vow to come for you  
If you wait for me

And say you'll hold  
A place for me in your heart.

A place for me in your heart. 

 

 

 

It wasn’t even dawn when Oliver woke up. They were still lying on the sofa, his hand keeping the hot water bottle pressed on Felicity’s abdomen. He blinked, feeling how cold it was now, and let it fall carelessly, letting his hand stroke soothing circles instead. Felicity shifted in his arms, a small mewl escaping her as she snuggled herself closer to him.

He was supposed to go back to the mansion, preferably before anyone was awake too, but it was hard to move when she was so obviously content in his arms.

“Oliver?” Felicity eventually mumbled with a small yawn.

Chuckling, he kissed her hair, relieved that at least he wouldn’t have to wake her up. “Who else were you expecting? Your janitor?”

She let out a small sleepy laugh before sitting up, fixing her ponytail. “You have to go, I suppose?”

“Yup,” he murmured, gazing at her as much as he could in the very dim light offered by the TV. He remembered lowering the sound when Felicity had started to doze off but apparently he had fallen asleep too fast for him to think about shutting it down as well.

He sat up as she made her way to the bathroom, rubbing his eyes. A quick glance at the clock told him it was almost 5AM and if he wanted to sneak inside the mansion unseen, he didn’t have much time. He went to get a glass of orange juice, gulping it down in one go. He didn’t know if Felicity was planning on heading back to bed for a couple hours or not so he didn’t start the coffee maker for her. By the time she was back, he was making a sandwich and wrapping it up.

“Are you going back to bed?” he asked her as she joined him in the kitchen.

She shook her head, already aiming straight for a mug in the cupboard. “No. Dig is picking me up at 7:30. I need to prepare a few things.”

“You’ll be careful, right?” he couldn’t help but ask, earning himself a glare.

“Oliver. I’ll be all alone. But yes if it makes you feel better, I’ll be very careful not to trip over my own feet.”

“I should be there mid-afternoon at the latest,” he said as he grabbed a few cherry tomatoes from the fridge and washed them. He placed them in a small container, adding them to the brown paper bag where he had stored the sandwich.

“... what are you doing?” Felicity asked him all of a sudden, her fingers hovering over the coffee maker.

“I… I am packing your lunch,” he answered sheepishly, shifting on his feet. “I mean since I won’t be back until at least 2PM, and since we agreed you wouldn’t head out of the factory until either Dig or I are there…”

Felicity pressed her hand against her mouth, her eyes twinkling. “Oliver Queen is packing my lunch. Oliver **Jonas** Queen just made me a sandwich, added cherry tomatoes and put everything in a paper bag. I’m gonna need a minute to process that.”

He felt his cheeks flaming up but couldn’t help but correct her. “... I also added four cookies. The ones you like to have with your tea.”

“This is all kind of adorable, you know. Pretty sure it would be impossible for anyone to make the connection between you and ski-mask dude.”

“Pretty sure you’re the only person I ever packed lunch for so that point is moot anyway,” he said, pointing his index finger at her. “Knowing you like I do you would have gone without any food then would have starved and been all grumpy on me. I did it for my very own selfish reasons.”

“Sure. That’s why you made sure to add four cookies,” she snickered as he put the bag in the fridge. “Because you’re a big tough alpha male.”

“Shut up,” he grinned, leaning in to kiss her.

Monday mornings clearly were underrated.

  
  


When he finally walked inside the mansion, no one was up. He knew he only had a few minutes so he quickly made his way to his bedroom, heading straight for a shower. He took his time getting dressed, flipping through a few channels on TV to waste a few more minutes. By the time he finally made his way downstairs, his mother and sister were already seated around the dining table.

“Good morning,” he mumbled as he sat down as well.

“So, Ollie, what are your plans today?” Thea asked between two mouthfuls of cereal.

“I’m just going to stay here, like I told you yesterday,” Oliver smiled. “Read a bit, and… mom, I forgot to tell you last night but I’ll be going to the gala on Saturday.”

His mother raised her eyebrows in obvious surprise. “What… what made you change your mind?”

Oliver shrugged, taking a sip of coffee. “I figured one public appearance might get people off my back. Might as well happen at QC. But that doesn’t mean anything more, by the way. Just… I just feel like one hour or two wouldn’t hurt.”

“I’m… I’m really happy to hear that,” Moira smiled. “Do you need a PA or a plus one?”

“No, mom. I actually plan on spending today catching up a bit more on what happened while I was away. I’ll be going alone.”

“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I was just telling Thea about our security being upgraded because of those anonymous letters we got, by the way,” his mother continued, her head tilting in warning. Oliver understood right away that this was the official version and he had to play along.

“Which is utterly ridiculous if you ask me. We always get anonymous letters from some sicko,” Thea rolled her eyes as she peeled a banana.

“It’s for our own safety, Thea,” Oliver gently scolded her.

“I assume you’re going to get your own bodyguard as well, dear brother?”

“Well… yes. Of course,” Moira stated calmly. “I’ll meet with our head of security this morning to make sure everything is in order.”

“John Diggle. I want John Diggle, mom. Nobody else.”

“I’ll see what I can do but I know he’s now assigned to-”

“Please. You know he was my bodyguard at first. I know him and I trust him.”

“... alright then. I’ll ask specifically for him but it’s a bit of a downgrade for mister Diggle you know? I’m not sure he’ll appreciate it.”

“I’ll talk to him. Let him know it’s only temporary. I’d feel better if he was the one in charge of my personal security.”

“Very well. That is settled then. Thea, any request while we’re at it?”

“Yes," Thea replied after taking a sip of orange juice. "If I could have one that looks like Kevin Costner, I’d really appreciate it.”

 

 

By the time everybody had left the house, Oliver was still in his father’s office. It had become a family office after his death and Walter had made another room into his own when he had moved in. It felt weird to step inside the room all these years later, even if a few things had been changed. There were new curtains, a new computer and the familiar scent of Robert’s favorite cigars was long gone.

He couldn’t deny that sitting at his father’s chair felt weird, the symbolism of the act dawning on him suddenly. When he finally left the room, it was slightly past ten, and he knew the house was empty. Monday was grocery day for Raisa and she was the only staff member working that day anyway. His mother had sent him a text, confirming the agency had been made aware of his demand and he really couldn’t wait to get his hands on everything they had found. Things were finally moving forward at a more satisfying pace.

Moira had also included a list of people supposed to attend the gala, noting that it might help him to remember a few faces. He was checking them, making his way back to his bedroom when a small sound attracted his attention. The wood was cracking. It was nothing unusual in an old house like the mansion but for some reason, it put him on alert. Lightening his steps even more, he took the last few steps that separated him from his bedroom. The small, muffled sounds he could hear confirmed his suspicions. Rolling the file he was still holding, he shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans then opened the door as if there was nothing out of the ordinary.

One man. His eyes quickly scanned the room, confirming it. There was only one silhouette, obviously male, busy searching through the drawers of his desk. The window was open, but Oliver had left it that way before heading downstairs so he couldn't be sure this was how the intruder had managed to break in. The man stood up, his face protected by a balaclava and for a few seconds they both stared at each other.

“If it’s money you want, you won’t find any in here,” Oliver said calmly, his hands raised.

The man grabbed a gun from his back, and pointed it towards Oliver. “I’m not here for money. But you already know that, don’t you?”

“I’m afraid I’m not following.”

“What do you know about your father’s project?”

“If it's about QC, I'm not involved with the company anymore,” Oliver answered, taking a step forward. He needed to get closer to get a chance to disarm him.

“You were his heir. Supposed to take over after him. I’m going to ask again. What do you know about his project?”

“Nothing. I don’t know what you’re talking about. The only thing I have is a letter he wrote to me.”

“Where is that letter?”

Oliver shifted a few inches, turning his hips. “My pocket. I’m going to take it and hand it to you. Please don’t shoot.”

The man seemed to ponder his words, his grip tightening on the gun, then eventually nodded. His behavior confirmed to Oliver that he wasn’t a professional. And he had no accent, unlike the Bratva brothers he had taken down a few weeks ago.

Slowly, keeping his eyes on the man, Oliver lowered a hand, grabbing the file. “Here. Take it. There is nothing in there anyway, I never understood a word of what he wrote. Please don’t hurt me.”

“Bring me the letter,” the man growled in response.

“Alright. Don’t shoot,” Oliver answered quietly, taking the few last steps until he was close enough to hand him the papers.

There were two possibilities now. Either the man had been hired to kill him, and as soon as he had his hands on what he wanted he would fire the gun. Or all he wanted was that file and then he would leave... but then probably come back to get the real thing. Which would then put other people at risk. All in all… it was a threat he needed to take care of.

“Open the file first.”

_Smart one._

Oliver grimaced, knowing he wouldn’t be able to fool him but opened the file nonetheless knowing it would earn him a few precious seconds.

“This doesn’t look like a-”

Dropping the file, Oliver grabbed the arm that was holding the gun so it wasn’t facing him anymore and punched the guy in the face, aiming for the nose. WIthout giving his opponent time to gather his bearings, he pushed him against a wall, forcing him to release the gun by slamming his wrist against a cabinet. With a yelp of pain, the man let his weapon go and Oliver kicked it away before grabbing his throat.

“Who hired you?”

He could only see the man’s eyes and they gleamed with what looked like gleeful evil. “You’ll never find out.”

“Wanna bet?”

“You’ll be dead first,” he snorted.

Only instincts warned Oliver, and he was jumping away a quarter of a second before a knife could dig in his throat, but the sudden pinch of pain he felt in his arm let him know he hadn't been able to completely avoid it.

Grabbing the first thing he could, he held it protectively against his face, the blade slashing through it, ending a few inches away from him. He threw the useless shield on the bed, the knife still stuck, noting the fear in the man’s eyes right before Oliver landed a punch on his stomach then clocked him underneath the chin, hearing the crack sound his jaw made.

“One last time. Who hired you? What do they want?”

The man spat blood before answering. “They want to make sure you don’t know anything. But you do, right?”

Oliver squeezed his fists, feeling completely trapped. This was his home, and he knew he shouldn’t let the man get away. But how could he explain a dead man’s body in his bedroom? How could he justify it? And what would Felicity think of him?

“I wonder if everybody else in this family is as good a fighter as you seem to be, Mister Queen.”

That sealed the deal. Oliver grabbed the man by his clothes, pushed him against the window frame - the one that was still open, not even thinking twice.

“You are going to tell them I know nothing. The letter drowned with the Gambit. And pray no one in my family gets hurt, you hear me?”

“Wait, no, don’t,” the man said, his hands scrambling for purchase around the window frame.

“Did. You. Hear. Me?” Oliver snarled, tightening his grip.

“Yes, yes!”

A loud bang against his door made them both jump. “Oliver? Is everything alright?”

Dig.

The second of inattention was enough for the man to throw his head back for a headbutt. Oliver moved just in time to avoid the full blow but not fast enough to not get hit. His lip throbbing, he heard the door banging open just as he was dragging the man inside the room again.

Everything happened in a blur at that moment. He saw Dig reaching for his gun, the man diving to get his that was still on the floor. Reacting instinctively, Oliver kicked him in the chest before he could reach it and the next thing he knew, the man was stumbling, his hand slipping on the window frame.

A short scream and a loud thud were heard as he fell down to the stone ground two floors below.

Dig gasped, looking at Oliver who just closed his eyes, trying to hear anything more. A moan, a yelp… anything.

Only silence could be heard.

One quick glance confirmed it. The man had fallen head first. He was dead.

“Don’t touch anything, Oliver. Is this his gun or yours?” Dig asked, putting his glock back in his jacket.

“His.”

“Do you have any weapon inside this room or this house?”

“No. I don’t. Maybe my mom or Walter but in this room, there is only a knife.”

“What kind of knife?”

“Swiss army.”

“Where is it?”

“Underneath my pillow.”

“Move it. Put it in a cabinet or cupboard, somewhere random,” Dig told him as he picked up his phone. “Before I call them, is there anything I need to know?”

“No. He was inside the room when I arrived, looking for some papers... probably my father's letter or something similar. We fought, you arrived and you saw what happened next.”

“It was pure self defense. The man was a burglar, it looks like an accident. You’re also wounded. It will be fine.”

Dig quickly called the police while Oliver went to pick up his knife, shoving it in a drawer. His shirt was wet with his blood and he winced, pressing a handkerchief on the cut on his bicep. He would definitely need stitches.

“We’ll keep this simple,” Dig said as soon as he had hung up. “You found a burglar in your room. He had a gun, threatened you. He lost his gun, you tried to run away. Small fight occurred, your chin and lips are bruised and your arm is bleeding. I arrived, startled him and when you tried to keep him from taking his gun, you pushed him but he fell through the window. It’s the truth, right?”  

“Yes,” Oliver sighed. “Why are you here though?”

“Man, I’m your bodyguard. Personally requested according to Mrs Queen. Thank you, by the way. I feel special.”

“Anytime,” Oliver sighed, sitting down on the bed.

“Hey… you defended yourself, man. It’s not your fault, I was there, I saw it. Had you been one foot further away, the dude would have just fallen on his ass. He had a knife and a gun. I doubt his intentions were pure.”

“They weren’t but… this is messy, John. A man died at the Mansion. It’s bound to attract attention.”

“It might not be bad, you know. Well… not that someone dead is good. But that means it justifies the upgrade of security. And also the more you have public eyes on you the less likely anyone will be tempted to make a move against you.”

Oliver nodded, knowing there was some truth in Dig’s words.

“Do you know who he was?”

“No. White male, brown eyes. I’d say he might have been in his thirties, had a few wrinkles around the eyes. No accent,” Oliver explained while Dig was sitting down next to him. “You are… remarkably calm about this.”

“It’s my job, Oliver. That man was dangerous, it ended badly but… at the end of the day it’s none of our fault. He broke into a house, armed and was obviously ready to use said arms.”  
  
The police arrived quite fast, as well as an ambulance. Moira came back in a rush and insisted on staying by his side as his deposition was taken. As Dig had predicted, the case was simple. An accident. There should be no charges pressed if the evidence confirmed their words. Oliver’s cut on the arm was cleaned by the medics, but he still needed to head to the hospital for stitches. Before leaving, he had a quick talk with his mother, confirming to her what the burglar had been after. He saw the worry growing on her face, the way her eyes avoided his for a few seconds but she just nodded, telling him that at least he was safe and sound. He asked Dig to give him a minute, then led his mother to a small study down the hall.

 “Mom… have you been threatened too?” he asked her right away, knowing it would be pointless to beat about the bush. This time he wouldn't stop until he got the truth out of her.

“What? No!” Moira exclaimed, her hand covering her chest.

“There is something you’re not telling me and I wonder what it is.”

“Oliver, no… yes I am nervous and maybe fidgety but my son just came back to me and someone tried to hurt him or worse so yes, I’m a little bit anxious. But that is all.”

“There is something more, I can feel it. Someone just broke inside our house looking for something concerning dad. He was in my room but it could have been Thea's. So, I'm asking again... have you been threatened yourself?”

Moira took a deep breath, taking a step backwards. She seemed to ponder his words then eventually exhaled slowly. “Yes. A little bit after your father passed away, I was approached to keep the usual business going. I refused. They threatened you and Thea. We came to an agreement that our family would from then on stay away from them and in return, I would never tell anyone.”

“Who? Who was it, mom?”

“I don’t know, Oliver! It was a messenger, someone I had never seen in my life.”

“How… how did they convince you? How did you know they were telling the truth?”

“Because I had my own doubts and they only confirmed them,” Moira said quietly. “Oliver if we leave this all behind us… they will go away again.”

_What? No they won’t. They will always exist._

“Mom… you know I believe they went after the Gambit. And they killed dad for sure. They have to pay.”

“You can’t go against them. **We** can’t go against them, I am not risking my children’s lives, Oliver,” she hissed, that dark, cold look back in her eyes, the one that had surprised him so much when he had come back. He understood now. He understood she had been made aware of the fact that her husband had been killed, and that there were threats out there. The way she had acted at first, so controlling, could be easily explained by a need to keep him close.

“Mom… I need you to tell me the truth. The Gambit. Did you know? Is that why you stopped the investigation?”

Moira crossed her arms on her chest, her trembling hand covering her lips for a few seconds. “Yes. It was their warning.”

“...what?” Oliver asked, shocked. He had assumed the investigations had unfolded the truth, not that she had been told.

“I still had Thea. If I ever talked… they’d go after her. They didn't believe my word when I told them I'd never talk. That was their way of making sure I’d never reveal anything about what your father did. I got the message loud and clear.”

“I… you knew? All along?”

Moira ignored his question, reaching out to squeeze his hand, pleading. “Oliver, I’m begging you. You have to think about Thea. They won’t hesitate.”

“What are they hiding, mom? Do you even know?”

“I don’t. And believe me after they murdered my son, I had no interest to find out and risk losing my daughter as well.”

Oliver blinked, feeling dizzy. Things had gone much, much deeper than he had first thought. “... was that why you behaved that way with Felicity?”

“Oliver, I always liked that girl. But I remember how she was with Isabel and… I did what I had to do to make sure she would stop. I owed it to you to at least try to protect her.”

“What do you mean you did what you…” he trailed off, frowning. “You… you hired those men? The ones who went after her? It was you?!” Oliver breathed, his eyes widening. It suddenly felt like the world was crashing at his feet.

“I made sure it was only a warning and that she wouldn’t get-”

“Do you have any idea what those men could have done to her?! Would have done to her if-” Oliver stopped himself just in time. “If someone hadn’t helped her?”

“Better than her getting a bullet between the eyes, Oliver,” Moira snapped. “And I was very clear that it was just a warning, they were not to harm her in any way.”

Oliver’s jaw dropped as he grabbed his head between his hands, wincing at the pinching burn he felt on his arm. Never would he have ever thought that his mother would have been the one to send the thugs after Felicity.

“I can’t believe you… you call that protecting her?!”

“What was I supposed to do exactly, Oliver? Tell her that yes her suspicions were right? I picked the lesser of two evils.”

“I… I need a minute, mom,” Oliver said, his mind trying to process everything. Of all the things he could have expected… that his mother had willingly put Felicity in danger… even though he heard her reasons and somehow maybe could understand why she had done it… it was still hard to accept. When had his mother turned into someone ready to do this kind of thing?

“Don’t judge me, Oliver. I lost my husband. I lost my son. They threatened my only living child. Had I let Felicity go on, she would be dead by now as well. And you know it.”

“It doesn’t… it doesn’t justify everything, mom!” he roared, remembering how close of a call that night had been.

“Keep your voice down,” Moira scolded him. “I did the only thing I could think of to keep her safe.”

“I don’t recognize you. I don’t recognize you anymore.”

“Just like I don’t recognize you either, Oliver. We both have changed. That’s what happens when you face something hard. It hardens you. It made you taciturn, it made me ready to do what is necessary to avoid blood being spilled. Too many people have died already.”

A knock on the door interrupted them. Oliver opened it, not surprised to see Dig on the other side.

“Police officers are done with your room. I suggest packing a new shirt to wear after you’re done at the hospital. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

“Thanks, Dig,” Oliver murmured, closing the door. “Mom… I have to go. Don’t expect me tonight. I need a bit of time.”

“Honey. You have to understand that everything I did was to protect Thea and Felicity as well. When you came back, I had no idea you were aware of what your father had done and everything should have stayed buried.”

“Make sure there are cameras around the mansion. Security outside and inside too. 24/7. Make sure none of you go anywhere without a guard, that includes work.”

“Yes. Don’t worry, we’re already working on this as we speak. But where will you be?”

“I need some air. And I need to think. Don’t worry, I’ll take Dig with me.”

“Alright. Just… Oliver, I can’t lose you. Be careful, don’t do anything reckless. It’s just not worth it.”

“No, mom. I just need to think about everything you’ve told me. That’s all. I’ll see you on Saturday anyway. I promise.”

The smile he gave her was small and stiff but she nodded nonetheless.

He definitely needed a few days to let everything sink in.

One thing was clear though: his mother was a hell of a liar and poker player.

 

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for him to get fixed at the hospital, probably thanks to his last name and the very generous yearly contributions his family made. Dig had grabbed some lunch in the meanwhile and when they finally headed to the foundry it was just after 2PM.

Making his way downstairs he was surprised to see Felicity wearing a pair of protective glasses, apparently busy soldering some sort of cables together.

“Hi guys!” She grinned, putting the glasses down. “Just in time. I finished setting up your system, now all we need is to get some cameras so we can make sure no one enters the perimeter unknown. I also suggest an upgrade for the main door as well as motion detectors.”

Still smiling, she stood up, walking to them. “So how was your…”

Her face fell suddenly, her eyes fixing on Oliver’s jaw, then travelling down to his arm, where the big white bandage was quite obvious underneath his T-shirt.

“Oh my God, what happened?” she breathed, her fingers pushing his chin upwards to take a closer look. “Did you have a car crash? Did… and what is this, is this a sandwich?!”

Felicity’s eyes travelled from his arm to the sandwich he was still holding in his other hand. “Hum, yes, we stopped for lunch,” he explained.

Felicity stared at Dig, then at him again. “What. Happened.”

“Someone broke into my room. He had a gun and a knife. We fought. He fell through the window.”

“And **when** exactly did this happen?” Felicity asked calmly, folding her arms.

“This morning,” Dig explained, throwing him a glance that said, quite clearly ‘you didn’t let her know?!’.

“This morning,” Felicity repeated, nodding her head as she checked her watch. “It’s…  2:15 in the afternoon. And I am finding **now** that someone went after you?”

“We had the cops over and he had to go to the hospital to get stitches,” Dig tried to explain, his tone clearly lacking conviction.

“And then you went to get a freaking sandwich, am I right?” Felicity snarled. “So, your priorities were: cops, hospital, meatball sandwich and **then** girlfriend?”

“Felicity, it’s no big deal. It’s just a cut. I didn’t see the point in worrying you,” Oliver said softly. He was fine, and those few stitches really were no big deal at all.

“Someone tried to kill you, Oliver, so yes there is a point in me being worried!” she yelled, banging her hand on the table. “I… I can’t believe this. What happened to the man? Is he at the hospital too?”

“He died.”

Felicity’s eyes widened as she took a step back. “I.. this is… I don’t even know what to say.”

Diggle slapped his shoulder, then made a small head gesture letting him understand he was going to give them some time. Oliver knew that he probably should talk to Felicity but first he had to share with the two of them the conversation he had had with his mother. He held Dig back, shaking his head, before turning to face Felicity.

“Honey, I’m sorry-”

“Don’t you dare honey me right now!” she cut him off, stomping to her desk and sitting on the chair facing the computer.

“I just didn’t think about calling you at first and then we were on our way anyway,” Oliver tried to placate her, realizing he was already considering that whole area as “her” place in the foundry.

She turned slowly on her chair, facing him. “You just… didn’t think about calling me?”

“I was in reacting mode, it’s…” Oliver trailed off, trying to find the right words. “It was just a one thing at a time kind of reaction. Listen, can we… talk about this later?”

“Oh yes we’re going to talk about this, that’s for sure,” she snapped. “Probably after I call my mom, get a mani-pedi and and maybe floss my teeth to reflect your MO.”

Oliver winced, sensing her anger wouldn’t fade anytime soon, even though he couldn’t really understand it. He was fine, after all. What would have been the point of her being worried, here all alone where he couldn’t reassure her?

Felicity took a deep breath, then eventually asked in a calmer tone, “so… anything else I should know?”

“... Yes. And Dig as well,” Oliver replied.

He proceeded to tell them everything his mother had done, not leaving anything out. Dig’s eyebrows kept on raising to the point where they almost reached his hairline the more he told them.

“... See!” Felicity exclaimed as she gave a fist pump. "I told you it was weird they didn’t want to kill me!”

“Hum… yeah… I guess,” Oliver grimaced.

“Although… wow. I can’t believe she went that far. I mean… I’ve always heard of the saying "desperate times call for desperate measures" but your mother took that to a whole other level,” Felicity whistled. “With all due respect, of course.”

“So what do you want to do man?” Dig asked as he finished his sandwich.

“I… I don’t know. I don’t think I could live knowing that someone could suddenly change their mind and come after Thea or my mom.”

“I guess the good thing is that Felicity is still out of the picture for them,” Dig nodded. “And I agree with you. It’s not a life, look at how much your mother has changed. Long-term wise, it’s not liveable. Not to mention... what if they're still planning something?”

“There’s that,” Felicity agreed, swirling in her chair. “I’ll make sure to upgrade security for Thea at PT as well by the way. Don’t worry. Did she get back home?”

“My mom said she was on her way.”

“OK. Tell her she can have a few days off. I’ll deal with it,” Felicity said, waving her hand dismissively. “Something else, though. Did you tell the police about what the man was really after?”

“No. Of course not,” Oliver denied, shaking his head.

“You should.”

_… what?!_

He exchanged a glance with Dig who seemed as confused as he was.

“Remember what your father wrote? Corruption is everywhere even in the police department.”

“Oh. Ooooh, bright move Miss Smoak,” Dig congratulated her.

“I have my moments,” she grinned proudly.

“I’m sorry but I’m still a bit lost here,” Oliver mumbled, sitting down on the desk next to her.

“You should eat. You’re very pale,” Felicity frowned, cradling his face. “And drink,” she added, handing him her bottle of water. “What I mean is that… if you want them to think you have no idea what this is all about, there’s your chance. Call back the police officer, say you remember something. The guy kept asking for a letter but it didn’t make much sense to you because the only letter you can think of was one from your dad asking you to forgive him about Isabel and it drowned with the Gambit. There. If they have access to your deposition, they’ll think that letter either never existed or is lost anyway.”

Which could be enough to convince them he knew nothing and leave his family alone. Or at least buy him some time.

“Those bright brains of yours,” Oliver smiled proudly before tapping her forehead with his index finger.

“Also, when you go to the private agency, make sure to mention that you’re mostly looking for something to tell the Backstones when you visit them. Again… make it sound like something anyone would do in those circumstances,” Dig added. “You’re still going there this week?”

Oliver looked down at Felicity, conflicted. He had planned this trip before he had any idea they would get back together and leaving her now seemed… really hard to handle for some reason.

“I’ll be fine. Stick to your plans,” she reassured him.

“Dig…”

“I’ll stay with her.”

“You’re supposed to be his bodyguard,” Felicity snorted.

“It’s a last minute arrangement and unfortunately, Dig had planned to ask for a couple of days off, right Dig?”

“Yup. Paid by my boss and all that jazz,” Dig smirked. “I’ll put Rob with you. He’s gullible, you shouldn’t have too much trouble with that one.”

“Why don’t I get the gullible one?” Felicity pouted.

“You get the big badass one because you’d probably eat that poor Rob alive.”

  


Eventually, Dig and Felicity went to buy cameras and at least a dozen other things Felicity deemed absolutely necessary, such as a mini fridge and a list of techy stuff that made no sense to him.

By the time they were back, night had already fallen. They ate dinner, all around the med table, while Felicity mumbled about needing a proper dining table. Oliver made a mental note to find one, even if he still didn’t really like the idea of Felicity spending too much time in here.

They dropped Felicity first, then after a few rounds around the neighborhood, they both made their way to the building as well. Dig wished him good luck before continuing to his own floor and Oliver sighed, knowing he was about to get an earful.

She was showering when he walked inside thanks to the key she had given him. He slowly exhaled, locking the door, enjoying the calm of her apartment. His arm was bothering him a little, having refused to take painkillers after the small injection they had given him to numb the area for the stitches. He was drinking a glass of water, leaning against the sink, when she walked inside the living room, already in her PJs.

“So… let’s just rip off the band-aid, shall we?” she said as she hopped on the counter. “How on earth do you consider it OK to not let me know something like that has happened to you, Oliver?”

“That’s… I knew I was going to tell you. It just wasn’t necessary to let you know right away. I was fine, everyone was fine.”

“Oliver, please. What if I had surfed the web? How do you think I would have felt knowing the man I love had been attacked in his home and there was a dead body involved?! While I was stuck in a steel factory in the middle of the Glades?!”

“I…” Oliver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I couldn’t call you while cops were there.”

“That I can understand. But Oliver you went to buy a freaking sandwich!”

“I’m sorry. I can see this upsets you and-”

“Ugh!” she groaned, huffing. “That is what is killing me. You’re apologizing because I’m upset. Newsflash: I’m not upset, I’m mad. And I wish you could see how wrong it is to not let me know when something like that happens to you as if I am not a part of your life! I agreed to keep things quiet, I understand your concern. But damn it, Oliver, a text would have gone a long way! How on earth do you want me to feel comfortable, to trust you if I know you’re totally OK not letting me know this kind of stuff? How?! I’ll be worried every time you’re away from me because even if something bad happens to you, chances are I will find out after you had the time to grab a freaking meatball sandwich!”

“Felicity, it’s just a fucking flesh wound!” Oliver snapped. “It’s… it’s nothing! I got much, much worse so yes to me it’s as pointless as you calling me because you had a paper cut!”

Felicity paled at his words, stiffening. “A papercut, really? When a man held you at gunpoint and slashed your arm? So let me get this straight… if I get assaulted by someone on my way to work, and he points a gun at me, but in the end I only scratch my hand, I shouldn’t let you know ASAP, right? I should first call the cops, call an ambulance, get to the hospital, stop at that bakery shop I love so much, get myself a chocolate cake, leisurely savor it on my way back home, and only then tell you… right? You’d be totally fine with that, right?”

“It’s… it’s different, Felicity,” Oliver pinched his lips. “I’m used to this. You aren’t.”

“And I sure as hell won’t get used to it anytime soon if you leave me out of the loop, Oliver!”

“See? That’s… this is all a mistake! I knew it wouldn’t be that simple. You can’t understand because-”

“Because you don’t explain to me, Oliver. **That** is why I can’t understand.”

Oliver turned around and grabbed the sink with his hands, breathing in slowly. There was no point in getting mad.

“But you know what? I can explain something to you. It’s OK. That I can do,” Felicity continued nonetheless with a hard voice. “I can explain to you that I know what it’s like to get bad news. I know what it’s like to ask your assistant to get you a sandwich for lunch, not realize she hasn't come back and suddenly wondering why is everybody so quiet. I know what it’s like when your boss enters your office, closes the door behind him with that terrible sadness in his eyes because he knows he is about to break your heart into a thousand pieces and that you'll probably never recover from it. I know what it’s like to be told the love of your life isn’t coming back. I know that. I lived it once. I came back to this place three years ago, your voice in my ears, still refusing to admit what everyone was telling me and repeating to myself that they were wrong and that you were coming back and that I'd never let you leave this apartment ever again because here was safe, here was where we were happy and together. And God help me but I have to physically keep myself from holding you hostage here, where there's no danger, where you smile, where you seem happy, but I know you’ll never find peace and never be able to really move forward if you don’t find out who did this to you. So I just accept it. I grit my teeth even though you’re probably going to end up in danger. But if I can’t be sure you’re going to tell me when something like that happens, how on earth can I continue? Every single minute I would stop and wonder if you are still alright? I **need** you to tell me when something like that happens, Oliver. I need it to stay sane.” 

“I’m trying, Felicity!” he shouted, suddenly angry for a reason he didn't really understand. He could hear the pain in her voice and he hated being the one causing it... but at the same time he wasn't sure he was ready to hear her words. Facing her pain and heartbreak, even three years later, knowing he was hurting her again, right now... it was a bit too much for him to handle. “I am trying every day, every hour. When you spend three years only counting on yourself, it becomes a habit. It’s how I survived, you don’t… you don’t just forget that!”

“We’re not a mistake, Oliver. We’ll never be,” Felicity sighed, closing her eyes.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” he whispered, the anger he had felt a few seconds earlier already vanishing. He rubbed his forehead, trying to make sense of all the emotions that were swirling inside of him.

“I accept that you are not ready to share everything with me. But I need something Oliver. I need to be sure that if something happens to you in the present day you **will** tell me.”

“Telling people isn’t in my instincts, Felicity” Oliver admitted quietly. He didn’t want to lie to her. He didn’t want to make empty promises he wasn’t sure he would keep. Because truth be told, even though he had thought of Felicity during that morning, he hadn’t even entertained the idea of letting her know. He couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t happen again, not because he didn’t care about her feelings but because of the way he was when he was facing a threat. He was logical, tactical, and there was very little place for anything other than that. He knew he’d have to try though.

“That might be the understatement of the year,” she snickered. “But I’m not a random person, Oliver. Don’t treat me as such or… or everything is pointless between us.”

“You know I don’t see you as a random person. I just… have a hard time reconciling you and the person I have become.”

“You have to include me, Oliver. If we can’t be a couple in public, and we can’t be a couple in private, what are we even doing here?”

“You know I love you,” he murmured.

“I love you too. More than words can say,” she smiled softly. “And I know we’ve only been together for a few days and we both need a bit of time to adjust but there are things I’m willing to accept and some that I’m not. And I’m sorry if that means I am pushing you hard but some things are primordial to me. I have to trust you and that also means in this kind of situation.”

He nodded, forcing his hands to relax. She was right, and he knew it.

She hopped off the counter and took a few steps until she was by his side. Her hand on his back, she rubbed small circles and pressed a small kiss on his shoulder. “I don’t like it when we fight.”

“I really don’t like it either,” he breathed as he turned around, already pulling her in his arms. “I’m sorry. I really am.”

“I’m sorry I snapped.”

“I snapped too.”

She snuggled in his arms, her lips brushing his throat. They stayed like that for a couple minutes, until she reached on her toes, pressing a soft kiss on his lips, avoiding the side that was the most bruised. 

“I can’t believe we can’t even have makeup sex,” she whined against his mouth.

He chuckled then, squeezing her ass. “Well you know my position about this…”

“Shut up,” she grimaced, stepping away from him and heading to the fridge. She grabbed a yogurt, then made her way to the dining table. Oliver followed her automatically, sitting down opposite her.

“Damn,” she said suddenly, raising her head. “I forgot to tell you. I’ve been thinking that Saturday will be the perfect opportunity for us to try to find out if anything has been saved of your father’s private network. I just need access to a computer and with you there, that will make things very easy.”

Too busy staring at the way she was licking her spoon, her teasing little tongue so pink between her teeth, Oliver hummed in approval.

“All we’ll have to do is sneak inside an office, Dig can get us passes. I work my magic, then we head back to the reception.”

_… wait, what?_

“What? We’re supposed to barely acknowledge each other, Felicity, how can we sneak out together at the same time?”

“Come on Oliver, it’s at least two hundred people, they won’t notice me missing. You’ll just have to pretend you went out for a bit of fresh air. With your reputation they might think you got stuck in the ladies room, anyway.”

“But… the whole purpose of me going there is because all the people we suspect are going to be there as well. What… Felicity this is way too dangerous, what if we get caught together?”

“We won’t. If we do, we’ll pretend we’re having a civilized conversation between two adults. That’s all."

“No.”

“Oliver…”

“No, Felicity. Absolutely not. You’ll just explain to me how you hack your way in and I’ll do it.”

She looked at him, pinching her lips and perking an eyebrow. “No offense but… QC servers are not like hacking into someone’s hotmail account, Oliver. I’m not sure what I’ll find there so I can’t exactly tell you how to do it since well… I don’t even know what “it” will be in the first place.”

“Felicity, this is not up for discussion,” he explained through gritted teeth. “I might have accepted you going there but-”

“Excuse me?” she asked, her voice cold, her eyes flashing in anger. “You might have accepted me going there? You didn’t accept anything, Oliver. I **told** you I was going because it’s my job. It’s the perfect occasion to find out more about your father as well. We would be stupid not to use it.”

Oliver sighed, grabbing his head between his hands. Felicity was so stubborn and borderline reckless and he honestly didn’t know how to make her see reason. It was too dangerous and the two of them in the same room would already be hard for him to handle, but this... What if they got caught? What if someone saw them?

“You have two possibilities, Oliver. Either I do it alone, or you go with me. You need more information. I can find that.”

“We could find another way. We just need to think and we’ll come up with a plan.”

“I don’t… I want to act, Oliver. I want to find out who did this, who killed your father so maybe we can finally put this behind us. I don’t want to wait. I want to be able to go out for dinner with you and I want us to meet for lunch and I want you to be able to walk into my building and not either go through the window or triple check to see if no one followed you. I want a life with you and the longer it takes to discover what happened, the longer we have to wait. We already lost three years, isn’t that enough?”

Felicity stood up, shaking her head. She went to throw her empty yogurt container in the trash can and gulped down a glass of water.

“I’m going to bed. You’re coming?”

Oliver passed a tired hand over his face. “No. I’ll sleep on the couch tonight.”

She paused and looked at him, then threw her hands in the air. “Whatever. Goodnight.”

He sighed, watching her as she made her way to her bedroom. Truth be told he was way too fidgety to even consider sleeping right now. He was nervous, frustrated and confused and he knew it was best for him to work it out on his own. Sleeping next to her wasn’t a good idea at all when he was in that state of mind.

Things could shift so fast between them. They had barely made up before they were fighting again. Would it always be this hard? Would it have been this hard without the three years apart?

… Probably not. He knew that. He knew that a part of himself, the one who wanted to control everything had only grown more. Suddenly he wasn’t sure spending so much time with Felicity so soon was a good idea. Sure, at first it had seemed perfect and he still loved being at her place. It was comfortable and safe, and so, so warm. But it was a bubble, nothing more, nothing less. Something that kept the outside world away from them and he had fooled himself, forgetting they were bound to get back to reality. And this, this was reality. Being together would be hard, and not just an easy journey. Things wouldn’t miraculously get better because they got together. He was happier, oh yes. There was no possible comparison to how he felt away from her and by her side. But he was also scared, there was no point in denying it.

Damn, he loved her so much. Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder how his love for her hadn't changed. Was it because she was, in a way, the one who had always seen the best in him and inspired him to become that person, inspired him to become someone he could be proud of? These three years had erased so many things in him but his love for her was intact. If anything, it had grown stronger and it was hard for him to realize he probably didn't make her as happy as she deserved. 

He went for a run, a hoodie hanging low on his face, and even if he wasn’t wearing the appropriate clothes, the physical exertion already helped him clear his head. Usually he would have done push ups but with the wound on his arm, he would have only ended up tearing his stitches. When he walked back in the apartment, Felicity was apparently asleep, her bed lamp switched off. He took a quick shower then settled down on the couch, still deep in thoughts.

She was right. In many ways, she was right. They had had three years of their lives ripped away from them and there was nothing more he wanted than to finally, finally be able to really live again. He knew that his need to control everything would only slow him down, especially since it involved protecting her. He had to trust her, trust her when she said she could handle the risks. And he would have to remember how to be a partner, a real one, one that was there in the bad times and the good ones. He couldn’t afford to go it alone constantly anymore or he would only end up pushing her away.

It would be hard to go against what his instincts had taught him but he had to try. For her. What would be the point of finding out the truth about his father if in the end he lost her and the life they could have? He had been ready to walk out of her life when he had come back but now that he had had the chance to spend those few days with her again... he knew he'd never be able to walk away from her ever again. She was there, for him, supporting him in any way she could and he had to show her he was willing to do the same for her. He had to show her how much he wanted a life with her, a real one. 

And he would start now.

His eyes fixed on the coffee table, he swiftly got rid of the tablecloth.

He had a promise to keep. A promise he had made more than three years ago.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: STAMTB was almost titled The Promise after that song. I was a bit sad not to be able to use it because it really hit me in the feels when I heard it and thought about Oliver... but then I figured it could work for this chapter. Happy to share that with you all :)
> 
> So, what did you think? Loads of stuff, right? We finally get the truth out of Moira... and Jesus Christ that woman has a weird definition of "protecting". Which, in a way, is pretty canon with her character lol. 
> 
> First fight for Oliver and Felicity... followed by a second right away. The bubble has definitely burst and felicity is standing her ground.  
> Also, how cute is Oliver packing her lunch? XD Again, directly out of canon lol. 
> 
> Hope you liked it, and as you saw, they talked more about their experience away from each other during those three years. It will happen more and more now, because I think they both realized now that they couldn't just live in a little cocoon made of sex and cuddles (unfortunately). They had a nice lovely little honeymoon, and it's gonna continue in maaaany ways but reality is also there and they're aware of it ;)
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the long rant!  
> Find me on twitter @pimsiepim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi ;)


	19. I'm Gonna Getcha Good!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :)  
> Here is the next chapter. It is NSFW - happens around the beginning of it. Let's just say that it's not because Felicity can't have fun that she doesn't want Oliver to... hum... you know.
> 
> Special thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka for their help <3<3
> 
> Song: I'm Gonna Getcha Good! by Shania Twain

**"I'm Gonna Getcha Good!"**  


 

Let's go!

Don't wantcha for the weekend, don't wantcha for a night  
I'm only interested if I can have you for life, yeah  
Uh, I know I sound serious and baby I am  
You're a fine piece of real estate, and I'm gonna get me some land

Oh, yeah  
So, don't try to run honey, love can be fun  
There's no need to be alone when you find that someone

(I'm gonna getcha)  
I'm gonna getcha while I gotcha in sight  
(I'm gonna getcha)  
I'm gonna getcha if it takes all night  
(Yeah, you can betcha)  
You can betcha by the time I say "go," you'll never say "no"  
(I'm gonna getcha)  
I'm gonna getcha, it's a matter of fact  
(I'm gonna getcha)  
I'm gonna getcha, don'tcha worry 'bout that  
(Yeah, you can betcha)  
You can bet your bottom dollar, in time you're gonna be mine  
Just like I should - I'll getcha good

Yeah, uh, uh  
I've already planned it - here's how it's gonna be  
I'm gonna love you and - you're gonna fall in love with me  
Yeah, yeah

Oh, yeah  
So, don't try to run honey, love can be fun  
There's no need to be alone when you find that someone

Yeah, I'm gonna getcha baby I'm gonna knock on wood  
I'm gonna getcha somehow honey yeah, I'm gonna make it good  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Oh, yeah  
So, don't try to run honey, love can be fun  
There's no need to be alone when you find that someone

 

Oh, I'm gonna getcha, I'm gonna getcha real good  
Yeah, you can betcha, oh, I'm gonna getcha  
(I'm gonna getcha) just like I should, I'll getcha good  
Oh, I'm gonna getcha good!

 

 

Felicity couldn't sleep.

She had heard Oliver leaving the apartment and a part of her had thought he wouldn’t come back. She had sneaked into the living room and had seen his wallet still on the counter, and understood he had probably needed some air. When he had come back, she had pretended to be asleep, still processing everything that had happened. She had been aware from the beginning that once the real world would start to catch up with them, it wouldn’t be easy. How right she had been. Not that they had had a big fight. To be honest, it wasn’t that bad, just a reminder that yes, there would be struggles. A lot of struggles. Oliver’s trauma ran deep and wasn’t something just confined to the past. No, it was easing its way into his present as well. It wasn’t just a matter of dealing with what he had gone through. It was also accepting that his experience had changed him and being able to tell the difference between the change that would stay with him and the one that was just the expression of his trauma.

She knew he was trying. She could see how he really hadn’t understood what had been her issue. And she would cut him some slack but she also, for both of their sakes, had to stand her ground on many other things. They would go nowhere if all she did was accept unhealthy behavior and sweep it under the rug.

Talk about finding a new balance.

Around midnight, she gave up, switching on the bed lamp, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Damn she hated this. She hated knowing he was right next to her room, probably asleep on that surprisingly comfortable couch of hers. He should be next to her. They shouldn’t waste time and sleep away from each other.

It was stupid, really.

That damn, stubborn man.

With his gorgeous eyes and a smile that made her knees weak. Oh and his hands… so strong and soft and so, so very skilled. Those abs that were just begging to be dry-humped…

Ugh. So not helping.

Glancing to her right, she sighed at the sight of his pillow. This wasn’t right.

“Time to be the grown up, I guess,” she grumbled, sitting up and throwing back the blankets.

Quietly, she made her way to the living room where Oliver was apparently asleep. It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness but she could see him lying on the couch.

Biting her lips, she hesitated. She knew now why he had left the bed their first night and she wasn’t sure if sneaking up on him was such a good idea.

“What’s wrong, Felicity?” Oliver said suddenly, making her jump.

“Oh God, Oliver”, she hissed, resting a hand over her chest, her heart beating wildly. “You scared the hell out of me!”

“You’re the one lurking in the shadows, I’ll have you know,” he replied, keeping his tone low. It seemed to her there was a hint of teasing in his voice but she wasn’t sure.

Shaking her head, she took the few steps to the couch just as Oliver straightened, leaning on his elbow. She sat down by his knee, biting her lips nervously and fumbling with his sweatpants.

“This isn’t right, Oliver.”

“I know…” He exhaled slowly, then laid back, opening his arms.

Smiling, she climbed over him, snickering at the little humf he made when she finally dropped down on him, already searching for her favorite position.

There, snuggled in the crook of his arm, the top of her head nestled underneath his chin. Perfect.

Oliver closed his arms around her, covering her with the blanket before pressing a little kiss on her head.

They stayed quiet for long minutes, Oliver’s fingers lacing through her hair while she slowly caressed his scars.

“I used to dream of you,” she eventually said quietly.

Oliver’s hand froze in her hair but he stayed quiet.

“It’s funny because people wanted me to go out, have a drink, have fun so I’d just… get my mind onto something else. They just didn’t know that I didn’t want to. All I wanted was to come home and fall asleep because that was where I could see you again. I’d hear your voice… you’d smile at me… And you would never leave. That’s what my life looked like for a while. I got back to work a few weeks after you went missing and it became my whole life. I just threw myself into it. I would work until I was so tired all I could do was call a cab, then I would just crumble on my bed and fall asleep. After… after my watch was out on the market, I realized I couldn’t go on that way. I asked to be moved to New York. I stayed there two years and then I came back, a little more healthy. But I still dreamed of you. There were mornings where I would wake up and cling to those dreams desperately. I didn’t want to open my eyes, I didn’t want to get up because I knew that you weren’t by my side.” 

Her hand resting over his heart, she resumed her slow caress, tracing the outline of his tattoo from memory. Yet another question she was dying to ask but knew it probably was too soon.

She wasn’t expecting anything from him and was surprised when he started to talk. “When I finally made it to the island, after days of just… drifting, I was exhausted. Hungry. It had rained so I had had enough water but no more food. I barely had anything with me except… that pen you got me in Vegas. For some reason that I’ll probably never understand, I was wearing the pants where I had shoved my car keys. The first thought I had when I made it to the island was that I wanted you to wait for me. I really thought I would be found quickly and I’d come back to you. You’d probably punch me for scaring you that much and then… I wouldn’t have let you leave this apartment for at least one week straight.”

She chuckled. “I’m not sure I would have been able to survive that.”

“You survived just fine the first time.”

“I was walking funny all of Sunday.”

“I wish I could have kissed it all better.”

“Pretty sure you would have done a great job, too.”

“I have my moments.”

She giggled, Oliver’s arms tightening around her as he let out a low chuckle. “I missed that sound,” he murmured. “Your laugh. Your voice… your loud voice.”

Grinning, she shifted until she could nibble on his chin. “Even my loud voice, really?”

“Yeah… it has always been a major turn on.”

“... When I use my loud voice it’s because I am pissed at you, Oliver and I’m giving you a piece of my mind.”

“Well… it usually works. Then I think about how much I want to push you against the nearest surface and see if I can make you scream louder.”

“I’m not a screamer.”

“Yes, you are,” Oliver snorted.

“No. I might… moan a little but I don’t scream.”

“You do. You did in my office. And in my bedroom. Also… you moan a lot. Which I fucking love, by the way.”

“I… didn’t scream in your office,” she gasped, offended. She would have never screamed at his workplace.

“... Honey, you did. And you will again.”

“Let’s pray I don’t because I already had one neighbor complaining about the noise my bed made, remember?”

“Well… then maybe I really need to look for my own place,” Oliver said quietly.

She paused, blinking. “You mean you’d move out of the mansion?”

“It was my plan before. And with what happened today… I think it might be a good idea if I put some distance between my family and I.”

“Don’t you think your mother might be even more… overbearing?”

“I have a feeling that… now that I know, things should be better.”

“Are you planning to tell her about us? Or anyone, really?”

“No. I’m sorry, hon’, but I just feel much more comfortable if no one knows. Dig keeps secrets but with mom-”

“Well I’d say she seems pretty good at that too…”

“Hum. Yes. But if Thea or Tommy find out it’s going to be…”

“Xoxo Gossip Girl."

“If you’re talking about Tommy, yeah.”

“Duh. Of course I am. Seriously though… you might be right. Telling them we’re together yet asking them to keep things secret might raise more questions than you’re willing to answer. Also… that means no awkward Sunday brunch with my boyfriend’s mother who may or may not have hired the Russian mob for me.”

“... that will be a fun story to tell our grandkids, though.”

Felicity’s heart stopped as a small grin spread on her lips. It was the first time that Oliver really talked about the future. And not the immediate future, but one that was still far, far away from them. It filled her heart with hope to know that he was slowly but surely getting there. Of course, this was obviously a little joke… but still. It was the first step.

She pressed a small kiss on his chest, her hand travelling north until she could scratch his neck and the base of his skull. His little moan of contentment resonated underneath her ear and feeling his body relax at the simple gesture warmed her up more than any blanket could do.

 

 

It was only when she woke up that she realized she had fallen asleep. The room was brighter, and it was probably the very first hours of the morning. Oliver was still asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly underneath her ear. Raising her head, she took him in, his face relaxed, mouth slightly ajar. His scruff was getting long, she noticed, her fingers slowly caressing it. It was softer now, and with his ruffled hair he looked… scrumptious. As if he had felt her gaze on him, he stirred, his eyes opening and immediately scanning the room. His body, so relaxed a minute earlier, tensed underneath her and instinctively she stroked his neck in reassurance.

Sighing, Oliver passed a hand over his face before mumbling, “good morning.”

“Good morning to you too,” Felicity smiled, kissing his lips softly. His voice was all throaty and low and… it did things to some parts of her body that were supposed to be on strike. Burying her face in his shoulder, she breathed him in, basking in his warmth as he tightened his arms around her. Unable to resist, she opened her mouth on the muscle between his neck and shoulder and suckled the flesh, biting into it. The taste of his skin was intoxicating, something she would probably never get tired of.

“Marking your territory?” Oliver chuckled as he lazily kneaded her backside.

“Yup,” she said before licking the small bite, smirking proudly at the angry red spot.

_So, OK maybe it makes me look like a 14 year-old but I don’t care._

Straightening on her arms, she shifted until she was lying on her side between the back of the couch and Oliver, taking the blanket with her and leaving his naked chest on display. Her hand reached out before she even was aware of it, patting the firm muscles, tracing his abs with her nails and she gulped when she saw the way they rolled under his skin.

“Felicity…” Oliver whispered in a low warning tone as he slipped an arm underneath his head.

“Shhh… don’t move,” she replied, dipping her head until she could lick the nipple closest to her. He hissed when she delicately bit it, his chest arching into her mouth. She let her lips travel from one pec to the other, her tongue leaving a trail behind her. Oliver let out a small groan, his hand squeezing her ass tighter. Slipping a leg between his, she settled more comfortably, nibbling her way down his stomach. “I’ve been dreaming of licking those abs ever since I first saw you shirtless.”

Resting her weight against him, she noticed right away that he was hard.

Really hard.

And suddenly, licking his abs seemed like the perfect appetizer... before the main course.

Thanks to the pillows, Oliver could see her without any problem, his body at the perfect angle, one that would give her enough room to rest between his thighs despite the small space offered by her couch.

One by one, she trailed his abs, enjoying the way the muscles were tensing underneath her mouth, Oliver’s breathing getting shorter and more ragged with each stroke of her tongue, his erection cradled safely between her breasts, still protected by their layers of clothes.

His stomach was so firm that she couldn’t even bite his flesh properly, running her teeth along his skin instead.

When she reached his navel, she raised her eyes, seeing his were fixed on hers, his pupils so dilated they almost seemed black. She smiled innocently before peeking her tongue out, letting it travel down the happy trail that would lead her right where she wanted.

Oliver cleared his throat then, his stare shifting from her eyes to her tongue as he licked his lips.

“It seems like we are wide awake this morning,” she teased him, her hand covering the obvious tent in his sweatpants.

Oliver pushed his hips into her hand, his eyes closing for the briefest second before murmuring, “you don’t have to do that, you know.”

“But I want it very much,” she breathed as she slowly caressed the thick erection through the fabric. She pressed one last kiss right above the waistband then grabbed it with both hands, lowering until his length was free.

She grabbed the base of his cock, squeezing it tightly, just the way she knew he liked it then lowered her face, her tongue reaching out. She paused then, staring him in the eyes, seeing the hunger in them. She felt empowered, naughty and sensual, holding him at her mercy. “I’m going to make you come with my mouth,” she murmured, feeling a small blush creeping up on her cheeks. She had never said these kind of words before, but for some reason, with Oliver… she wanted to. Whenever he would talk to her like that, she would get unbelievably turned on and she wanted to do the same for him.

Her embarrassment was short lived though, because the effect her words had on Oliver made her confidence skyrocket.

“Fuck,” he hissed, his hips buckling, his hand already hovering near her hair. His breathing was even more labored, his eyes almost pleading with her to give him what he desperately craved.

Never breaking eye contact, she let her tongue tease his head, giving it a small lick before circling the sensitive crest underneath. Pursing her lips, she pressed them against the tip, slowly opening up until he could slide inside her mouth.

Moaning, she started to stroke him, up and down, her thumb rubbing along the thick vein as her tongue circled the head of his cock. Slowly, she took more of him in her mouth, getting used to his girth once more before bobbing her head up and down, letting his hard shaft glide between her lips.

She forced herself to focus on his pleasure, ignoring the sparks erupting in her lower belly, the way her hips were already rolling, mimicking her movements. Going down on Oliver always turned her on violently but she wanted to do this for him - and just for him. Give him pleasure, bring him to completion and expect nothing in return, just the joy of knowing she had been the one to please him.

Her jaw starting to hurt, she released him with a small pop before licking the whole length, making it glisten with her saliva, the friction now much smoother as she kept on caressing him rhythmically, her other hand now cupping his balls, making them roll in her palm.

She saw the way Oliver was squeezing his fist, resting it against his thigh, his other arm still underneath his head but the bicep bulging as if he was holding back from grabbing her.

Softly, she nudged the inside of his leg with her nose, her head bumping against his hand in encouragement. “It’s OK, Oliver,” she smiled, nodding when he hesitantly buried his hand in her hair. “Show me.”

He seemed to battle with himself then gently pushed her head forward and she obediently opened her mouth, letting him slide over her tongue once more. He sighed then, deeply, his fingers massaging her skull as she took as much of him as she could. He hit the back of her throat, making her gag and retreat in reaction. She took a hold of his cock, making sure her hand would prevent her from taking him too far, then lowered her mouth again, this time not stopping and quickly gaining a rhythm.

“Oh God,” Oliver moaned as she rubbed her tongue against the sensitive tip. She tasted the first beads of his pleasure on her tongue, that saltiness that let her know that he was approaching his release. She hummed when he tightened his fingers in her hair, guiding her head faster.

“Yes, Felicity… that’s it baby, I’m close,” he panted as she held him tighter in her hand, massaging the thick rod.

Oliver tensed suddenly, visibly holding his breath as he kept her head in place and pushed inside her mouth as far as her hand let him. A low groan escaped him just before the first spurt of his pleasure hit the back of her throat, forcing her to swallow while he spilled himself into her mouth.

He finally relaxed his fingers in her hair and she raised her head, her lips freeing him. He was breathing heavily, his eyes unfocused as she let go of his cock, letting it rest on his abdomen as it slowly softened. She pressed one last kiss on the tip, murmuring an apology at the small hiss Oliver made at the stimulation, then pulled the sweatpants back in their place before sliding up the couch to settle in his arms again.

Oliver kissed her forehead as she let her hand rest over his heart. “That was... fucking amazing. Best morning ever.”

She giggled then, secretly pleased with the praise. “See what happens when you spend the night with your girlfriend?”

“It does have its perks,” Oliver nodded with a smile. “Are you good?”

“... well I’m not as horny as the first time, which is a clear progress,” she snorted, still remembering how turned on she had been the first time she had gone down on him. It had ended with her not even taking the time to get completely rid of her pants before Oliver’s mouth was between her legs and about three and a half seconds later, she had come. Hard.

“We could take a shower together and-”

“Nope,” she shook her head. That wasn’t… no matter how aroused she was and yeah she wanted to have sex, she really wasn’t comfortable with period sex. Maybe one day, down the line. But now? No way.

“Raincheck?” Oliver sighed.

“You mean for the shower sex or the orgasm?”

“Both,” he grinned.

“Then OK, raincheck,” she nodded with a smile.

 

They were having breakfast after their -separate- showers when Oliver suddenly put down his fork. He had made some french toast, even though she knew he didn’t exactly have a sweet tooth himself.

“I think I should spend a couple of days at Tommy’s.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, finishing her mouthful. They had made up, that was for sure. And to be honest she didn’t want to spend so much time away from him. But… at the same time, he had a point.

“It might be a good idea,” she eventually nodded before taking a sip of coffee.

Oliver frowned as if he hadn’t expected her to agree which made her smile. Did he want her to resist?

“What, Oliver? Did you want me to start nagging you?” she couldn’t help but ask teasingly. “Have I ever been the clingy type of girlfriend?”

“Hum… no. If one is clingy it’s probably me, and we both know that. I just… well. Have you thought about this? Have I made you uncomfortable?”

“Silly. No. I love being with you and if I listened to myself I wouldn’t even go back to work and would spend my days in here with you. But it’s not right and it’s not healthy. We would end up fighting all the time and I know you need a bit of fresh air. Everything has happened so fast and it might be good to just take a step back. For the two of us, I mean. Also you just had this major fight with your mother, it makes sense for you to ask Tommy for shelter. Fewer questions asked.”

“I just… I feel like I’m getting a bit controlling. I know it, I can sense it and it’s mostly because…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “I don’t really know why to be honest.”

“It’s because the situation is becoming more stressful, Oliver. You fall back on your instincts and your instincts have taught you to act that way,” Felicity explained softly, her hand covering his. “I have my appointment at one, why don’t you go to the private agency during that time then maybe have lunch with Tommy and ask him? You’re also going to need more clothes, did you grab some before leaving the mansion?”

Oliver winced, shaking his head. “No. I’ll stop by the mansion with Dig when you’re back. Good thing that the Merlyns have great security too so my mom shouldn’t worry about that. Dig will take you to work and so on. I just… promise me you won’t go anywhere without him. Please, Felicity. I know you don’t like this but I’ll feel much better. Also, take your taser with you.”

“I will. Dig will drive me to work and come pick me up and…” she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand when she suddenly realized what that implied.

“What?” Oliver asked.

“He’s going to love taking me to my doctor appointment this afternoon,” she laughed, unable to hold back.  


 

“... You want me to come with you?” Dig asked, raising his eyebrows. “... Inside?”

“Well… not inside the doctor’s office,” Felicity rolled her eyes as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “I don’t think any of us would ever recover from that. But Oliver has been very, very insistent. To be fair it’s mostly because I told him the parking lot was away from the building, though. Are you sure you can handle it? Because what Oliver doesn’t know can’t hurt him.”

“No… no. Technically he’s my boss so… if the boss wants me to go to the ob-gyn… I’m going to the ob-gyn,” Dig mumbled as he closed his door. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

Hiding her face behind her hair, Felicity bit back a smile. So, OK, Oliver hadn’t asked for anything. And OK teasing her friend really wasn’t very… friendly. But payback was a bitch, after all. She had forgiven his lies to cover for Oliver, but that didn’t mean she didn’t get to have a bit of fun...

“Wow. It’s very… pink,” Dig murmured as soon as they stepped out of the elevator and into the main entrance of her doctor’s office.

“And green,” Felicity added, pointing to the numerous potted plants before turning to the receptionist. “Hi, Felicity Smoak. I have an appointment with Doctor Sanders at one.”

“Doctor Sanders has been delayed, so you might have to wait a little,” the brunette answered her with a smile before waving her to the waiting room.

There were four other women in the room when they walked in, immediately attracting their attention. Dig cleared his throat as they both took a seat, his imposing stature completely out of place in the tiny room covered with posters about women’s healthcare.

“Do you want something to read?” Felicity asked him, picking up two magazines. “Hum… 'what to expect when you’re expecting' or 'how to conduct a breast self-exam'?”

Dig slowly turned his head around, glaring at her and she bit her lips, desperately trying to hold back her laughter.

“... OK, what to expect when you’re expecting, good choice,” she said as neutrally as she could, handing him the magazine. Which he ignored superbly.

“You know, if it’s your first child, there is nothing like reading as much as you can to prepare you,” one of the other patients told them kindly. “I know you feel like you have all the time in the world but you’re there quickly.”

Felicity coughed, bumping the magazine against his arm.

“But if you have questions, you can ask me. It’s my fifth,” the woman continued, patting her more than swollen belly. She looked at least seven months pregnant in Felicity’s opinion. Not that she had a lot of experience in the area but she clearly hoped that the poor woman was reaching the finish line.

“I… I think I’ll read first,” Dig answered, blindly reaching for the magazine.

“But if he has questions, I’m sure he won’t hesitate,” Felicity added with a smile. “Thank you.”

Dig opened the magazine, hiding his face behind it as he hissed, “what are you doing?!”

“I said I forgave you. Not that I wasn’t gonna get payback,” she hissed right back. “I’d read if I were you. She looks like the kind to make you pass a test afterwards.”

Dig huffed out a groan, then pointedly ignored her as he focused on the magazine. She saw the frown growing on his face as he turned it upside down. “What the…”

“That’s a uterus, Dig,” Felicity whispered, putting the magazine back in the right orientation.

“I know what a uterus looks like!”

“Really?” Felicity asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well… kind of. Don’t look at me like that, it’s not as if you know what a prostate looks like!”

“You mean the compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland the size of a walnut?"

Dig looked at her in disbelief. “How do you even...”

“I entertained the idea of becoming a urologist when I was sixteen. And the reason why it looks weird is because they show the diagram sideways,” Felicity explained, taking pity on him.

He frowned, following her finger as she showed the small rectangle with the usual sketch on the bottom of the page. “Oh. See. **That** is a uterus,” he grumbled. “If you change everything don’t be surprised if we, men, are lost.”

“On behalf of the female species and every gynecologist on the planet, I formally present you an apology.”

Dig snorted, lowering the magazine on his lap. “You’re having way too much fun with this, aren’t you?” he mumbled.

“Guilty as charged,” she grinned, bumping his shoulder.

“You know, I have to say it’s always sweet to see the future dad so involved right from the beginning,” the woman said as soon as she saw they had stopped their quiet banter, putting down her own reading.

“I… I am not…and she isn’t...”

“He’s a friend,” Felicity chimed in. “He didn’t want me to come alone.”

“Oooooh. That is so sweet,” another woman cooed, resting her hand on her heart. “My husband couldn’t come and… and…it’s so beautiful to see an honorable man,” she sniffled, rummaging through her purse. “I’m sorry. Hormones.”

“Miss Smoak?”

“Yes?” Felicity stood up, dropping the magazine she hadn’t even opened back on the table, turning her attention to the receptionist.

“Doctor Sanders will see you now.”

Dig looked at her with something that looked almost like panic as the weeping future mother started to ramble about puppies. He stood up, obviously ready to follow her anywhere that wouldn’t involve a room full of pregnant women.

“Hum, Dig,” she whispered as they walked out of the room.

“Yeah?”

“It’s either the room full of pregnant woman or my ob-gyn asking me about my sex life as well as a thorough talk concerning my periods.”

He froze then, his fingers reaching for his collar and she could have sworn she saw a small bead of sweat running down his temple.

“This is… I’m not paid enough for this, Felicity.”

“Take it to your boss,” she winked before patting his arm one last time and entering into her doctor’s office.

Vengeance was such a delicious meal.

 

As she suspected, her visit happened quickly. Her usual check-up had been done a couple of months earlier so apart from a few questions, all she needed was a prescription. She did hesitate deciding between the pill and an implant but her fear of needles sealed the deal. She could start taking it right away but her doctor had advised her to keep using condoms at least the first month. Her four packs would be put to good use.

She stopped by the receptionist afterwards, filing out a few insurance papers and taking care of her invoice. 

Walking towards the small waiting room, she stopped and hid behind the wall when she heard Dig’s uncomfortable voice.

“I… I really didn’t know that.”

“Yes! It’s nothing to be afraid of but often after giving birth women can also expel very, very big blood clots and it’s something no one tells you about. You should warn your friend, with baby number two I once had one the size of a tennis ball, I thought I was going to… are you alright, Mister Diggle? You look a bit… lightheaded.”

Felicity snorted, muffling the sound against her closed fist as Dig’s weak voice reached her. “I… I’m fine. I just… really didn’t know… or need… to know that… I think.”

So, Dig had made new friends. Leaning against the wall, she peeked around it, grinning when she saw him sitting on a chair that looked way too small for him, two other women having joined the small group. She honestly didn't think she had ever seen him that uncomfortable and... an uncomfortable John Diggle was quite the sight.

Another patient giggled, adding, “They kinda warn you about the period that goes on and on and on but not about the ickiest parts.”

“... on and on?”

“Yes. Weeks. It’s a nightmare. It’s like your body is punishing you for your crazy libido the last months by making sure sex is off the table for a while. And once everything is finally back to normal, there is often the issue of lubrication but just buy some lube and it will be fine.”

“That’s… that’s good to know. I... I guess.”

Judging he had suffered enough, Felicity walked into the room, unable to wipe off the grin from her face. “John… we can-”

She didn’t have the time to finish her sentence that he was jumping out of his seat, mumbling a goodbye and rushing through the door, Felicity following him.

As they were waiting by the elevator, Dig’s eyes stubbornly ahead of him, she asked, “well… I saw you made some friends?”

“We’re not talking about this.”

“I mean… I heard that it was very instructive.”

“I’m dropping you back off to your boyfriend and then I’m getting a scotch,” he huffed as they walked inside the elevator. "I can't believe you made me go through that."

"Through what? It's natural, Dig," Felicity grinned. "I would have never thought you'd be that kind of guy, you know."

"What do you mean, 'that kind of guy'?"

"The ones who get all squeamish and feel uncomfortable talking about girl stuff."

"I am not squeamish! You have no idea what those ladies told me, Felicity. No idea! And I said we weren't talking about it."

They were seated in the car, already buckled up when Dig shuddered. “Tennis balls, Felicity. Blood clots the size of tennis balls. Did you know that after birth women could expel-”

“Blood clots the size of tennis balls? Well I sure do, now.”

“And doctors actually use their hands to check how dilated you are. Like… they just… with their hand, Felicity!”

“How dilated **you** are?” she deadpanned, looking at him above the rim of her glasses. “Is there something you wish to tell me, John?”

“You know what I mean, it’s just a figure of speech,” he brushed her off before starting the car. “Annie was-”

“Annie?”

“The one who was expecting her fifth child? Her name is Annie. She told me that sometimes the epidural doesn’t work. I had no idea. You have to go through that huge needle inserted in your back and sometimes it has no effect. That’s… that’s not fair.”

Felicity quickly ignored the mention of the huge needle, focusing on the way Dig was gripping the wheel. “Well… yes. I mean, I think it’s an exception really. But I thought you didn’t want to talk about it?”

“I need to process, alright? That was some very disturbing information I just got. And if I had to suffer through it, so will you.”

“I’m sorry. Process all you want. I’m all ears.”

  


Oliver was sitting at the dining room table in front of her laptop, a mug of coffee beside him when she opened the door. She was surprised to see him back already, since he was supposed to go to the private agency. She got rid of her coat and purse then went to drop a small kiss on his lips.

“Already back?” she asked, her hands resting on his shoulders.

“Yeah… they told me the same thing my mom told me. Most of their investigation got lost in a fire. All I have is this,” Oliver said, raising a thick file. “It’s a copy of the police investigation, which I believe you already found yourself. If you could check it later though, just in case…?”

“Mmmh…” Felicity mumbled, frowning.

“Everything alright? With the doctor, I mean?” Oliver asked, concern clear in his voice.

She smiled as she took a sip of his coffee. “Yup. One more month of condoms to be safe since I started the pill a couple of days late and then we’re good to go. Although I think I'll probably never give birth."

"What?" Oliver asked, paling, his eyes dropping to her stomach. "Is there something wrong?!"

Felicity huffed out a laugh, waving dismissively. "No. Sorry that's not what I meant. Dig had a free class about pregnancy and birth and he felt like sharing with me. Long story short, we both decided we wouldn't have children. I mean... separately. We already knew we wouldn't have children **together**."

"Do I want to know?" he asked cautiously, relief obvious on his face.

"... believe me, no you don't," she shuddered. _Tennis balls. Yikes._ Shaking her head, she added, "I told Dig you’d call him when you’d have to go to the mansion. But… isn’t it weird, in this day and age that they don’t have digital copies of their files?”

“I wondered too… I’m more and more suspicious of these people. They were too… nice. But I just honestly don’t really know how we could prove anything.”

Felicity bit her lip, knowing they had no evidence whatsoever apart from their gut feeling. After all, maybe they had told the truth indeed. But still. If there was a way for them to find out more, they’d have to do it. How? She had no idea. At least for now. But she agreed with Oliver, she had had a weird feeling about that agency when she had visited them herself, months earlier.

“Did they tell you about the Gambit, if they stored it somewhere?”

“That’s another weird thing. Apparently it was also destroyed.”

“... There was another fire?” Felicity asked, her eyebrows reaching her hairline.

“It was the same building apparently. It’s fishy, right?”

“Yeah… clearly.”

“Everything they told me confirms what my mom said though. She told me that as soon as she found out the Gambit was missing, she hired the agency. The Chinese coast guard was already working on the case and had collected several objects confirming the boat had sunk. Unfortunately the sea had been choppy and it was hard to determine where exactly they could find it. The private agency took over once it was obvious they didn’t seem to care much. They found the boat. My mom was suspicious and several things happened at the same time. They found evidence that something criminal had been done but then they received the order to stop, as well as a nice bonus. Mom told me that she had been approached, still by a messenger, telling her this was just a way to make sure she knew it was in her best interest to keep her mouth shut and keep on living her life if she didn’t want to bury another child.”

“And the agency didn’t wonder about why she asked them to stop all of a sudden?”

“Apparently not. I think the million dollars they got as bonus probably convinced them it was for the best though. They understood they needed to stay quiet. Still though… I wonder if they didn’t find more but never told anyone.”

“That is very possible…” Felicity mumbled, her brain processing all the new information. She didn’t believe in coincidence and every bit of evidence being burnt had probably been done on purpose. Or they were lying and still covering the someone's tracks. She didn’t believe it was for Moira, but maybe someone else was pulling the strings.

“Also, I just hung up with Tommy,” Oliver said interrupting her thoughts. “I’ll go there Thursday morning and he offered to come with me to the Backstones on Friday. I should be back Saturday morning or in the afternoon at the latest.”

“Good. I hope that reception will give us some kind of lead. So far, none of my searches has given us any information concerning our list.”

“We’ll get there. I know we’ll get there. Don’t do anything reckless while I’m gone, though.”

Felicity pouted as he grabbed her hand, pulling her onto his lap. “Three days without your cuddles.”

“I can still change plans,” he whispered in her ear before pressing a soft kiss on the lobe.

“No. We talked about this. It’s good. Aren’t you going to be bored here tomorrow though? I’ll try to be back as soon as I can and pack more hours for the end of the week but you’re still gonna be alone for most of the day.”

“Well… I thought I might cook something for you,” he shrugged and she noticed the tips of his ears reddening.

“... you mean like a dinner, dinner?”

“Yes. Nothing fancy but I found a recipe that seems pretty easy.”

“You found… Oliver Queen, are you haunting allrecipes.com during your freetime?” she grinned, turning around to face the laptop. As she had thought, it was open on a recipe for some kind of chicken. She didn’t have the time to read exactly what it was because Oliver shut the laptop abruptly.

“Hey. I want to surprise you, OK?”

Felicity grinned, stroking the back of his neck. "You're all kinds of romantic, you know?"

"I've never been accused of that before, I have to admit," Oliver answered sheepishly.

"Then I like it even more," she whispered before leaning in and brushing her lips against his.

 

After a very enjoyable make-out session, Oliver eventually left with Dig, giving Felicity the perfect excuse to do some housekeeping as well as get ahead of work and make sure she wouldn’t have too much to catch up on the next day. Oliver had already looked through the police investigation, but she still took a good look as well. It was translated from Chinese and seemed very basic, which didn’t surprise her. She found nothing more and it was with a big sigh that she closed the file.

She wasn’t exactly looking forward to these days away from Oliver but she knew she had to take it upon herself too. There was a part of her wanting to spend every single minute of the rest of her existence with him, that very same part of her that remembered way too well how lonely the last three years had been. But for their own good and the sake of their relationship, they both needed to move past that. And those few days apart would be good for them.

Yup.

Totally good, she repeated to herself as she snuggled into his hoodie while waiting for him.

Absolutely fine, she said when he left on Thursday morning.

Peachy, was what she said out loud after hanging up with him on Friday night. After all she’d see him on Saturday night at the latest and they’d get a crazy night of sex and hopefully at least three or four orgasms for her. Maybe even five, depending on Oliver’s stamina because she honestly felt ready for a marathon of sex herself. And she knew that the dress she had picked especially for the gala would be enough to bring him to his knees.

Little did she know her night was definitely not going to turn out the way she had thought...

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... something a bit lighter... what did you think? The private agency was a dead end... or was it? 
> 
> And...and am I teasing you with some kind of a cliffhanger? O_O Noooooooooo I never do that, you guys know me :D :D:D  
> You'll get a trilogy of chapters for the gala, because a LOT of things happen in there, on many, many fronts. Hence what Felicity thinks O_O
> 
> Find me on twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy, come say hi ;)


	20. Something About The Way You Look Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> It's Saturday, and it's time for Oliver and Felicity to head to the Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated Gala, don't you think?  
> Expect a lot of Tommy, a lot of jealous Oliver and stubborn Felicity... plus a few surprises that may or may not include a ficus, a bathroom and a glass of champagne :p
> 
> Special thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka who has been waiting, not so patiently, for this chapter since forever.
> 
> Song: Something About The Way You Look Tonight by Elton John

**"Something About The Way You Look Tonight"**

 

 

There was a time  
I was everything and nothing all in one  
When you found me  
I was feeling like a cloud across the sun

I need to tell you  
How you light up every second of the day  
But in the moonlight  
You just shine like a beacon on the bay

And I can't explain  
But it's something about the way you look tonight  
Takes my breath away  
It's that feeling I get about you, deep inside  
And I can't describe  
But it's something about the way you look tonight  
Takes my breath away  
The way you look tonight

With a smile  
You pull the deepest secrets from my heart  
In all honesty  
I'm speechless and I don't know where to start

 

 

 

“You know what I hate about galas?”

“No, Tommy,” Oliver sighed as he took a sip of champagne. “But I’m sure I’m about to find out.”

“All these gorgeous ladies… wearing long, impractical dresses. So many wasted opportunities.”

“That’s because you’ve never been inventive,” Oliver couldn’t help but smirk.

“I am very… very inventive. I even invented a new sex position, remember?”

“The girl ended up in a hospital, you broke the sink, caused a flood in Raisa’s kitchen and she spanked your naked ass with her rolling pin. It’s pretty hard to forget.”

“... I had such great plans for that rolling pin,” Tommy said dreamily, gazing into emptiness.

“Let’s be thankful she threw it away then. And remind me to never eat pastry at your place.” 

“Don’t worry. I’ll hire a real pastry chef for your wedding cake.”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “For God’s sake, Tommy…”

“I know. I know. You’re single. You and Felicity aren’t a thing anymore. I’ve heard it the last 97 times you told me.”

“And here I was hoping 98 would cut it…”

“Sorry, I’m just… wondering. You know she was invited here tonight, what if she came with a date, are you gonna be fine with that?”

“She’s not-” Oliver started, before stopping himself. “Felicity has every right to come with a plus one. And we’re both adults.”

“So… you wouldn’t be mad? Or jealous? Or mopey?”

“No, Tommy. I wouldn’t.”

“So if I want to offer her a drink, no biggie?

“No biggie, Tommy.”

“And if I ask her for a dance?”

Oliver shook his head. “You’re not gonna do that.”

“I could.”

“But you won’t.”

“And why? She is smart, funny, drop dead gorgeous in that red dress, and I’m pretty sure you’d rather she dances with me than with the dozen creepy dudes drooling over her right now,” Tommy explained innocently, his eyes fixing a point over Oliver’s shoulder. “Damn, man. You’re the stupidest dude on the face of the earth, you know that?”

Oliver forced himself to stay still instead of turning around instantly like he was dying to. He glared at Tommy, then discreetly shifted on his feet until he could glance behind him.

His hand stiffened on his glass of champagne when he saw her.

She was impossible to miss. Even if his eyes weren’t automatically attracted to her, he would have seen her right away. 

_I can’t believe I was relieved she wasn’t going to wear the gold dress…_

She was wearing a gorgeous, floor-length red dress that was catching every single light in the room, clinging to her figure, then widening at the knees. There was no cleavage, nothing showing apart from her slender neck and shoulders and her naked arms. Her hair was tied in a simple, elegant low bun.

“Hum… we’re in public, Ollie. And I… I think you’re drooling a bit,” Tommy said in a low voice. “Please tell me you don’t have a boner, I have nothing to hide it apart from that ficus.“

“I… I don’t,” Oliver breathed, clearing his throat, still staring at her. No boner at the moment, but he knew that as soon as they’d get back to her place he was going to ravish her. All damn night. He was going to drop to his knees, peel off that dress and worship her body until he had nothing more to give. His girl would be screaming his name tonight.

“She’s… Jesus Christ, Ollie. I still remember the first time I met her. A nervous little thing and… look at her now. A beautiful, strong woman ready to take over the world. Or a lover.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m just saying, dude,” Tommy said, raising his hand in defense. “You gotta be prepared for that. She’s waited for you for three years, if you give her the cold shoulder… she’s not gonna moon over you. Oh, look, someone’s already asking her for a dance!”

Oliver gritted his teeth, his grip on his glass tightening even more when he saw her smiling at a man who was about his age before accepting his hand and following him to the dance floor.

_It’s just a dance. This is a gala. With music. People dance. It’s… just a dance… with a man who’s going to put his hands on her. While you’re stuck here, listening to your best friend rambling about… a ficus?_

“No seriously, do you need the ficus?” Tommy asked him, already moving the potted plant closer to them.

“Why would I…” Oliver frowned. “Tommy, I don’t need to hide behind a ficus.”

“It’s not for you.”

“What?” Oliver growled. If Tommy even dared to have those kind of thoughts about Felicity…

He didn’t even notice the glass breaking in his hand.

“Wow, jeez. Relax man, I was joking. Did you… is that glass broken?!”

“Yeah,” Oliver said, looking around before pouring the rest of his champagne into the innocent plant. “There was a small crack, I should have been more careful.” 

Tommy looked at him warily before handing him a napkin. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m fine, Tommy. I just wish people would stop nagging me about Felicity.”

“And at the same time, you don’t like me seeing her as a woman, right? Makes sense.”

Oliver slowly exhaled, patting the small cut on his palm. It wasn’t deep at all and would probably stop bleeding within a few minutes.

“You know, Ollie, I’m not dumb. I know you. You have changed, hell yeah… but I know my best friend. And my best friend right now is full of shit. I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but you’re not happy and it looks like you don’t even care.”

“It’s much more complicated than that,” Oliver hissed, throwing a few looks around to make sure no one was listening. “I have anger issues. I do things when I sleep that I have no control over. I don’t trust myself around people anymore, Tommy.”

“Come on dude. You’re fine. Maybe a little too harsh on champagne glasses, but nothing you can’t work on. You can be discreet too if you’re uncomfortable in the public eye. Just… do something. Like literally, anything. I’m even down for a new poem if that’s what it takes.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh, relieved to see the tone was back to teasing. “Yeah… no more poems for me.” 

“You’re right. I don’t think we could outdo ourselves,” Tommy grinned, raising his glass before gulping the rest of it and putting it down on the table, next to what was left of Oliver’s.

 

They were soon interrupted by Moira and Alfred, the head of the board of Queen Consolidated. They talked about the gala, which was a tradition that had been established by Moira and Rebecca - Tommy’s late mother - ever since the cooperation between the two companies had started. A way to make sure the bonds would remain strong and to also have investors of both entreprises meet and mingle.

“So you still don’t want to get back on the train, Oliver?” Alfred asked him.

Oliver shook his head curtly. “I’m afraid not. I don’t think the business world is in my priorities at the moment. I’d like to catch up on life first.”

“Understandable. I just know your father would have wanted you to come back eventually. I was close friends with Robert… I know he died unexpectedly but I’m sure you talked to him about it, right?”

“Several times,” Oliver nodded. “But he is gone now and I’m not sure I’d be an asset for the company he built.”

“We would help you. Just think about it, we could use you here,” Alfred said, patting his arm. “Life can turn pretty boring real fast. What are you up to these days?”

“Nothing much… catching up on pop culture. Trying to get familiar again with my city,” Oliver explained, his eyes catching Felicity as she was talking with a couple of QC employees. She had a glass in her hand, and her smile was shining so bright he had a hard time forcing himself to focus on the people who were actually talking to him.

“Well as you know, there isn’t much in Starling anymore. The golden age seems to be far gone.”

“Judging by the amount of people at this gala, I tend to disagree,” Oliver said calmly, tilting his head. “They sure don’t seem to be suffering.”

“Well… of course not. But you know the markets aren’t easy. We have more and more troubles with unions and the criminality is through the roof.”

“Maybe criminality would be less if people could live comfortably?”

“Oh, Oliver, you know how things go in the Glades. Previous generations were reasonable but now… things are getting out of hand. Many companies are relocating to avoid the bad neighborhoods. We have to protect our employees even if yes, that means some innocent people might lose their jobs. It’s terrible but… that’s what we have to do. Assume our responsibilities.”

“Now, now… Alfred, there is no need to annoy Oliver with this,” Walter laughed as he joined them along with Malcolm Merlyn. “You’re going to ruin any chance of him coming back to work.” 

“I think you’re right, Oliver. You need to enjoy life for a little while,” Malcolm said in greeting. “After those awful three years I think people should cut you some slack. Don’t you agree, Moira?”

Oliver noticed the way her mother stiffened but the small annoyed glance she threw at Malcolm told him it was probably a conversation they already had before. 

“Like I’ve already told Malcolm several times… my dearest wish is for my son to get his life back. This,” she said, her arm circling the room, “is also a part of his life. Something his father created. But yes, now I do understand that it has to come from him. I will be there to help him and guide him whenever he wants to come back.”

The conversation finally deviated from Oliver, for which he was very grateful since it allowed him to sneak glances towards the direction of a certain blonde. Felicity met his eyes suddenly, and her small, discreet smile warmed him up. She was so beautiful, so graceful so… so accepting yet another dance with some douchebag with a playmobil haircut. It was probably all those years spent at similar events that allowed him to keep making small talk while all his attention was focused on her. He could barely see her now, with all the people between them but just catching a glimpse of her every now and then was making it hard for him to focus on anything else.

 

He eventually managed to excuse himself when she abandoned the man on the dance floor, unable to take it any longer. He stopped when he saw she was heading towards Denis Lewis, remembering at the last moment that it was his idea to pretend they weren’t together. 

Stupid, stupid idea.

He kept watching her, discreetly, not fooling Dig in the slightest judging by how his impartial expression was turning more and more amused by the minute.

He was in the middle of a conversation with the Police Captain - Rupert Colt, one of the people on their list - about his father when his phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket. He knew only Felicity would try to reach him and he quickly glanced at it while Rupert was raiding the platter of crab cakes.

**Felicity 8:56 PM - Not very discreet, Mister Queen.**

He frowned, quickly glancing around him but couldn’t see her.

**_Where are you?_ **

**Felicity 8:56PM - Ladies room. Don’t take that for an invitation though! But you really need to work a little more on your self-control ;)**

_**I’ll show you self-control later. What kind of dress from hell is that?** _

**Felicity 8:57PM - You approve?**

_**Only if I get to be the one taking it off.** _

**Felicity 8:57PM - I’ll hold you onto that xxx**

_**XXX? Is that a hint for tonight?** _

**Felicity 8:57PM - Oliver! I am so not sexting with you in the middle of a gala!**

_**You mean you wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t a gala?** _

**Felicity 8:58PM - I am so not answering that. Get back to your snooping around. Sooner we’re done, sooner we can head back home.**

_**I am going to rock your world tonight. Mark my words.**_  

She didn’t reply and he put his phone back in his pocket, muttering a quick apology.

“No problem, son. Is that a lovely young lady?”

“No… Just Thea, my sister,” Oliver smiled.

“Ah, yes. I remember her at your father’s funeral. Such a sweet girl. I heard she was a bit of a handful for a while but fortunately she seems to have calmed down, hasn’t she?”

“She just didn’t know what to do with her life. I think we’ve all been there at some point, haven’t we?” Oliver chuckled, knowing very well how much wilder he had been in his youth and that Thea had been far from reaching that point. Felicity had stepped in in time. “Do you have any children yourself?”

“Yes. Two boys but they’re already settled down. First grandchild on its way!”

“Congratulations! Where do they live?”

“One is in Central City, the other in a small town half an hour away from here.”

“They didn’t stay here?”

“No… the city isn’t safe for young families like them.”

Oliver nodded, pondering his words. How weird was it for a police captain to admit that so openly?

“I know. I wish we could do something about it but… it feels like we’re pretty powerless, unfortunately. Especially when you’re back from three years on a deserted island,” Oliver smiled with a little shrug.

“Oh yes. Your father too was really concerned. He wanted the best for you and your sister. At the end of the day, that’s all we, parents, want. I’m sure if you asked your mother she could tell you how to help us.”

“Us?” 

“Well… yes. the city, I mean,” Rupert grinned, keeping his eyes on Oliver’s. A bit longer than necessary, he noticed. And without blinking. He eventually averted his eyes, adding, “if you need anything, don’t hesitate. I’ll gladly offer advice.”

“Well now that you mention it,” Oliver started, knowing he had to take advantage of the occasion.

“Yes?”

“Have you ever found anything else concerning the gas explosion in our factory?”

Rupert automatically leaned back, surprise clear on his face. “The one from almost four years ago?”

“I don’t think there has ever been another one… but yes, the one that happened just before my father passed away.”

“Hum… no. Not that I know of. It was such a terrible accident.”

“No,” Oliver denied, tilting his head. “It was arson. I’m surprised you don’t remember it, it’s not like this kind of incident happens regularly… unless I’ve been away for longer than I thought?” he added with a small huff.

“Well yes, it was arson but we never found the culprits. Probably an employee holding a grudge?”

“Could it be because of how my father had plans to close that factory? Have you actually looked in that direction?” Oliver asked innocently, his eyes once again attracted to Felicity who was now talking to Dig.

“Well of course we have. It was the most obvious theory but it led nowhere. I can promise you everything was done to find whoever caused this traumatic accident.”

“Arson.”

“Yes. Arson. I’m sorry I still have a hard time accepting someone could do this on purpose.”

“... same, actually,” Oliver said smoothly. “I just hope whoever caused this will get what they deserve, one way or another.” Grabbing two glasses of champagne, he handed one to the police captain. “To justice?”

“Yes. To justice,” Rupert nodded before taking a long gulp.

“Anyway, thank you, Rupert. If you ever find anything else… I know it’s been a while but who knows… you will let us know, right? I’m sure my father would have wanted to find out what really happened.”

“Of course, Oliver. I should go back to my wife, now. I’m not sure she will be pleased with all the crab cakes I had.” 

“Go. You are lucky to still have each other. A lot of people here can’t say the same anymore. It would be a shame to waste that. Give Ellen my best regards.”

Oliver watched him retreat through the crowd, his brain already processing everything.

First of all, his conversation had confirmed that the police captain at least knew something. His behavior had been strange, his choice of words even weirder. Of course it could be because the man had poor social skills or had a bit too much alcohol.

But… no one knew his father was planning to close the factory. Oliver himself didn’t know. He had just thrown that out, remembering his father’s letter and making a wild guess. And the captain had taken the bait. So either he had lied about how the investigation had gone. Or he, for some reason, had been aware of all those business decisions that had been made in secrecy. Either way… the man was involved.

 

He was putting his glass down, having only taken a small sip, when Tommy approached him, apparently giving a tour to two of the oldest widows of Starling City’s elite. They were barely paying attention to him, obviously more focused on the platter of food that the captain had abandoned. 

“Oliver Queen… as charming as I remember him,” one of them said nonetheless, pinching his cheeks.

“Mrs Rutherford,” Oliver smiled. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Likewise, young man, likewise.”

Tommy leaned in, whispering in his ear, “this is the perfect plan. Just keep them stocked up with food, they entertain themselves and it looks like we’re in company so no one will annoy us.”

Oliver frowned, glancing at his best friend who was waving at a waiter, mimicking some movements he assumed meant that he wanted more finger food. Once again, he automatically searched for Felicity, locking his jaw when a man kissed her hand. Damn. He hated this. He hated that all these men had been able to touch her while he was there, stuck with Tommy and his two cougars. He wanted to be with her. He wanted to be able to rest his hand on her hip, and lean in to kiss her cheek, see if he could still make her blush with the simple gesture. Then, they’d get back home and he’d make her blush even more.

“Since when do you prefer this kind of company?” Oliver eventually murmured back.

“I don’t. You do. You said you weren’t comfortable with people and I’ve noticed you’re getting grumpier and grumpier.”

“That is… very touching,” Oliver chuckled. 

“I can’t believe how it must look. We used to be the quarterbacks of receptions, Ollie. Now we’re on the bench, in charge of the gatorade.” 

“Are you calling our charming companions ‘gatorade’?”

“Those little amuse-bouches are delicious, why don’t you try them, young men?” Mrs Rutherford’s friend, Mrs Caine interrupted them as she patted a napkin on the corner of her lips.

“I’m afraid I already had a bit too much.”

“Nonsense! Lucinda, did you hear him?”

Oliver was about to answer when Tommy suddenly let out a very unusual small high-pitched noise. Snapping his head, he saw his best friend pressing his closed fist against his mouth, his eyes almost watering as he whimpered again, almost as if he was in pain.

“Tommy? Are you OK?”

Tommy violently shook his head then took a few deep breaths. “Oh… my… fucking...”

“Young man!” Mrs Caine gasped, hitting him with her purse before he could finish his sentence. “That is not how you talk in front of ladies!”

“I… I’m sorry, Mrs Caine,” Tommy muttered sheepishly as she turned around and grabbed her friend, walking away from them with one last furious glance.

“Dude, what’s…”

“I’ve never seen anything like it, Ollie. Never. It’s… it’s just there and it’s so beautiful I feel like crying.” 

“You’re gonna have to help me here.”

“Felicity. Her dress. Her dress!”

“Yes, we saw her already.” _And I’ve been staring at her every time I could._

“No. We didn’t see it, Oliver. We didn’t see anything. We never saw anything in our entire existence that could have prepared us for this. Actually I think I have been blind all my life because it feels like I have just seen the sun for the first time. Normally I would say the moon but you would probably punch me so I won’t.”

“What the…”

“The back, Oliver. The back of her dress!” Tommy moaned, his head dropping. “I… I don’t even dare to look at it. I’m not worthy…. I’m not worthy, man. I feel like I need to go kill a goat and drop it at her feet or something and then maybe I will be allowed to enjoy the beauty.”

Oliver furrowed his brow, his eyes searching the crowd until he finally saw her, on a small mezzanine, slightly above the rest of the guests. Her back facing them. Her naked back. The dress was clinging to her curves, the red of the fabric such a stark contrast with her creamy skin that it was impossible not to stare. At least for him. Her round, perky, absolutely perfect ass was wrapped in the most devilish dress he had ever seen her in - and yes that included that gold dress that had made him swallow his tongue. His hands were itching, literally itching to caress her spine and cover the firm globes of flesh, squeezing them through the fabric of her dress. He would press himself against her, his hands slowly hitching the dress up her legs until he could slip his finger underneath and he would be so hard for her, so ready to make her feel good, his lips on her neck, marking her, letting every single man know that she had someone in her life, someone who was treating her the way a woman like her deserved to be treated. Like a goddess. He couldn’t even hear anything anymore, all his senses focused on her, his mind coming up with the dozen ways he was going to take her tonight, promising himself he wouldn’t stop until she had her four orgasms in one intercourse. She deserved her four orgasms. He would kiss, and lick, and bite every inch of her body until all was left of her would be a quivering mess.

Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths, slowly regaining control of his body.

_Where is that bloody ficus when you need it?_

Eventually, he came back to his senses when Tommy grabbed his arm.

“I understand now. I understand, Ollie. When Sir Isaac Newton saw the apple falling… I know now. I feel the same way. Like.. everything makes sense. And it’s just… so beautiful. Look at it. It’s… it’s there, innocent but it could change the world. I already feel a better man now that I’ve seen it. I can die in peace.”

“Stop looking at it,” Oliver growled, partly because seeing his best friend ogling Felicity was rubbing him the wrong way and partly because damn, yes he was jealous. He wanted to ogle it too but he also knew it would only end up with him sporting a massive hard-on and probably strutting across the room and throwing her over his shoulder.

“I can’t,” Tommy whined. “It’s… it’s like asking a cat to stop purring. Like Isaac Newton said, Ollie... It’s the most perfect ass to ever ass.” 

“I… I’m pretty sure Isaac Newton didn’t say that.”

“I know,” Tommy sighed. “I know. But if he was here right now, with us... He would say it, Ollie. He would say it.”

Oliver glanced at him while loosening his bowtie.

“Please, tell me you’re gonna do something. Anything. You can’t let her walk away from you even though the sight would be heaven on earth,” Tommy continued, shaking Oliver’s arm. “She looks like a deity, you have to do something, Ollie, I don’t know, maybe bring her some food or kill a goat.”

“What is it with your goat sacrifices?”

“I… I don’t know. But you’re right, maybe she’ll prefer gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

“That… that’s what the Three Kings brought to baby Jesus.”

“Well I’m sorry my brain is a little short circuited at the moment.”

“Oliver?” Dig’s calm voice interrupted them. Oliver turned around, noticing Tommy was still glued to his spot, holding his arms protectively on his chest, his hand covering his mouth as he slowly shook his head, still mesmerized.

Oliver saw right away the amusement in Dig’s eyes but he just glared at him.

Dig leaned in, his mouth twitching. “Felicity said you were to meet her in five minutes at the employee's entrance on the south side.”

“... what?”

_Maybe she can’t wait either. Maybe we can take the edge off in a small room or… limo. Oh yeah… limo sex..._

“She wants to access the servers, remember?” Dig continued, oblivious to where his thoughts had travelled.

Oliver gaped, trying to make sense of his words. She had been serious?!

“Of course she was serious,” Dig answered before he could even ask. “Go tell your mom you just need a bit of fresh air. I’m going to clear the path for you from the surveillance room. Don’t worry, Felicity has a badge.”

Mumbling an apology to Tommy, he quickly cut through the crowd, Dig in tow. With one last glance, he left him inside the reception room, cutting through deserted hallways. In less than one minute, he was outside, pacing.

  

The sound of high heels reached him a couple minutes later and it was with a deep frown that he welcomed her.

“Felicity, I can’t believe you think this is really a good idea. Tell me what to do and go back inside,” he hissed as soon as she was a few steps away from him, forbidding himself to let his eyes wander across her body.

And failing miserably. _Damn._

She paused, raising her eyebrows. “Why, hello, Oliver, I’m so happy to see you too. Yes, I’ve missed you a lot during the last three days and just like you, I can’t wait to be done here so we can head home.”

Pinching his lips, Oliver exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, babe, but people are bound to notice-”

“Oh come on, no one is going to pay attention to the fact that I left.”

Oliver’s eyes widened at her words. “Every single man in there is going to notice you’re gone!”

“Even so? I’ll just head back home right afterwards. I’ll wait in the limo, you go get Dig and voilà. Tinted windows, Oliver,” she added, patting his cheek before fishing her cellphone from her purse. “Dig should open the door for us soon.”

Oliver was about to argue, that it was a terrible idea, when the door suddenly opened with a click and Felicity barged in, not looking back. He had no choice but to follow her, thinking that their night together would probably start with a good spanking. 

The hallway was dimly lit, but it still was enough for him to see the swing of her hips as she walked, the way the dress was hugging her perfect figure and that view alone was enough to make him hurry behind her.

They made it to Moira’s office in record time. Felicity didn’t waste any time, already starting up the computer while Oliver was standing by the door, making sure that no one disturbed them. 

“It shouldn’t take long,” Felicity said, fishing out a few USB sticks from her purse. “It’s kinda exciting, isn’t it?”

“Fe-li-ci-ty.”

“Ugh. Just saying, Oliver. You’re super grumpy today, what has gotten into you?”

“I didn’t want you to do this.”

“Well I’m doing it anyway, consider that a good lesson. You’re not the boss of me, Oliver Queen. Well, not anymore. Although let’s be real even if you were still, it probably wouldn’t change anything. Oh, look at that picture,” she cooed, holding up a frame with Oliver and Thea. “You were so cute with that Santa Claus hat!”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “Could you please focus?”

“I am very focused, Oliver,” she answered, her fingers typing at the speed of light. “This security is a joke, hon’. You should talk to your mom about it.”

“Before or after I tell her my girlfriend hacked her company?”

“... I don’t think that’s vital information.”

“You sure about that? I’m sure she would love to know,” Oliver couldn’t help but tease her.

“Last time she found out I was snooping around, she put a contract out on my head, Oliver,” Felicity deadpanned, barely glancing at him.

He winced then, understanding it was probably better to not dwell on that. Letting her work her magic, he turned his back on her, looking through the window that was separating his mother’s and her secretary’s offices. Luckily, there were louvered shutters which would protect them from sight if anyone was to venture near them.

“Did you find out anything suspicious?” she eventually asked after a few minutes.

“... I think so. Nothing big, just a few suspicions confirmed. The police captain, for sure.”

“Oh, interesting.”

“Are you almost… what’s that noise?” Oliver asked, frowning. There was a buzzing sound coming from his mother’s desk and-

“Dig. Someone’s coming our way,” Felicity answered curtly. “ Just a minute, I’m almost done.” 

“What?!” Oliver hissed, stepping away from the door and grabbing Felicity by the arm. “We have to go.”

“No, Oliver I’m almost done! Just… hold on.” She shrugged out of his grip, her fingers dancing on the keyboard.

Oliver ruffled his hair nervously then went back by the door, glancing through the louvered shutters.

“Felicity…”

“Shhh... alright, done!” She fist pumped before grabbing the USB stick and shutting the computer. By the time she was near him, he had seen the door leading to his mother’s secretary's office opening. Wordlessly, he grabbed her elbow and led her to the bathroom on the other side of the room.

“Wha-” Felicity whispered, stopping herself when he shook his head. He shoved her inside the small room, closing the door behind them, and pressed a finger against her lips. Soon, the light coming from her cell phone died and they found themselves in complete darkness. Automatically, his arms reached for her, pulling her close to him, his hands resting on the small of her back. After a small moment, they eventually heard muffled voices, one female and one male. Oliver thought he recognized his mother but he wasn’t completely sure. One thing he knew though was that they were literally trapped, with no way out. If Moira or her visitor wanted to open that door they’d be found.

His thumb stroking Felicity’s spine, he pondered the possibilities. He could walk out, alone, before they got caught. Or they could risk it and stay inside.

The choice was taken out of his hands when a small object fell from Felicity’s purse, the sound resonating in the room. They both froze, Oliver listening carefully. The voices on the other side of the door dropped abruptly. Softly but firmly, he pushed Felicity back until she was against the wall, then switched on the light and opened the door, making sure she was out of sight.

“Mom,” he said in fake surprise.

“Oliver! You scared the hell out of me! I was about to call security,” Moira said, with a hand on her chest. He saw Walter by her desk, reaching out for the phone. “What are you doing here?”

Oliver grimaced, his hand covering his stomach. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t feeling very well and just wanted a bit of quiet. It’s the only place I could think of.”

“Are you alright? You look a little flushed,” his mother asked while pressing a palm on his forehead.

“Yeah I think… I’m not used to alcohol anymore and I didn’t eat much before… I was a bit nervous,” he huffed out in a small, embarrassed laugh. “I’m sorry, mom, I should have asked you. I was about to go out but I felt dizzy and figured you wouldn’t mind if I used your office to lie down.”

“No. Of course not. Do you need something? Some water? Let me get some for you,” Moira said, trying to step around him and head to the bathroom.

“No. Please… I just got ill… it’s… don’t go in there.”

“Let me get you some sparkling water, son,” Walter said before leaving the room.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” his mother insisted with obvious concern, cradling his face.

“I think I got a bit overwhelmed… two glasses of champagne did the rest. All those people… it’s… it’s not…” Oliver trailed off, his eyes lowering.

“Of course, sweetheart. Everyone told me how charming you were but I know it must not be easy. Why don’t you stay here, take a little nap, join us back later?” 

“You should drink this slowly, Oliver,” Walter said as soon as he walked back inside with a bottle of sparkling water.

“Yes, drink this. Rest. Come back when you’re ready, I’ll make sure no one bothers you. I just needed some papers but I’ll use Mary’s office, don’t worry.”

“Thank you, mom.”

“Anytime,” she smiled before grabbing a file from her desk and joining Walter. She was just about to walk through the door when she paused, turning around. “Where is mister Diggle, by the way?”

“I told him he could wait outside if he wanted to and I’d call him once I was ready to head back home. I figured since I was inside, he didn’t need to stay around all night.”

“Oh. Well, yes security is already pretty tight,” his mother nodded before closing the door behind them.

Oliver let out a deep breath as he heard them pulling out chairs in the secretary’s office. They were still stuck but at least no one would walk in.

“It’s all good,” he said as he opened the bathroom door, not surprised to see Felicity still pressed against the wall by the door. “But they’re in the outer office so we need to stay here a little longer.”

Felicity exhaled slowly, briefly closing her eyes in relief. “What did you tell her? I couldn’t hear you.”

“Just that I got a bit ill. She told me to rest and that no one would come inside.”

“So… we’re stuck here?” Felicity asked with a grin.

“I doubt my mom is going to stay away from her guests very long. So it’s just for a few minutes.”

Felicity bit her lower lip, her eyes travelling down his chest. “And you’re wearing your suspenders…”

Oliver’s mouth twitched at the way her fingers sneaked inside his jacket. “Why… yes, I am.”

“You didn’t even kiss me,” she pouted. “You got growly as soon as you saw me like a bear with a thorn in his pawn.” 

“I didn’t… get growly.”

“Ugh! Yes you did! You didn’t listen to my plan and when you find out I actually organized everything you got pissed!” she huffed, turning around and facing the sink. His eyes fell on her naked back and before he could stop himself, his fingers reached out, softly brushing against her skin. She shivered then, her shoulders tensing as she gripped the sink.

“I wasn’t pissed,” he murmured, letting his fingertips trail down her spine until they reached the waistband. He traced the edge of the fabric, then travelled up, still following the line of the dress until he reached her shoulder again. He met her eyes in the mirror right before lowering his head and pressing a kiss on the back of her neck. “Where did you get that dress?”

Felicity gulped.“What?”

“Your dress. Where did you get it?”

“... In that cute little shop on Somerset Boulevard. Why?”

“It’s… you…” Oliver mumbled, his eyes wandering from her delicate neck, where the skin was so soft, all the way down to her waist…and her perfect little bottom.  “You’re just…”

“You don’t like it? Is it too red?”

“You are absolutely stunning,” he replied in a low voice, their gazes still locked in the mirror.

“Thank you,” she smiled. “You look pretty good yourself.”

“You’ll wear it again, right?”

“The dress?”

“Yeah.”

She giggled, her hair bouncing and grazing her neck. “It’s not exactly an everyday kind of outfit but… if you want me to, yes I’ll wear it again. You might have to help me find the right occasion though.”

Oliver smiled, his eyes dropping to her left hand on the counter. He already knew the perfect occasion. One day.

“I will,” he said softly, his hand covering hers. His thumb slowly stroked her knuckles, lingering on her ring finger. They gazed at each other, both with a small hesitant smile. He knew she probably understood what he wasn’t saying, and the way she entwined their fingers together confirmed that they’d get there one day.

Eventually, she took a small breath and asked, “so… if you weren’t pissed at me… why were you so… grrrr?”

“I had to spend the entire evening-”

“Oliver I’ve been there for barely an hour.”

“It seemed like forever,” he quickly explained before continuing, “watching you, walking around, looking absolutely breathtaking. Two men asked you to dance-”

“Three actually,” she cut him off teasingly.

He groaned, dropping his forehead on her shoulder. “Three men danced with you. One kissed your hand, I saw it. They talked with you, kissed your cheek, touched your arm. And I just wanted… I wanted to be with you. I wanted to be able to put my hand here,” he explained, pressing the palm of his hand low on her back. “I wanted to be able to kiss you and touch you and make you smile.”

“No dancing though?” 

“I don’t dance.”

“You’ll dance with me one day.”

He grinned then, a huge grin that took over his face. “I’ll dance with you one day.”

“Good. That’s settled, then.”

“That’s settled,” he confirmed before pushing a few strands of hair out of the way and pressing a soft kiss on the back of her shoulder. He peppered kisses over her skin until he reached the other side of her neck, earning a small giggle from her that went straight to his heart. “I’ve been dying to get my hands on you ever since I first saw you talking to that playmobil guy.”

“Billy? He was charming,” she said innocently. 

“... Charming?” he repeated, perking an eyebrow. “I’ll give you charming,” he whispered, letting his hand travel up her arm then onto her waist, finally resting on her ass. He squeezed then, the silky fabric of her dress sliding over her flesh. “You have the most magnificent ass.”

Felicity’s laugh died on her lips when he kissed her cheek, then nuzzled her ear with his nose. Pressing himself against her, he kneaded the firm globes between his hands, already feeling himself hardening.

“Oliver…” she breathed, tilting her head on the side.

“I know, baby. I’ll make it good,” he murmured before biting the lobe of her ear.

“Oliver, the gala… we could… we could get caught.”

“No one will come inside my mom’s office. All we have to do is lock this door and not make too much noise. No one will know.”

“But what if-”

“No one will know,” he repeated while ravishing her neck. “I’ll make it so good for you you’ll still feel it until we get back home. You’ll walk, and smile, and even dance with other men but… you’ll feel me in every step. You’ll remember how deep I was, how my hands were gripping your thighs as I pushed inside you, how it felt when I came. How I'm the only one who makes you feel that way.”

God, he wanted her. Badly. He couldn’t help but grind his already solid erection against her, wanting her to feel how ready he was to pleasure her. It had been almost an entire week since he had last been inside her and seen her falling apart in his arms. And he knew how frustrated she had been about their forced celibacy. Did she have any idea how addictive it was to bring her to completion? The sounds she made, the way she clung onto him… he needed that. He hadn’t been able to be by her side all night, letting everyone believe she was free and available.He knew he had no right to be possessive over her that way but he couldn’t help it. She was his as much as he was hers and he needed, he absolutely needed to be inside her, to make love to her and make her lose control the way he knew he was the only one able to. The others, they didn’t know, they didn’t know how wild and free she was with him, and only with him, how passionate and daring she was when it was just the two of them. They didn’t know that side of her and God help him but they would never find out. They’d have to get out of that room eventually, go back downstairs and pretend to only be old acquaintances, keeping their hands off each other but… right now he needed to be inside her so when they walked out of that office, she would still feel him.

Yet, no matter how much his body was craving her, he knew it was her call to make.

Meeting her eyes in the mirror, he saw her licking her lips and opening her mouth. Before she could say anything though, she stretched her arm and, keeping her eyes on him, locked the door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Felicity's dress:

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \-- No goats were harmed in the making of this chapter --
> 
>  
> 
> Sooooo... what did you think? Lots of information about the whole "project" and the Gambit and so on don't you think?  
> Did you enjoy Tommy? Poor guy was losing it but damn... that dress. Fun fact: I found it randomly a while ago, while searching for reception and gala and things like that. I saw it and knew it was the perfect Felicity dress to have Oliver on his knees.
> 
> Oh and... I really, REALLY wonder what's going to happen in the next chapter, don't you? O_O  
> Are they going to play pattycake? Is Felicity going to teach Oliver how to apply mascara?
> 
> So many possibilities, really...
> 
> Also, did you guys pick up what they were saying without actually saying in the bathroom, about when Felicity would wear that dress again or when Oliver would dance with her one day...? ;)


	21. Bad Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> First of all thank you so much for all the feedback concerning last chapter you guys MADE my day!!!!
> 
> More seriously now: this is clearly NSFW and we're diving right in. For those who don't want to, scroll down... and down... and then down again... a little bit more... theeeeere you go :D Fair warning it is explicit and raunchy (IMO). I mean... see title lol. Oliver is jealous and... wants to mark his territory so... yeah... he's not really holding back.
> 
> Stuff happens in this chapter. Lots of stuff.
> 
> Special thanks to my beta mysticaldetectivepanda for her super fast work on it and to pidanka for her patience :p
> 
> Song: Bad Things Jace Everett

**"Bad Things"**

 

 

When you came in the air went out  
And every shadow filled up with doubt  
I don't know who you think you are  
But before the night is through  
I wanna do bad things with you

I'm the kind to sit up in his room  
Heart sick an' eyes filled up with blue  
I don't know what you've done to me  
But I know this much is true  
I wanna do bad things with you, okay

When you came in the air went out  
And all those shadows there filled up with doubt  
I don't know who you think you are  
But before the night is through  
I wanna do bad things with you  
I wanna do real bad things with you

I don't know what you've done to me  
But I know this much is true  
I wanna do bad things with you  
I wanna do real bad things with you

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You better keep your promise,” Felicity said in a breathy voice as she tilted her head, offering her neck to his hungry mouth.

Oliver hummed against her throat, pressing himself against her and pushing her against the sink. His hands travelled to her waist, gripping her tightly as he rocked his hips against her, trying to relieve the pressure in his crotch.

“Oliver we can’t… my dress,” Felicity murmured as he started to unbutton his pants.

Regretfully, he abandoned her neck and met her eyes in the mirror. Her cheeks were red, her lips swollen where she had bitten them. The lighting was bright, making her skin even paler and the silky material of her dress was taunting him in a way that made little sense to him. He had seen her naked. A lot. In sexy underwear. In his clothes. In those sexy as hell tight dresses. But this… this was something else. She was so beautiful, so confident… so womanly that it was appealing to a very dark, very primitive part of him. He wanted to do things to her.

Bad, bad things.

Mess up her hair. Smudge her perfect makeup. Bring that thoroughly satisfied glow to her face.

Slipping a hand between their bodies, he lowered his zipper, the sound echoing loudly in the small room. He saw the way Felicity’s breathing hitched, her eyes widening as he fisted his length, a sigh escaping his lips when it was finally freed of its confinement. Unable to resist, he rubbed the sensitive head on the small of her back, the friction of the silky fabric followed by the warmth of her skin making him groan and squeeze his eyes in pleasure. It was so smooth, gliding along his heated shaft that he couldn’t stop his hips from grinding onto her. Dropping his head, he gulped when he saw the erotic vision of his cock rubbing against her back, right above her ass, the red of her dress mirroring the color of his tip.

“Fuck…” he whispered as his hands stiffened on her waist, pressing her back against him.

He had done many things in his life, with countless women but this, for some reason, was probably the most erotic thing he had ever seen. She was so stunning, so classy and proper, the vice-president of a booming company and here, in that locked bathroom, she was letting him do all kind of naughty things to her. His lips crashed onto her shoulder when she pushed back her butt to meet his thrusts, her hands flattening on the counter in something that might have looked like submission, but he knew better. It was trust. Pure, unadulterated trust.

And if he wasn’t aroused beyond words before, that alone would have done the trick. His mouth opened on the back of her shoulder, his teeth nibbling her skin, hard enough to make her shiver but not up to the point where he would leave a mark.

No.

He would leave his mark inside her body, where no one would see it. But she would know. And so would he. When they would open that door, she would be soft, tender, aching to feel him inside her again. He was going to make sure of it.

His hand flattened against her stomach, holding her close to him as his hips kept on rocking against her in slow motion. His balls were grazing her perfect ass, rubbing against the fabric and Oliver knew that if he didn’t stop soon, he’d reach a point where he’d probably embarrass himself.

So OK the dress was a massive turn on for him. The way it looked on her and felt against his skin… But still. He wasn’t about to dry-hump his girlfriend and leave her hanging.

He cleared his throat, forcing his hands away… only to have them travel up her back, letting his thumbs brush against her spine.

“Oliver,” Felicity whispered as he circled her body, palming her breasts. Her nipples were hard, pressing into his hands. “We… my dress…” 

Taking a deep breath, he let her go, knowing she was right. They still had to head back downstairs and as much as he was dying to ravish her, he was aware that a wrinkled dress would probably tell everyone what she had been up to.

Oliver dropped to his knees, his lips kissing the small of her back just above her dress as he slipped his hands underneath it, groaning when he felt her naked legs. The dress was tight from the knees up and extremely form-fitting. There was no way he could just push it up her hips, the fabric would bunch.

He’d have to undress her. “Honey, I have to-”

“I know,” she nodded, turning around and raising her arms.

_Holy fuck._

Taking a hold of the hem, he slowly lifted it, making sure he wasn’t too rough. The dress fit her like a glove and seeing her body slowly appearing in front of his eyes, as if he was unwrapping her… Her bare legs, so toned, her soft thighs, a small pair of lineless panties, her slightly curvy stomach and her perky breasts…

Holding the dress in his hands, he licked his lips at the view she was offering him. A pair of black heels and some tiny red panties… nothing else. Not trusting himself, he carefully placed the dress on a hanger on the back of the door, his hands shaking. He was still completely dressed and must have looked slightly ridiculous with his dick at the ready but truth be told he couldn’t care less. He unbuttoned his jacket, then placed it on the closed lid of the toilet before turning to face Felicity. Their gazes locked for a moment, neither of them moving.

Oliver balled up his fists, his eyes travelling over her body, physically restraining himself from grabbing her and bending her over the counter to sink into her warmth. Seeing all these men touching her had awoken a very primal part of himself that wanted to claim her. As his mate.

But his control completely snapped when Felicity slipped her thumbs underneath the waistband of her underwear, then shimmied out of them until they fell on the floor. She barely had the time to step out of them before he was pouncing on her, his hand on her neck, his lips finding hers. It was a battle of tongues and teeth, Felicity’s small whimpers telling him she was as hungry as he was.

“Oliver,’ she panted against his lips. “I need…” 

“I know. I know,” he whispered before taking her mouth again, the fire spreading in his body at the way she pressed herself against him. His hands landed roughly on her ass, firmly kneading the flesh; knowing he was probably too rough but unable to stop. He had to get his hands on her and hold her like no other man could hold her.

He hissed when her small hand circled his cock, stroking him a little faster than she usually did. One good look at her face told him she was as aroused as he was, her breathing already short. He had to force her hand away, whatever was left of his control slipping but before she could say anything, he was spinning her around, forcing her hands down on the counter.

Her head bowed as he nudged her legs apart, her heels making her the perfect height. Fisting his cock, he slipped it between her open thighs, sliding it up and down her folds until it bumped against her clit. The little mewl that escaped her made it hard for him to focus on anything else except the absolute need to slam into her but he was craving her pleasure as much as his. He rubbed himself against her, feeling his length getting slicker and slicker every time he would nudge her entrance, her arousal coating him, making the friction even better.

“Oh God,” Felicity moaned as he rubbed the tip of his cock around the small bundle of nerves. Over and over again, until she started to chase his touch, her hips rolling against him. “Oliver, condom. Purse.”

He gritted his teeth, remembering her words earlier that week. They still needed condoms. Thank God she had thought of putting some in her purse because he honestly wasn’t sure he would have been able to stop. He spilled her purse contents in the sink then grabbed the small foil square, opening it with his teeth before covering himself, not sure he had the restraint to wait any longer.

It didn’t feel the same way when he slipped between her folds, her inner lips parting for him, but he could still feel the heat radiating from her skin and judging by the way Felicity keened as he lightly tapped against her clitoris, it still felt good for her. Her head bowed as he kept pleasuring her that way, small moans escaping her throat, so loud in his ears. Her thighs were trembling against him and he wondered how far he could take her just by stroking her that way.

“Baby? Are you close?” he asked, barely recognizing his own voice.

“Mmmff,” was all he heard at first until she raised her head, letting him see she was biting her lips. “Yes. God, yes,” she eventually replied with a gasp. “How do you even…” she trailed off, the rest of her words muffled in a long wail as he pressed harder against her then left her suddenly.

“What…?! Oliver please,” she begged, pushing back against him, seeking him. He gripped her hips firmly, holding her in place as he found her opening then pressed inside, parting her heated folds with his push.

Her muscles clenched around him almost viciously, sucking him inside as she let out a low, long strangled moan that echoed his own as he finally filled her to the hilt. He didn’t let her adjust, his hips already finding a punishing rhythm, pounding into her from behind as she tried to absorb his thrusts, her hands slipping on the counter until she finally rested a palm flat against the mirror to push back against him.

He was merciless and rough, the wet sounds of their bodies the only thing he could hear apart from her cries of pleasure as he took her the way he had been dying to ever since he had seen her in that devilish dress. She was meeting him thrust for thrust, her face wincing almost as if she was in pain but the loud moans echoing in the small room were the proof that there was only pleasure.

“Oh… oh… oooooh. Yes, yeeeess,” she hissed as he slipped a hand between her thighs, flattening his fingers against her clitoris. She was quivering against him, her thighs shaking as the palm she was pressing on the mirror was gliding across the cold surface with a small squeaky sound.

She was close, he could see it in the way her body was tensing and he gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the fire that was spreading at the base of his spine. 

“Oliver,” she gasped loudly, her fingers curling over the glassy surface a second before he felt her inner muscles clenching down on him. He saw her mouth opening, heard the beginning of her scream as her eyes rolled to the back of her head and he pressed his hand against her lips, muffling it as he fucked her through her orgasm, feeling every single ripple of her climax run through his cock. She was breathing heavily, a few moans escaping her mouth only to crash against the palm of his hand, her eyes hazy with pleasure. Her orgasm gradually fading away, he slowed down his thrusts, lazily pushing inside her to let her savor the last waves of her pleasure. Her eyes remained closed, with his hand still covering her mouth and muffling the last sounds that were escaping her as a small tear rolled on her cheek, landing on his thumb while her face slowly relaxed in a blissful relief.

He searched his memory but he was pretty sure she had never come that way, so loudly, up to the point where her eyes got teary and damn… he wanted to see it again. He didn’t know if it was their forced celibacy, or the fact of having sex in a forbidden place or a little bit of both but that was probably the hottest thing he had ever seen.

For now. He had a feeling it was just the beginning of their journey together, in every sense of the word.

Felicity eventually gathered her bearings, her eyes meeting his in the mirror. The hunger he saw in them made him snap. He suddenly slipped out of her, freeing her mouth before turning her in his arms and, bending an arm around her waist, he sat her on the counter.

“Oh my God… Oliver,” she said with a trembling voice as she let him arrange her legs the way he wanted. He spread her open, his mouth watering when he saw how wet she was, literally dripping from the pleasure he had just given her.

She would still feel him. She would walk out of this room, thoroughly well fucked, her brain fuzzy, her body bearing the traces of his love-making. 

He was going to make sure of it. 

He captured her small moan with his mouth as he slammed back home, not letting her catch her breath. His tongue slipped between her lips, as demanding and relentless as the way he was claiming her, his hips now snapping against hers. They parted ways, both out of breath, Oliver resting his forehead against hers before pulling her butt towards him. Felicity scrambled, her arms straightening behind her, the gesture pushing her breasts forward and all he had to do was dip his head to capture a hard nipple between his teeth, flicking his tongue over it.

Felicity bent her knees, opening herself even more to him, her ankles crossing behind his back. He straightened, watching her and the way she was offering herself to his eyes, her head tilted back as she completely put him in charge. Something, low in his abdomen, tightened as his pace quickened, one of his hands leaving her ass to caress the inside of her thigh, savoring how soft her skin was underneath his calloused fingers. A trail of goosebumps appeared and he felt the heels of her shoes digging into the back of his thighs as she let out a breathy moan. He could see her arms were starting to shake under her weight and the force of his thrusts and he gently pushed on her chest until her upper back was resting against the mirror.

“I want to make you come again,” Oliver said in a husky voice before slipping an arm underneath her knee, holding it in the crook of his elbow.  A loud clang resonated in the room when the shoe slipped off her foot and it sent a deep flash of arousal in his abdomen to see her so improper. Her hair was messier, her eyes heavy with pleasure and she couldn’t keep quiet, mewls and whimpers spilling from her lips with each of his thrusts. “I want to feel you come again around me. Hard. And then we’ll go back home and I’ll bend you over your couch and I’ll take you again.”

Felicity whimpered at his words, her hands reaching out until they could grip his suspenders, her back pressing against the mirror now the only thing supporting her weight. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes.”

“You always come so hard that way. But I love seeing you. I love watching the way your eyes flutter, the way your mouth opens. I want you to see exactly who is making you feel so good. That’s why I turn you around. It’s so you know I’m the one making you lose control,” Oliver continued, unable to stop the words now. He was breathing heavily, grunting, his hips not answering to his brain anymore as he kept pushing, pounding into her, mesmerized by the arousal he could see in her eyes.

He could see she was getting close but so was he, his muscles tense and burning with the exertion. The coil of tension was growing tighter and tighter, like a small ball of fire about to explode. He pushed her leg a little higher, enough to allow him to slightly change his angle until-

“Oh God!” Felicity shouted when the button of his pants pressed against her clit. Swiftly, he covered her mouth with his hand again and he saw, in the way her eyes darkened, that the gesture was turning her on. It was allowing him to take control, and she wouldn’t have to restrain herself. She could scream and moan as much as she wanted, he would muffle the sounds like he had promised her.

His pace quickened, the rhythm almost furious as he desperately tried to push her over the edge and the new stimulation over her clitoris sped everything up. Three hard thrusts and she was wailing in his hand, her eyes watering again. One hand left his suspenders as she grabbed the tap beside her, trying to hold up against him. Seeing her come undone that way was the last straw. With one long groan, he came, holding himself deep inside her as the tension suddenly snapped, a white noise in his ears as he found his relief. He slowly came back to earth, his hips still thrusting lazily as Felicity was still riding her orgasm, her walls milking every last drop of pleasure he could give her. He clenched his teeth, regretting that he couldn’t empty himself inside her instead of that damn condom.

All that could be heard in the room now were the last muffled cries still escaping her and he finally lowered his hand, flattening it on the counter, his head dropping against her shoulder as he tried to catch his breath.

Eventually, he let go of her leg then took her in his arms, pulling her flush against him. She was completely boneless against him and uncharacteristically quiet, despite the occasional whimper spilling from her lips.

It was when she shivered that he leant back, his hands cradling her face while he pressed a soft kiss on her lips.

“Oh my God, Oliver,” she finally said in a low, shaky voice. “Oh my God. I don’t think… that was… oh my God. I never… it was so…”

Oliver grinned at her lack of coherence and kissed her a few more times. “Good?”

“I can’t feel anything south of my… nose,” she mumbled, dropping her head against his chest. “I think. I’m not even sure I can feel my nose, actually.”

His hands lazily stroked her back, to bring her back to earth as much as to warm her up a little. “As much as I’d love to stay here long enough for round two, you’re getting cold.”

He slipped out of her then got rid of the condom before straightening his clothes. Felicity had completely wrinkled his shirt when she had grabbed it with the suspenders but underneath his jacket, no one would notice.

Felicity was still sitting on the counter, only one shoe on and the sight made him smile. She seemed completely out of it and once again he wondered if it was the forbidden sex or the celibacy that had done the trick for her. Something he would be really happy to experiment with over the next months, actually. Or years, probably.

“Come here, baby,” he murmured as he helped her on her feet. He quickly cleaned her then kneeled down in front of her to help her put her panties back on while she was leaning on his shoulders for balance. “I think it’s a good idea for you to wait in the-”

He was interrupted by Felicity’s mouth on his, her hands having gripped the suspenders to pull him to her. She kissed him hard, her tongue diving in his mouth when he gasped in surprise at the sudden burst of energy. He was slightly dizzy when she eventually let go of him, patting his suspenders one last time.

“This will definitely be in our top three,” she stated calmly as if she hadn’t just grabbed him and kissed him senseless a few seconds ago.

Oliver stared at her then eventually blinked. Damn… in charge Felicity was hot as hell. He was considering maybe staying in there for round two because if she kept that up, he’d probably be ready to go pretty soon, when she picked up her dress and handed it to him. 

With a deep sigh, he helped her slip it on, and if he spent a little bit more time than necessary smoothing the fabric over her curves, she didn’t complain.

“That dress is devilish,” he exhaled as she turned around to fix her hair and makeup.

“I have to say I was hoping it’d bring you to your knees but I never thought we wouldn’t make it back home,” she grinned before applying her lipstick. She tore off some paper towel and passed it under the water before patting the corners of her eyes, cleaning the small dark smears left by her tears. Oliver leaned against the counter as she put everything back into her purse, trying to resist the temptation to kiss her again. She had just fixed her makeup and he was pretty sure she wouldn’t be pleased. "Come here," she said when she was done, tilting his head to clean the lipstick she had left on him. He let her do, observing her. She was focused on her task, licking her thumb then rubbing it against his jaw and it occured to him that he loved those little moments between them probably as much as the sex itself. 

"I love you," he murmured as she was patting a small wet towel against his neck.

A small, happy smile stretched her lips as her eyes briefly met his. She finished her task in silence before throwing the used towel in the small basket underneath the sink. "There," she whispered as her fingers stroked his jaw. Grabbing her hand, he pressed a kiss on her knuckles, holding her probably a little bit longer than necessary.

“Sooo… are you gonna tell me what has gotten into you?” she asked in a teasing voice as he finally let her go.

Oliver frowned. “What do you mean?”

Snorting, she rested her hands on her hips. “I mean the whole marking your territory thing. You’ve never been that… intense before. Or explicit.”

Oliver cleared his throat, his eyes travelling to the door behind her. “I don’t really like seeing all these men around you.”

“Good,” Felicity smirked. “I don’t really like seeing all these women around you either.”

“... what women?” Oliver asked as he picked up the jacket that was still on the toilet seat. 

“The gorgeous brunette who offered you a drink? You talked with her for a little while. And then the cute red-head. She laughed a lot and patted your arm.”

Oliver furrowed his brow in concentration. “I think that was Joleen and… the other girl was Stephi. They… I think they work for QC. I… I didn’t pay attention,” he added sheepishly. He could barely remember who these girls were, to be honest. Yes he had made small talk with a few women but nothing had caught his attention. “I think I was a bit too focused on that gorgeous blonde woman in the red dress and wondering if I could get a moment with her later.”

“Good answer,” Felicity grinned before kissing the corner of his lips. “Very good answer.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Felicity’s legs were still wobbly when she made her way outside. Oliver had let her leave a few minutes before him, and the plan was that she would wait for him in the car while he spent another fifteen minutes or so at the reception. To say that their little rendezvous had been intense was putting it mildly. She hadn’t been fooled by Oliver’s grumpiness and she would be lying if she said she hadn’t enjoyed it a little bit. There was something about making a man like Oliver Queen jealous enough that he wouldn’t even notice the dozen attractive women who had been trying to get his attention all night long. Not to mention if his possessiveness led to these kind of orgasms, she wasn’t about to complain.

At all. Even if her thighs were still trembling and her steps not as assured as when she had walked into the building two hours earlier. Oliver hadn’t lied. She could still feel him.

After a quick stop to get her coat, she was about to walk outside when she almost bumped into someone, too lost in the afterglow to really pay attention to where she was going.

“Miss Felicity,” Tommy grinned at her as he held her elbows to help her keep her balance. “You seem a bit… distracted. Is everything alright?”

“Yes,” she smiled, relieved to see Tommy’s friendly face. “I’m a bit tired, that’s all. I was about to head back home, actually.” 

“What? You didn’t even get a drink or a dance with Starling’s very best waltzer.”

“Oh… and who would that be?” she teased him as she tugged her purse underneath her arm.

Tommy tilted his head, his usual charming grin firmly in place. “You’re challenging me. I like that. But come on. At least a drink?”

Felicity shifted on her feet, hesitating. She knew she was supposed to go to Dig but on the other hand, she was quite thirsty and Tommy was always a charming companion. Since Oliver would be busy for at least another fifteen minutes, there was no reason she couldn’t at least quench her thirst.

“Just one drink,” she eventually accepted, following Tommy’s lead. “Non alcoholic.”

They quickly stopped by the bar, Tommy handing her a glass of sparkling water that she almost gulped down in one go.

“... I can see now why non alcoholic was probably better,” Tommy snorted as he took a sip of his whisky.

“Sorry. I think I had too much champagne already,” Felicity shrugged as they stepped away from the crowd. She looked around her discreetly, trying to spot Oliver.

“Moira told me he wasn’t feeling well,” Tommy said in a low voice.

“Pardon me?” 

Tommy tilted his head, a soft knowing smile on his lips. “Now, really?”

Felicity pinched her lips, feeling a small blush creeping on her cheeks. _Damn_.

“It feels like we keep having the same conversation, doesn’t it?” Tommy asked, rolling his glass in his hand. “Oliver acts like a dick, I ask you to be patient.”

Felicity huffed out a laugh at the memory. “No. Don’t worry. Oliver and I had a talk already and… I understand. He has his reasons for behaving the way he does. I don’t blame him.”

“So… the potted plant won’t be necessary this time?”

“Potted plants are always a plus.”

“I’ll make sure he remembers that. Can I also kick his ass if he takes too long?”

“Ass kicking is always a plus, too.”

Tommy laughed before finishing his drink. “You know… if one day you’re bored and want to go out and have a drink or dinner…”

Felicity raised her eyebrows. “Are you… asking me out on a date?”

“No! No no!” Tommy said hurriedly. “Totally not appropriate. But if one day you realize he is taking too long and need to talk or… make him jealous… or just get a free meal with Starling’s very best-”

“Waltzer?” she finished for him with a grin.

“I was going to say dinner companion, but yes, that too. I mean I’d be lucky to go on a date with you but… you wouldn’t say yes, right?”

Felicity smiled, tilting her head. “... No. I wouldn’t.”

“You’ve always been special. I think he saw it right away but… he’s a bit…” 

“Thick. I know,” Felicity nodded. “Very, **very** thick.”

Tommy perked up an eyebrow. “Well, I’m sure he’d be very flattered you still remember that.”

“Oh God,” Felicity covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. “You know what I meant.” 

“I hope so at least,” he chuckled. “By the way, speaking of the devil, I think he has spotted us. He’s frowning.”

Felicity discreetly turned around to face the direction where Tommy was looking and saw Oliver deep in talk with Malcolm Merlyn, his eyes glancing at her. He was definitely sporting a frown on his face, which made her roll her eyes. 

“My offer to dance still stands if you want to give a certain someone a piece of your mind,” Tommy murmured, pointing towards the dance floor.

Felicity was about to say yes, just for the sake of proving a point to Oliver, when the sound of firecrackers erupted not far away from them. She started at the sound and so did Tommy.

“Fireworks, already?” she asked him. It was a bit early for that and she didn’t even know they were planning on having fireworks.

“There was no-”  Tommy stopped in the middle of his sentence as the sounds came closer to them and the first screams started to echo across the room.

They exchanged a glance, Tommy grabbing her elbow and guiding her towards the nearest exit as the crowd around them started to panic. 

Gunshots. Those were clearly gunshots.

Her heart beating wildly, Felicity searched for Oliver, but they were surrounded by too many people, pushing, trying to rush to the nearest exit.

“Oliver,” she told Tommy, unwilling to leave if she wasn’t sure he was safe.

“Oliver would want you out of here, he’ll be fine. He has his own bodyguard, you don’t,” Tommy hissed as he pushed her in front of him.

_But Dig is outside…_

They had almost made it out when a man in a mask suddenly appeared, blocking the exit. He was holding an automatic rifle in his hand, pointing it towards the small group of people who hadn’t managed to escape, including them.

“No, no, no, don’t leave so early. The party is just starting!”

They were forced back inside the room, Tommy’s arm still guiding her.

Frantic, Felicity searched the room, desperate to find a trace of Oliver, not allowing herself to look at the bodies she could already see lying on the ground.

Their gazes eventually locked and she breathed in relief when she saw he was safe and sound, standing against a wall with his mother and Tommy’s father, on the other side of the room. She nodded then, letting him know she was alright, and he smiled reassuringly.

They were OK.

People were starting to cry, a few women were screaming until several rounds of shots resonated loudly in the now half empty room.

“Is everyone going to stay quiet now?” One of the men asked. Felicity hadn’t paid attention at first but she could now clearly see six men, all dressed in black and their faces concealed, each one of them standing near an entrance, pointing their guns towards the guests. “I’ll make it simple. Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated are two of the wealthiest companies of our city. And my friends and I just decided that it might be good to spread the wealth a little bit. So, ladies and gentlemen, some of my friends here are going to walk by you. Drop your purse, your wallet, your jewelry, watches and cellphones into their bags and then we’ll leave. See? No one needs to get hurt! Well... apart from those who are already dead, that is.” 

The man that was guarding them held out a large duffle bag and Felicity dropped her purse in it as well as her earrings and bracelet - they weren’t very expensive but she wasn’t about to argue with psychos armed with machine guns. 

It seemed to last a lifetime. Probably just a couple of minutes, but in her mind, it felt like it was never going to end. There were still at least a hundred people in the room and at first things were moving slowly until they dragged a middle aged woman to the center of the room.

Felicity barely had the time to turn her head away as a single shot was heard, followed by horrified cries.

After that… no one tried to waste time.

She kept her eyes on Oliver the whole time, holding onto Tommy’s hand so hard she was confident her nails were digging into his skin. But he didn’t seem to mind or even realize it.

Soon, they heard the sirens and Felicity exhaled slowly, relieved to know the police were only a minute away at most. They were going to be safe.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” the leader shouted, grabbing one of the bags.

_Oh my God yes, please just go._

Two armed cops entered by the main entrance, holding their guns, just as the thugs were escaping by a side entrance. One of them turned around, shooting to cover his friends while the police officers screamed for everyone to lie down.

She felt something hitting her shoulder, only to realize that Tommy was pushing her on the floor and behind a table.

Her heart beating wildly, she saw the last men escaping before the SCPD started to flood the room. People were already running away, too relieved to be safe and sound to even think about staying inside but Felicity somehow was glued to her spot, her breathing short.

“Are you OK?” Tommy asked as she sat down on the floor.

“Yes. Just… shocked, I guess.”

“Same.”

The table they had sneaked behind suddenly flew to the side, making them jump. Oliver’s concerned face appeared and he quickly scanned her, barely paying attention to Tommy.

“We’re good, Oliver. My dad? Moira?”

“No harm,” Oliver answered, glancing at the door where the men had escaped before fixing his eyes on Felicity.

She held his gaze, nodding at the question he wasn’t asking. By the time Tommy had stood up, Oliver was already gone.

“What the… where is he?”

“I think… he just ran outside,” Felicity explained as she tried to stand up as well. “Probably to make sure Dig is alright.”

“... oh. Wow, Felicity are you OK?” he asked when she started to stagger.

“I’m OK, just light-headed. I should have had a whisky too,” she tried to laugh, her hands shaking when she grabbed a few napkins on a nearby table. “I think someone dropped their drink on me though, because my back is-”

“Oh my God,” Tommy breathed suddenly. “It’s… your coat is covered in… Felicity it looks like blood.”

“What?” Someone had **bled** on her?

She tried to turn around, to get a look but suddenly a burning pain flashed through her shoulder, making her gasp.

“Felicity, you got shot!” Tommy said in panic, forcing her back on the floor and sitting sideways so she could lean on him. Yelling, he called for one of the medics who were already there.

“Tommy, thank God you’re alright,” Felicity heard Malcolm as a few people joined them.

The pain that she hadn’t even noticed was starting to burn, intense and deep and she was forcing herself to take small breaths, fighting the nausea that was already taking over.

“I’m fine, dad, but Felicity is wounded. I think it’s a bullet, I don’t know,” Tommy explained just as a medic kneeled down next to them.

“Where the fuck is Ollie?” Tommy shouted.

“I don’t know, he ran away,” Moira answered in a shaky voice. “Mister Diggle isn’t here either.” 

“It’s OK. He probably went to check on Dig,” Felicity repeated through gritted teeth as the medic was examining her left shoulder. “Oh my God it hurts like hell.”

“It’s a through and through, I don’t think any vital organs were touched. You will be fine, Miss,” the medic, a woman in her forties smiled at her reassuringly before putting a yellow tag around her neck. “I know it hurts but we’ll get you to the hospital as soon as possible.”

“It’s OK, Felicity. It’s just a flesh wound,” Tommy said as they were waiting for a gurney. She was leaning heavily against him, trying to control her breathing and the nausea caused by the pain. The last thing she needed was to puke on Tommy Merlyn.

She was feeling awfully dizzy and she didn’t know if it was because of the blood loss or the shock. She could now feel the blood dripping down her back and the front of her dress was dampening quickly as well.

She forced her eyes open when she felt something covering her and tried to smile in gratitude at Tommy’s father who was blanketing her with his jacket. She felt better then, even if the pain was still throbbing with the way that Tommy was pressing on the wound to stop the bleeding.

 

Tommy went with her in the ambulance, unwilling to leave her alone while Moira was desperately looking for her son as well as handling her responsibilities with Walter and Malcolm. Thankfully, Thea hadn’t attended and she was already safely back home.

“I can’t believe he left. He looked at you and then he just left,” Tommy was rambling, holding her hand as they were speeding through the streets.

“It’s not his fault,” she replied, taking off the oxygen mask. “Don’t be mad. He probably reacted on instinct.”

“What, like there were hostage takings on his island?”

“Maybe the noise was… just don’t blame him, Tommy. I didn’t even know I was hurt.”

God, she couldn’t think about Oliver right now. Knowing he had probably run after these men and hadn’t come back… Was he alright? He had apparently taken Dig with him since he had been nowhere to be found either and it was nerve-wracking to be left out of the loop, unsure if they were both safe.

She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut as the top of the ambulance was starting to move.

“Sorry, sorry,” Tommy whispered as he put the oxygen mask back on her face.

 

She still hadn’t heard from Oliver when the doctor finished patching up her shoulder, one hour later.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun duuuuun  
> What happened to Oliver? WHERE is he? Where is Dig?? Is Felicity going to be alright? Is Oliver going to be alright? Is Dig going to- ... who am I kidding this is John Diggle we're talking about of course he is going to be alright.
> 
> Next chapter will have some scenes that are part of my favorite in STAMTB. Things really... start to come together in some way. And a lovely (hopefully) long Tommy/Felicity scene, in Tommy's POV which is a first for me in this story.


	22. Like I'm Gonna Lose You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So here is the chapter that "closes" the triology concerning the gala. It's pretty long and a LOT happens on many, many fronts. Hope you enjoy it. I had quite a blast writing it myself ;)
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, as you know <3<3  
> Also, thank you so much for all of you who reached out and showered me with love. You guys... YOU GUYS!!!! <3<3<3<3
> 
> Oh btw, a first in this story. A part of this chapter is in TOmmy's POV :)
> 
> Song: Like I'm Gonna Lose You (I picked the Meghan Trainor version)

**"Like I'm Gonna Lose You"**

 

 

 

I found myself dreaming  
In silver and gold  
Like a scene from a movie  
That every broken heart knows we were walking on moonlight  
And you pulled me close  
Split second and you disappeared and then I was all alone

I woke up in tears  
With you by my side  
A breath of relief  
And I realized  
No, we're not promised tomorrow

So I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna hold you  
Like I'm saying goodbye wherever we're standing  
I won't take you for granted 'cause we'll never know when  
When we'll run out of time so I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you

_[John Legend:]_  
In the blink of an eye  
Just a whisper of smoke  
You could lose everything  
The truth is you never know

So I'll kiss you longer baby  
Any chance that I get  
I'll make the most of the minutes and love with no regrets

Let's take our time  
To say what we want  
Use what we got  
Before it's all gone  
'Cause no, we're not promised tomorrow

_[Both:]_  
So I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna hold you  
Like I'm saying goodbye wherever we're standing  
I won't take you for granted 'cause we'll never know when  
When we'll run out of time so I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you

Hey  
Whoa

I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna hold you  
Like I'm saying goodbye wherever we're standing  
I won't take you for granted 'cause we'll never know when  
When we'll run out of time so I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Where are they going?” Oliver asked with a frown. He wasn’t expecting any answer, and Dig didn’t give him one.

When the masked men had interrupted the reception, Oliver had been with his mother, Malcolm and a few other executives of Palmer Tech and Merlyn Global. Seeing Felicity on the other side of the room and being unable to protect her, shield her if necessary, had probably been the hardest moment he had had to live ever since he had been back. The fear of seeing her so vulnerable, among all those other innocents, and being absolutely, utterly helpless, knowing what could happen in a few seconds… He had tried to keep his eyes on her all the time, telling her to stay calm and to do absolutely everything they were told.

_Don’t be reckless, honey._ He had repeated that sentence in his head over and over again, only breathing in relief when she had given all her belongings and the gunman had walked away from their group. Tommy had pushed her mostly behind him, for which Oliver would probably be eternally grateful. When the police had arrived and he had seen the men running away, his instincts had kicked in. This couldn’t be a coincidence. And they had Felicity’s USB stick with them. Still, he had had to make sure she was alright first. Her small nod had been enough and without a second look, he had rushed behind them, not surprised to see Dig arriving with the car. They had followed them across the city to the harbour by the bay.

“I think we should continue by foot,” Dig said quietly, reaching in the glove box to retrieve a glock.

Oliver nodded, searching underneath the seat where he knew other weapons were stored. Dig was nothing if not prepared. 

Thanks to the darkness, they discreetly made their way to the warehouse where they had seen the gunmen disappear. They had left the door unlocked, which made Oliver roll his eyes as he slowly opened it before throwing a look around. It led to some kind of a big hallway, which was empty, but he could hear several voices coming from the other side of it.

“The police weren't supposed to arrive so fast!” Oliver recognized the voice of their leader, but the other man talking wasn’t familiar to him.

“I know. Sometimes things don’t go according to plan.”

“You told us it would be easy, no cops.”

“As I said… these kinds of things happen. How many casualties?”

“I shot that woman like you told me. A few others got hit, injured. No idea if they’re dead, though.”

“Good. I got in touch with some of my partners and you’re very lucky they weren’t harmed. That was very messy. You were supposed to be more in control and not shoot aimlessly. I am disappointed.”

“Yeah well sometimes things don’t go according to plans,” a third voice said.

The sound of a gunshot echoed loudly, followed by a few shouts and even more shots.  

Oliver shared a look with Dig, motioning to a door not far from him. Dig nodded, opening it then giving Oliver a thumbs up. By the time they had slipped inside what looked like a small storage room, whistling could be heard, as well as footsteps.

“But what do I do with all of that?” the leader said, much to Oliver’s surprise. So he hadn’t been the one killed.

“Keep whatever you want. Someone will come clean this up. I’ll get in touch when I need your services again.”

Oliver held his gun at the ready, half-expecting the door to open but after a few minutes, the main door closed loudly for the second time. Still, they didn’t move, waiting several long minutes to make sure everyone had left.

Pushing the door open, Oliver scanned the room. It was dark, only a small ray of moonlight reaching through a window on the ceiling was allowing him to see.

The silence around them confirmed they were alone but he didn’t lower his guard and neither did Dig as they scanned the room. Fortunately, Dig had a small flashlight with him.

Oliver lowered his gun when he saw the five bodies lying on the floor of the huge hangar. It was dark, but their steps were echoing loudly in the cavernous space, giving him an eery feeling. It’s not that he was afraid of the dark, it was mostly that he hated this feeling of not knowing what his surroundings looked like.

“Oliver…” Dig whispered, directing his ray of light towards several duffle bags. Still full.

“They… they barely took anything,” Oliver said, puzzled, before kneeling down. He quickly found Felicity’s purse and opened it. The USB stick was still inside, as well as her cellphone. Grabbing a second bag, that he recognized as the one where he had been forced to throw his own cellphone, he fished it out, noticing the watches and jewels.

“Why didn’t they take the jewels at the very least? You can sell those things easily,” Diggle wondered out loud. Oliver shrugged, completely at a loss himself. It was like they didn’t really care about the money in the first place. But then why had they even done it? And why had most of them been killed?

“I don’t like it, Oliver.”

“I don’t like it either,” Oliver breathed, standing up. “We shouldn’t stay here.”

Using his cellphone’s flashlight, he quickly walked towards the door, not looking behind him once.

He had almost reached the door when Dig’s voice stopped him.

“... Oliver. Come back.”

“What’s wrong?” he answered with a frown as he turned around and joined Dig. “Did you find something?”

Dig glanced at him, shaking his head before directing his flashlight further into the room.

At first, Oliver frowned, not understanding exactly what he was supposed to see. “What am I…”

It was as if his heart had dropped into his stomach when his brain finally made sense of what his eyes were seeing.

The Queen’s Gambit.

It was rusty and completely wrecked but the name could still be partly seen. It seemed weirdly big out of the water and at the same time… smaller than the last time he had seen it, disappearing in the ocean.

Oliver froze, glued to his place as he tried to process what he was looking at. He barely noticed Dig’s hand on his shoulder, being immediately thrown back three years ago, to that fateful night.

“Oliver… we gotta go. You heard them.”

Gulping, Oliver finally managed to tear his eyes off the wreckage that had changed his life. Survival mode finally kicked back in as they made their way back to the car, but as soon as he closed the door, he let out a breath of relief, letting his head rest against the seat.

Dig didn’t say anything until he stopped at a fast food drive through and ordered two sodas and burgers.

“You need to eat, you look like you’re about to faint,” Dig said, handing him a bag of food. “We should be back at QC in ten minutes.”

Oliver rubbed his forehead, noticing the sheen of cold sweat lingering on his skin. He took a sip of coke, surprised to find that the sweet taste did seem to help him focus a little more. Automatically, he ate half of his burger, then put the rest back in the bag.

For some reason, seeing the brown bag holding his leftovers made him chuckle. “Felicity is going to be pissed. We did it again.”

Dig grinned, still focused on the road. “This time we have a good excuse: she doesn’t have her cellphone with her. And I think she’d rather that than you fainting.”

“There’s that,” Oliver smiled. “Although, for the record, I do not faint.”

Dig chuckled, shaking his head. “So… are you OK?”

Oliver pinched his lips, still honestly unsure about how he felt.,  “I… I don’t know. I think I am, now. It was just… a shock I guess.”

“That would shake anybody. What we know now is that this whole thing was probably organized by the same people. Why… now that is another question.”

“We should have checked the bodies.”

“I did,” Dig smirked, throwing a wallet and a cell phone on Oliver’s lap. “I figured robbing them all would be suspicious but one forgetting or dropping his wallet and cell phone shouldn’t attract too much attention.”

 

As they were getting near QC, Oliver stored the objects underneath the seat. They’d look through it with Felicity as soon as they’d make it back to her place.

There were several police cars and still a few ambulances and Dig dropped him off, then went to park the car down the street. He was held back by a police officer until the police captain waved him through.

“Thank you,” Oliver said as he stepped inside the lobby.

“You’re welcome. Your mother is frantic, son.”

Oliver nodded, his steps carrying him quickly to the the reception room. It was chaotic, windows and doors shattered, blood on the floor and two bodies covered by white sheets. He was directed towards a smaller room by a police officer.

“Oliver!” Moira shouted in relief as soon as he stepped inside the room.

“Mom, I’m OK,” Oliver reassured her as she engulfed him in her arms.

“Where the hell have you been?! I saw you running after those men, what were you thinking?” Moira hissed, patting his arms in an obvious attempt to make sure he was unscathed, before leading him to the reception room where the attack had taken place. Oliver saw a couple of people still being taken care of by medics, even though none seemed in danger.

“I’m fine, mom. I’m sorry. I just… I don’t even remember why I did it. Dig came after me and found me though.”

“Thank God at least your bodyguard has some good sense. You scared the hell out of me! We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Oliver was about to answer when Malcolm joined them, a serious and closed expression on his face. “Apparently they’re in Starling General. I don’t know much more at the moment. Oliver, good to see you’re safe and sound. You worried us.”

“Sorry, Malcolm,” Oliver answered distractedly, his eyes roaming the room.  

“Tommy went with Miss Smoak to the hospital, sweetheart.”

Oliver blinked, his eyes fixed on a dark bundle of fabric that looked suspiciously like Felicity’s coat. Except the last time he had seen it she was wearing it. Why had she dropped it that way? That wasn’t Felicity’s style at all. And… all this blood next to it...

“Mom?” Oliver asked in a small voice.

“The medics said she should be fine, Oliver.”

“What… who…”

“Miss Smoak. She is with Tommy. She was hit by a stray bullet.”

“No,” Oliver denied, shaking his head. “I saw her, mom, she was fine. You must have misunderstood.”

_I would have never left her if she had been in danger. The men were gone._  

“She didn’t even realize she was shot at first,” Malcolm explained quietly.

She had been shot. She had been shot and he had abandoned her. The blood he could see… it was her blood. There was so much blood. He felt his heart in his throat, his hands balling into fists before he finally got a grip over himself. Turning around, he all but ran, barely hearing his mother calling him back. He had to get to her. He had to get to Felicity.

 

 

  

*** 

  

 

Tommy was pacing, biting his nails nervously as Felicity was rolled back into her room. He had been forced to stay there while they were patching her up. Fortunately she didn’t need major surgery, just stitches after the X-ray had confirmed there was no internal damage.

“Wow. I feel… I feel reaaaal good right now,” Felicity said with a smile as she patted the blanket covering her lap.

“I gave you the good drugs. It’s going to hurt when they wear off but the nurse will give you painkillers if you ask her. Don’t hesitate if you need some,” the doctor explained with a gentle smile. “It was through and through. No damage. You’ll have to wear a sling to make sure you don’t tear your stitches and hurt yourself. I’d say at least a few days or until you feel comfortable without it. I’ll make sure you get an appointment for a check up in a week so we can make sure everything is healing properly. I’m keeping you for the night, though.”

“Doctor… even if you look like George Clooney and I reaaaally had a thing for Dr Ross back then, I have a boyfriend,” Felicity whispered with wide eyes. “He wouldn’t want you to keep me for the night.”

“Neither would my husband, rest assured,” Dr Gavin replied with a small chuckle. “Nurse Jackie will bring you a sling as soon as possible and help you with it. She’ll show your boyfriend how to put it on.”

Tommy nodded, forcing himself to sit down next to her. He wasn’t her boyfriend but he’d pay attention nonetheless at least so he could show… whoever would take care of her afterwards how to properly do it.

“This is not my boyfriend,” Felicity chirped. “He’s Tommy Merlyn and no. No boyfriend. I mean, he’s charming. And very sweet. And also very funny, I have to give him that. But I already found my prince. He has the bluest eyes I have ever seen.”

Tommy frowned, tilting his head at her dreamy tone. “Are you OK?” he turned his head to face the nurse who was checking Felicity’s file as the doctor left the room. “Is she OK?”

“Yes, she is alright,” Felicity giggled. “So am I by the way. Thank you for asking.”

Tommy took a step forward then paused, observing her. She seemed… quite cheerful and a little out of it. “... Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I am… reaaaaal good,” Felicity nodded.

“I think the drugs are working extremely well on her,” the nurse interrupted them gently. “Don’t worry. It happens sometimes.”

“I was telling Dr Ross, I mean Dr Gavin, about how you’re not my boyfriend. Because my boyfriend has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen and I really hope our babies will have his eyes too.”

“Hum… yes, I know, I was there.” Tommy said slowly, blinking. “But why are you talking about kids in the first place, that I don’t know.”

“I’m not talking about kids. I’m talking about our children, Tommy. I want to have Oliver’s eyes. Wait, no. I want **them** to have Oliver’s eyes.” She paused, gasping, her eyes so wide it was almost comical. “Oh no! I wasn’t supposed to tell you! I want babies with Oliver one day.”

“I’ll look for a sling for your arm and come back as soon as possible,” the nurse interrupted them with a soft voice before leaving the room.

Tommy looked at Felicity with a small smile before sitting back on his chair next to her bed. So apparently whatever drugs they gave her also made her very chatty… and it involved Oliver. _Now this is going to be interesting..._ “So… you want Oliver’s babies, don’t you?”

“Well, duh! Have you seen him? How can I not want his babies. He does things to my ovaries,” Felicity explained while taking a small sip of water from the cup the nurse had given her. “Not sexual things, don’t worry. That would be painful and… biologically impossible.” She frowned, pausing. “I think.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Tommy nodded.

“I’m not sure, though. Have you ever done things to your girlfriends’ ovaries before?”

“I… err… I,” Tommy stuttered, scratching his ear. “I don’t think so?”

She looked at him with a frown, obviously unsatisfied with his answer and he shifted on his chair, hoping she wouldn’t push the topic. He didn’t really want to talk about ovaries with Felicity.

“Where is he, Tommy?” she asked suddenly in a small voice, miles away from the cheerful tone she had had until then, all talk about ovaries apparently forgotten.

Tommy winced, cursing his best friend for probably the hundredth time that night. “I don’t know, Felicity. But he’ll be here as soon as he can.”

“What if they hurt him?”

“No, they found no one in the street. His car was missing. I think he probably panicked and ran away and Mister Diggle went after him. Try not to worry,” Tommy reassured her, patting her hand. “I asked a nurse to get in touch with one of my dad’s employees to tell him where we are. He’ll let Oliver know as soon as he can.”

Felicity sniffled, resting her head against the pillows. “He’s going to blame himself, you know.”

“Well, he better,” Tommy groaned. “Why did he even run away like that before making sure-”

“He didn’t know. I thought I was fine. I really thought I was fine, Tommy. Oh no,” she wailed suddenly. “My dress. It’s ruined, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Tommy grimaced. “They had to cut it to change your clothes.”

“Oliver wanted to do naughty things with me in that dress. He wanted me to wear it for a special occasion again. I ruined it, Tommy. I ruined a future sexcapade. I love sexcapades. I didn’t know I liked them but I really do.”

Tommy stared at her, taken aback by her sudden… openness. So good drugs made Felicity chatty, very comfortable… and sharing. Very sharing, actually.

“That’s… I mean it’s a pity but I’m sure he won’t really care as long as you’re safe.”

“He’s going to be so worried. I don’t want him to be worried. Why hasn’t he called me?”

“Because they took our phones, remember?”

“Oh. Yes. Rude.”

Tommy smiled at her little pout, then pulled his chair closer to her bed. This was his chance. “So… Oliver and you?”

Felicity let out a big sigh. “I love him so much.”

_I guess that means yes._

“I think he loves you too.”

“Yes. He tells me. Every day," she grinned with a small giggle. “He even left a post-it on the mirror of my bathroom on Thursday morning. With a little heart in each corner.”

_Little hearts…?_

“So… he spent the night at your place, I guess? And last weekend?” he asked sneakily. So he had been right, that goofy smile on Oliver had been because he had spent the weekend with her. Now why had he lied about it, that was another question.

“Yes. All weekend.”

“I thought so.”  

“I mean we have a lot of sex to catch up on.”

_**Very** sharing, indeed._   

Tommy pinched his lips, nodding. “I can imagine.”

“My poor chairs though.”

“You broke a chair?”

“No. I wish we did. But we didn’t have the time to do it on a chair. It’s not fair, Tommy. It’s not fair because I’m a woman.”

“... yeah,” Tommy replied, confused. “But I’m sure Oliver is very glad that you are.”

Felicity closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. “... I think so yes. We had a lot of sex.”

“Yes,” he coughed. “You already told me.”

“He’s just…” she slurred, her head swinging, “very, very good at sexing me up.”

“... I’m very happy to know that… kind of…” he trailed off, wondering what the hell they had given her exactly. He was pretty sure she’d never, in a billion years, talk that way with him under normal circumstances or even completely drunk.

“I love him. I love him so much, Tommy. He drives me crazy sometimes but… he’s the only one for me.”

“I’m sure he knows it,” Tommy smiled, relieved that the conversation was straying away from her sex life.

“Do you still have the poem you wrote me?”  

“Yes. It’s at my place.”

“I should write one for him too.”

“I… I’m not sure it’s a good idea.” _Especially high as a kite as you are._

Felicity turned her head, raising her hand and wiggling her finger to ask him to come closer. As soon as he was within her reach, she grabbed his tie, with much more strength he thought she had.

“I said I wanted to write a poem, Merlyn. So go get some paper and a pen because we are going to write a fucking poem,” she said calmly, her eyes wide, nostrils flaring.

_What is it with these two and making me write poems?!_

She pulled on his tie until he didn’t have the choice but to nod. He gulped, wincing. Drugs or no drugs, Miss Felicity had quite the grip. “Alright! I’ll get some paper!”

Felicity released him with a smile, patting his tie. “Good boy.”

He went to get some paper at the nurse's station, who told him she had reached someone at Merlyn Global and they were letting his father know where they were. He thanked her, wishing Oliver would get there quickly. He wasn’t sure exactly how long he’d be able to keep Felicity’s mind off of his absence… and her hands off his tie.

“Alright. Paper and pen,” he announced as he closed the door behind him.

“You’re gonna have to write,” Felicity said. “I don’t think I’d be able to hold the paper.”

“... of course, I’ll write,” Tommy mumbled, adding this to the long list of things he had done for his best friend.  

He sat down on the chair then pulled the small table near him, waiting patiently. Felicity was looking at the ceiling, a serious expression on her face. He smiled, amused to see her so focused and so out of it at the same time.

“Oliver,” she started. “Your eyes are so blue, they turn me into a pile of goo.”

Tommy scribbled down, raising his eyebrows. Apparently, Felicity was as talented as Oliver when it came to poetry. This was bound to get interesting.

“The first time I saw your chopper

I almost fell over.”

_… your chopper? What the fuck is…_

“Tommy,” Felicity clucked her tongue with an impatient wave of her hand, forcing him to focus on writing.

“Yeah, sorry,” he mumbled, writing down and wondering what the hell a chopper was.

“Like a proud stalk of celery,

It made my eyes teary.

I always wanted to know

What it’s like to ride an elephant

And even my mother’s dildo

Is not as elegant

As your pink torpedo.”

Tommy froze, the pen digging into the paper. He slowly raised his head, staring at her. “Is… are you… are you talking about…”

_She can’t be serious. She can’t… she’s not making me write an ode to my best friend’s dick, is she?!_

“Keep writing, Merlyn… as elegant as your pink torpedo… yes, perfect.”

_I’m gonna need a shower. With bleach._

He was still trying to recover when nurse Jackie walked back inside the room, carrying a blue sling. “Time to try this one on, Felicity.”

“Oh thank God,” he cried out, hiding his face behind his hand. _Pink torpedo… Pink torpedo… how did she even come up with that one..._

“Tommy. You gotta look,” Felicity scolded him. “So you can show Oliver.”

“Yeah… sorry,” he coughed, watching closely as the nurse was wrapping Felicity’s arm.

“So, a doctor will come tomorrow morning to officially discharge you. We’ll give you some painkillers too. If you need some during the night, just ring the bell, alright?” the nurse asked as she patted the pillow underneath Felicity, helping her lie down. She then went to grab her file and scribbled down what Tommy assumed was instructions for the morning nurse.

“So, where were we?” Felicity asked, biting her bottom lip.

“You mean you’re not done?” he squeaked. 

“What? Of course not. I have an IQ of 170, Tommy, I can do much more than that,” Felicity snorted. “So, what’s the last thing you wrote?”

Tommy gulped, glancing at the nurse who, fortunately, wasn’t paying attention to them. “... pink torpedo,” he murmured, feeling a slight blush creeping on his cheeks.

“Right. Your schmuck is-”

“Your what?!”

“It’s Yiddish for-”

“I get it,” Tommy hurried to say, feeling a drop of sweat running down his forehead. What was taking the nurse so long? What was taking Oliver so long?! “How… how do you even spell that?”

And how many synonyms does she know for penis?!

“S-c-h-m-u-c-k. Schmuck. So, your schmuck is mighty fine, your abs are so divine, I’ma... I'ma..." she trailed off, her eyes frowning before fist pumping suddenly. "I'ma climb you like a pine!”

Tommy covered his mouth with a trembling hand, a part of his brain shutting down in self-defense, knowing he would probably need therapy by the end of the night. "Felicity we... we're not alone," he said miserably, throwing a quick glance at the nurse who was still safely hiding her face.

"Oh. Ooooooh, sorry," Felicity answered, looking at the nurse before dropping her voice to a stage whisper. "I said: Your schmuck is mighty fine, your abs are so divine, I'ma climb you like a pine."

"You... you're just as loud..." Tommy murmured, biting his lips, but Felicity ignored him, already focusing on her next lines.

“And I solemnly claim tonight,

Witnessed by nurse Jackie

and your friend Tommy Merlee-”

“It’s… Merlyn."

“It doesn’t rhyme, you doofus. So nurse Jackie and Tommy Merlee. Are you even writing?!” Felicity screeched, her nostrils flaring.

“I am, I am!” Tommy said hurriedly, trying to remember the nonsense she had been rambling. “What… what did you say again?”

Felicity sighed deeply, shaking her head.

“And I solemnly claim tonight,

Witnessed by nurse Jackie

And your friend Tommy Merlee

The property right

Over your love twinkie.”

“... love twinkie,” Tommy murmured in a pained voice. _Love twinkie. I am writing love twinkie on paper and there is a cute nurse witnessing it. This is the worst night of my life._

Felicity grabbed the paper as soon as he was finished and he exhaled, relieved that she was finally done.

The nurse coughed, hiding her face behind Felicity’s health file. Tommy quickly glanced at her, their eyes meeting and he mouthed an apology. He saw her shoulders shaking and she quickly shook her head while Felicity was quietly reciting her poem from the start.

“I… I wanna add a little something,” Felicity mumbled, giving him back the sheet of paper.

“Really?” he squeaked. “A-again?”

“Yes, I don’t think it’s enough. Do you think it’s enough?”

“Hell yes,” he exhaled, closing his eyes. “I think he’ll… really get the picture. Just like I did, actually. Technicolor, megapixels kind of picture. 3D and all that jazz, even.”

“I’m not sure. I think I could do better. Like… really show he’s my man. I mean did you see all those women tonight? They were all over him,” she explained, scrunching her nose. “If only they knew what we did in that bathroom,” she added with a proud little smirk.

_Please, please don’t tell me what you did in that bathroom._

 

_***_

 

Oliver ran inside the hospital while Dig was parking the car. He hurried to the ER, where he was sent to the third floor. When he was finally told Felicity’s room number, and that she was recovering, he felt a little bit of his fear subsiding. She was in recovery. Whatever she had, it wasn’t life-threatening. She was going to be fine.

He was about to knock on the door when it opened suddenly, a nurse facing him. She was wearing a big grin on her face and before he could ask if it was the right room, he heard Felicity’s voice. A very unusual, theatrical voice, to be precise.

“And now I’m the only chick who gets to suck his -” The rest of her sentence was muffled and inaudible as if someone was silencing her, but the rhyme left very little to the imagination. Oliver’s eyebrows reached his hairline as the nurse stifled her laugh behind her hands, passing by him.

“Ow!” Tommy’s yelp reached him and it was enough to shake him out of his trance. _What the hell…_

“You bit me!”

“Why did you cover my mouth?!”

“Because… you were about to… in front of… like… Damnit Miss Felicity, stop grabbing my tie!”

Oliver’s jaw dropped at the sight of the scene that welcomed him. Tommy was hovering over Felicity, shaking his hand with a grimace on his face. Felicity’s hair was all over the place, and she was wearing a hospital gown and a sling over her left arm, her free hand holding Tommy’s tie as if it was a leash.

Felicity gasped when she saw him, a happy smile stretching her lips. “Oliver!”

Tommy turned his head, his face relaxing once he saw him. “Oh thank God!” he murmured, dropping his head against Felicity’s pillow.

Shaking his head, Oliver closed the door behind him. “Honey, are you OK?”

“I am peachy!” Felicity nodded enthusiastically. “But I think Tommy knows we’re dating.”

Judging by the conversation he had interrupted and the deeply uncomfortable expression on his best friend’s face, Oliver had a strong suspicion it wasn’t the only thing he knew.

“It’s OK,” he smiled reassuringly, carefully sitting next to her on the bed and bringing her hand to his lips. She was fine. She was OK, and she was smiling at him. It was honestly all that mattered at that moment. They’d deal with the rest later.

“I… I’m gonna leave you to it, then,” Tommy cleared his throat then straightened his tie.

“Can you get me some skittles?” Felicity asked with a small pout.

“I… I don’t have my wallet with me. They took it.”

“I have Felicity’s purse,” Oliver said, holding it out.

“How…”

“They dropped it when they ran away,” Oliver explained shortly before opening the purse and fishing out a small pouch, handing it to Tommy.

Tommy frowned, looking at him but he didn’t ask any more questions, probably choosing to escape the room as soon as possible instead.

“My dress is ruined,” Felicity sighed as soon as they were alone.

“It doesn’t matter,” he shook his head, stroking her hand.

“But…”

“I’ll buy you another one. I’ll hire a fashion designer if you want to. What happened?”

“I don’t know,” she frowned. “I didn’t even realize something was wrong. I felt a bit dizzy, Tommy helped me and I noticed my back was wet. I thought someone had spilled their drink but I was bleeding. Through and through, they said. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he murmured, lowering his eyes. “I should have never left.”

“It’s not your fault. I thought I was fine. And you brought my purse back,” she grinned. “My knight in shining armor.”

“And Tommy kept you company.”

“Yes. We had a good time, too. Although he does frown a lot. I never noticed that.”

“I think he was worried about you.”

“I think he almost fainted twice,” Felicity whispered. “But he told me not to tell you. Oh. Damn. I just did.”

Oliver grinned, reaching out to push back a strand of hair behind her ear. Felicity moaned, leaning into his touch like she always did and he felt his heart swelling with the love he felt for her at that moment.

A small knock interrupted them, just before Dig’s face appeared in the doorframe. “I know it’s late but…”

“Dig!” Felicity squealed. “Come in!”

Tommy followed Dig, handing Felicity two bags of skittles before shoving his hands in his pockets. “Hum… I think I should head back home. Oliver… a word, please?”

Oliver frowned, unwilling to leave Felicity’s side.

“You can go, Oliver. Dig will keep me company. He likes the orange skittles.”

He huffed out a laugh, standing up before brushing a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be right outside.”

“Alright, young lady. Let’s attack those skittles, shall we,” Dig said as he sat down on the chair Tommy had vacated.

“What is it, Tommy?” Oliver said as soon as they were in the hallway, already itching to go back inside.

“Where were you?”

“... what?”

“Where were you? You ran away. Left her all alone. Your girlfriend. It’s nice to know I wasn’t wrong I guess but I thought you had a hook-up, not that you were back in a relationship with your former girlfriend since you know… you pretended to be single.”

“Tommy… I just… don’t know. I ran after them and then I… I just followed them as far as I could.”

“Why?” Tommy asked, crossing his arms. “Seriously why would you even follow six dudes with automatic weapons?”

“I don’t know. I just acted out of instinct. I thought she was fine. I wouldn’t have left if I had known she was hurt, Tommy.”

“She told me the same thing. But dude… that was some douchey move. Even by your standards.”

“I’m not proud of that,” Oliver sighed, rubbing his forehead. “I honestly don’t know what got into me, Tommy.”

“... I guess if she forgives you, I have no reason to hold a grudge myself. But why are you guys hiding?”

“I told you… I just don’t want her to be confronted with this… media circus.”

“Well it’s calming down. I mean people know you’re back and have gotten back to their normal lives. You should do the same. Unless… is there something you’re not telling me?”

“No. I just… we want to take things slow, no pressure, just the two of us and we found it easier to do so by keeping a low profile.”

“Well it’s your choice,” Tommy shrugged. “Don’t know how you managed to stay away from her tonight though because that dress…”   

“I know,” Oliver smirked. “I don’t know either to be honest.”

“Although apparently you had a little sexcapade in a bathroom, so I don’t feel too bad for you,” Tommy said innocently. “Felicity has been very chatty. I don’t know what kind of drugs they gave her but… you’re in for quite a night. You’re staying with her, right?”

“Yes. I’m not leaving her side. Thank you for staying with her. I mean it.”

Tommy sighed. “You owe me one, dude. Not because I stayed with your girlfriend who was injured but… you have no idea what she made me do.”

“She bit you, I saw,” Oliver snickered.

Tommy looked around him, then lowered his voice. “She made me write a poem, Ollie. She wanted you to know… that she loves you or something but I’m afraid she forgot that after the first line.”

Oliver tilted his head, confused.

“Your dick. She made me write a poem about your dick,” Tommy hissed. “And I can guarantee you, you are Edgar Allan Poe compared to her. Although she has quite the vocabulary, I’ll give her that.”

“... What?” Oliver chuckled. “She... what?”

“Schmuck. Did you know that schmuck is a yiddish word for penis? Because I do now. She even made sure I knew how to spell it!”

“I… I’m sorry?” Oliver said, his mouth twitching. Although Felicity making sure Tommy knew how to spell a word was very her.

“You should be. I know stuff about you that I wish I didn’t know. Anyway… I’m gonna head back home.”

“Do you have a ride?”

“... No. And no money either, actually,” Tommy groaned, dropping his head.

“If you can wait a little longer, I’ll ask Dig to drop you?” Oliver offered as he opened the door.

“That’d be great.”

“And he makes the best bagels and cream cheese in the whole world, Dig. And he gives the best foot massages, too. And-”

“Yes, Felicity. We get the picture,” Tommy said with a deep resigned sigh, letting everyone know he had probably heard it all before. Oliver knew he should feel sorry for his friend but… all he could do was smile. She was so adorable, so very un-Felicity and so very her at the same time, awakening something inside him that he couldn’t quite identify but that made him feel warm and fuzzy.

Felicity gasped in shock, her head snapping to Oliver. “You told him about our pictures?!”

Oliver blinked, searching his memory while Dig and Tommy groaned uncomfortably.

“I’m kidding! We never took pics! Well not that kind at least,” she snorted, looking at them before falling into a giggle fit. “You should see your faces!”   

The three men stared at her patiently while she was wiping the tears from her cheeks, her laughter slowly calming down.

Taking a deep breath, she eventually sobered up, clearing her throat. “We should totes make a sex tape though.”

“OK, I’m out,” Dig said, standing up. “Tommy, do you need a ride?”

“Oh yes, please. Please take me far away from here,” Tommy said as he grabbed his jacket and put it on.

“Oliver?” Dig asked as he patted Felicity’s leg.

“I’m good, don’t worry. Would you mind picking us up tomorrow morning though?”

“No problem. Just give me a call when you’re ready to leave.”   

“Thanks,” Oliver nodded while Dig leaned in, kissing Felicity on the head.  

“Miss Felicity, rest well and… for both our sakes we’ll pretend tonight never happened,” Tommy said before squeezing her hand.

“Okey dokey,” Felicity said, her mouth full of skittles.

Tommy stopped by Oliver before leaving the room, gripping his shoulder. “Good luck, man… good luck.”

Getting rid of his jacket, Oliver pulled the chair closer to her bed before sitting.

“Skittle?” Felicity offered. “It’s what you got me in Vegas, do you remember?”

Oliver smiled, remembering it perfectly - just like he could remember every single detail about her. “Yeah, I do. But no, thank you.”

He gently grabbed the hand that was in the sling, slowly stroking the tips of her fingers, her other hand being too busy shoving candy in her mouth. He had to touch her. He had to feel her skin against his, reassure himself that she was alive and well. Her nail polish was chipped and he had to resist the urge to kiss her knuckles.

They stayed silent for a little while, Felicity munching on her skittles while he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. When she was finally done, he took the empty package from her hand, throwing it in the trashcan, then offered her a glass of water that she gulped down. He lowered the bed for her afterwards, making sure the blankets were covering her and finally he was able to hold her hand like he wanted to. She smiled, turning her head to face him as he softly kissed her palm.

“Are you OK?” he asked, resting his arm on the pillow above her head, his fingers lazily stroking her forehead.

“Yes. I’m better now. I was worried about you.”

Oliver bit his lips, feeling a lump in his throat. “I was alright, baby. I’m so sorry.”

“Shhh… enough with that. You’re here now. Tommy kept me company.”

“I should have been there,” he murmured, ashamed of himself. To think about what could have happened, the fear he had felt when he had seen her coat and the blood on the floor… He felt his eyes burn and he blinked, taking a deep breath. “It’s my biggest fear, you know. That something happens to you.”

Felicity looked at him quietly, her eyes more focused than when he had walked into the room. Apparently she was slowly becoming herself again, the drugs probably wearing off.

“You’re so hot when you wear suspenders,” she said with a sigh.

 … Or not.

He huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “I figured you liked them, yeah.”

“I can’t believe we had sex in your mother’s bathroom. And it was some a-ma-zing sex, Oliver. My legs were wobbly. Wobbly!”

“Hum… maybe we should stay quiet about that. I don’t think you’d want my mother to find out.”

She grinned, entwining their fingers. “Definitely not. But we’ll have to do that again. Not in her bathroom but… I’m game for limo sex anytime.”

“Duly noted.”

“And I love you. I don’t think I’ve told you today.”

“God, I love you too,” he whispered, caressing her hair, watching her face relaxing under his touch.

“Your hands are always so tender,” she whispered, her eyes getting sleepy, fluttering shut. “They’re big and strong but when you touch me, I feel… cherished. I never felt that way before. I missed your touch so much, Oliver. And your eyes. And your voice. You always had that special voice you used for me. It made me feel all gooey inside.”

Oliver smiled, allowing himself those little moments to savor her voice. She had always been very closed off when it came to expressing her feelings and it felt good to see her opening up. He knew it was probably the drugs relaxing her but truth be told he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt her.

“You know, I kept thinking you’d have wanted a dog by now. I don’t know why but… it always came back to me. You’d want a dog and maybe we would even be talking about a family or moving in together. Do you want a dog?”

“... yeah. I’d really like a dog. And a family one day too.”

“Boy or girl?”

“Girl.” God yes… a girl. A little devil, like her mother, that would have him wrapped around her finger. A sweet, adorable babbling little devil. He gulped then, suddenly understanding the feeling that had taken over him when he had walked into the room, when he had seen Felicity, so very her but at the same time so different. It was their unborn daughter he had seen in her eyes.

“Really?” Felicity grinned, her eyes closing. “I’d like a boy. A mini you. We could name him Robbie if you want to.”

“I think my dad would be really proud,” Oliver said in a small voice, already seeing that future ahead of them, so close yet still so out of reach. He wanted it, he wanted it so much that he could feel the need burning his insides.

“But we’ll travel before that. I want to go to Europe with you. I want to kiss you in every city I always dreamed to go,” she mumbled, her voice getting weaker.

“I want to take you to Bali. I never went there.”

“We’ll go to Bali before we have kids.”

“Yes,” he promised. They’d go anywhere she wanted. If she wanted to drop everything, he would. They’d travel the world for as long as she wanted, settling down wherever she wanted.

“I want a swing on the front porch, too.”

Oliver grinned, his thumb tracing small circles on her temple. “You’ll get a swing on the front porch, then.”

“And you’ll bring me breakfast in bed on Sundays?” she murmured, her voice thick with fatigue.

“I’m even ready to do it on Saturdays too, if you want to,” he chuckled. She was about to say something else, despite the fact that she was obviously on the edge of falling asleep and fighting it, and he added, “why don’t you get to sleep?”

“Don’t want to.”

“Why?” Oliver grinned at at her stubbornness. Her eyes were closed, her head tilting to his direction and he knew she could probably be asleep in a minute if she wasn’t so stubborn.

“Because then you’ll be gone,” Felicity whispered, her voice sad and heavy with pain.

The smile slipped off Oliver’s face as she finally drifted to sleep, her hand now limp in his.

_“... I still dreamed of you. There were mornings where I would wake up and cling to those dreams desperately. I didn’t want to open my eyes, I didn’t want to get up because I knew that you weren’t by my side.”_

“Oh baby,” he breathed, realizing she had talked to him as if he was still gone.

He pressed a kiss on her lips, gulping, trying to get rid of the giant lump in his throat. He rubbed his eyes, sniffling, willing to keep his emotions at bay. She needed him, right now. She needed him to be strong. But all he could think about was that fear he had felt for a few seconds before his mother had reassured him. That terrible fear of thinking the love of his life might have been ripped away from him… that fear that was only a fear, unlike what Felicity had gone through.

Life was fragile. He was the living proof of that. No matter how much he wanted to protect her, she had been in danger. Not because of him, personally. She had attended the reception because of her job. He couldn’t wrap her in bubble paper, he couldn’t protect her 24/7.

Every day had to be worth it. Every moment they had together had to be worth it. Because it could be the last. And he had so many things he wanted to live with her, wanted to share with her.

Now he understood. He understood why she was sometimes reckless, rushing in head first. She knew, much better than he ever would, that one day they might run out of time. She didn’t want to wait, didn’t want to waste a single day because it might be their last together. He never wanted to think about the possibility of facing a life without her so he had avoided lingering on those thoughts. But Felicity… Felicity had lived with his absence in a more brutal way than he had.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered in the silent room, even though she couldn’t hear him.

They would get their swing on the porch. They would go to Bali and he’d kiss her in London, in Paris, in Venice, or anywhere she’d want to. He would make her breakfast in bed and join her, and their dog, and then their daughter and their son when the time was right. He would love her, every single day, with all his heart and all his soul, so if either of them was to die before the other, they would have no regrets.

“You’ll never have to dream of me ever again,” he murmured with one last kiss on her forehead before switching off the light. He dried the tears that had fallen on his cheeks, his hand covering hers. "I promise you."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... what did you think?
> 
> Loads of stuff right? The Gambit still existed so obviously the agency lied... and whoever had it is also linked to what happened at the gala...
> 
> Did you like Tommy's POV? That was the definition of be careful what you wish for... him being so nosy concerning Oliver and Felicity's relationship... well he found out a bunch lol.  
> And yes, the ending was pure emotion and at the end of the day... that's what Oliver is going to remember, more than the fact that she was in danger. You only live once.
> 
> Find me on Twitter @PimsiePIm or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> Don't be shy come say hi ;)


	23. Chapter 23

“So, Rupert Colt clearly seems to be a suspect, right?” Felicity said as she rested her head against the back of her couch.

Oliver winced, hating how exhausted she looked. She was unusually pale with dark circles underneath her eyes, and an almost permanent grimace of pain had taken over her face ever since the early hours of the day. She had woken up around 4AM, moaning in discomfort and it had taken thirty minutes for the nurse to stop by and the painkiller to really be effective.

“Yes,” Oliver nodded nonetheless, pacing in front of her window. Felicity had insisted on working on whatever she had found on QC’s servers as soon as they had made it to her apartment. Dig had gone to get some breakfast for the three of them while she was running her searches and usual scans to fish out the interesting information. If there was anything to be found, that was. “Baby, are you sure you’re-”

“For goodness sake, Oliver. I am OK. Yes it hurts but fortunately, my shoulder was hit, not my brain,” she groaned, throwing him a dirty look. “Also I am right-handed so I’m not completely useless. It takes me longer, yes, but I’m getting there.”

Oliver folded his lips over his teeth, nodding. Felicity had been very snappy since she had woken up, a combination of pain, lack of sleep, and probably shock wearing off. Not to mention, the lack of coffee was probably only making things worse. Again, he hoped that Dig would bring her favorite pastries because it really looked like she needed something sweet.

Fortunately, Dig knew her well. Thirty minutes later, she was much calmer, finishing a blueberry muffin and her cappuccino with a contented sigh as Oliver was telling her exactly what he had found with Dig when he had followed the gunmen to the docks.

“Wait… what?” Felicity asked, putting her cup back on the table.

“They didn’t care about what they took at all.”

“But… why? That makes… and they killed everyone apart from the leader? It… it makes no sense!”

“That’s not all, Felicity,” Dig said, quickly glancing at Oliver.

“That warehouse… there was something inside already,” Oliver said quietly, staring at his coffee as the vision of the wreckage played in front of his eyes. He eventually took a deep breath. “The Gambit. Well... what’s left of it.”

Felicity’s jaw dropped as shock appeared on her face. She blinked several times, her eyes moving from Oliver to Dig. Eventually, she took a breath. “You know what that means, right?”

“Hum…maybe?” Dig answered, unsure. “I mean, obviously the agency lied. The Gambit was never destroyed and therefore… maybe their files never were either. Unless they were stored there too.”

“Well, yes, there is that and if we want to know for sure we’ll have to look for answers ourselves,” Felicity answered, munching on her bottom lip.

Look for answers ourselves… She wasn’t planning another secret mission, was she?

“Felicity,” Oliver started in a warning tone but she just waved him off.

“What I mostly meant was that whoever is behind the attack at QC last night is also behind the Gambit, and probably everything else,” she continued. “But all of Starling’s elite were there, how could they risk so much?”

“Maybe the risk was worth it. What better way to avoid suspicion than to have them attacked directly as well?” Oliver said, shrugging. Thinking about it… it made sense. It was risky and reckless, yes but… maybe it had been much more controlled than they had thought?

“And with the people injured and killed, it’s like a giant game of Russian roulette,” Dig stated calmly before leaning back against his chair. “Two died, and fifteen were wounded, including three who are in a very critical condition.”

“Do you have the names?” Felicity asked before standing up. She went to put her empty cup in the trash can while Oliver started to clear the table with Dig’s help.

“Yes. And I found something interesting. The woman they pulled out and killed? She was the wife of one of the names on our list. Sounds like a familiar modus operandi, doesn’t it?”

“... Indeed,” Felicity breathed, her eyes meeting Oliver’s. “Could it be a warning then? I mean…”

“If some are getting wary like my dad was… it was probably a giant warning. What better way to make sure everyone behaves than showing them that literally nothing can stop them?”

“That means that there is someone in charge. Someone who keeps everyone in check. A leader, of some sort. Or several leaders.”

“I need to do some research about the husband of that poor woman. See if anything unusual happened to him. Maybe I’ll find a connection,” Felicity mumbled as she pulled her laptop closer to her. “But first… Robert’s personal files. And… more coffee,” she added with a pleading look.

Oliver shook his head. “Are you sure it’s a good idea? You promised the doc to rest and you won’t be able to sleep with all that caffeine.”

“Honey, please. I’m almost immune to caffeine,” Felicity deadpanned. “Also he gave me a couple of days off anyway. I’ll let you scold me tomorrow all you want but right now, I need my energy boost.”

“I thought you were immune to caffeine?” he teased her before dropping a kiss on her forehead and heading to the coffee maker. He knew there was no point in battling with her and he’d rather her sitting at the table than getting busy in the kitchen anyway.

By the time he was back with a hot mug of coffee, she had run a search on her desk computer for Dylan Stern, the husband of the woman who had been executed. She quickly explained to them what to look for, leaving them in charge of that while she was focusing on his father’s files.

“Wait… did you hack into his bank account?” Dig asked suddenly.

“... Maybe?” Felicity answered hesitantly. “Oh, come on, you guys know me! I love money trails!”

Oliver shared a glance with Dig, fighting back a smile. They both started to dive into all the tabs Felicity had opened for them, making sure to triple check everything.

“By the way, what did you tell your mom?” Felicity asked suddenly. He had called Moira earlier in the morning while the doctor was checking her out, making sure everything was alright on their side.

Oliver cleared his throat. “Nothing much. Just that I’ll stop by for dinner.”

“Was she alright?”

“Yes. Shaken, obviously. But she was too busy handling everything with the police and so on to be really wondering about me.”

“Makes sense actually,” Felicity agreed. “I mean we were lucky to avoid the press at the hospital, but it’s probably because they’re mostly gathered around QC. What a mess it…” she trailed off, causing Oliver to glance at her in concern, worried she might be in pain again. She had taken another painkiller in the morning but maybe she needed another one and…

“That’s…” she said in a small voice, her eyes glued to the screen.

In an instant he was up, hurrying towards her, Dig following him. “Felicity?”

She gaped at them, her eyes blinking as she turned the laptop sideways. Oliver saw plans, but nothing that actually made much sense to him.

“What are we supposed to be looking at?” Dig asked, voicing his confusion.

“Blueprints. Of the factory that blew up four years ago,” Felicity explained slowly.

“That you found in my dad’s files?”

“Yes.”

“Alright but this doesn’t mean anything maybe he looked at it afterwards or the insurance sent it to him or…”

Felicity shook her head, her finger pointing to a small date on the bottom of the screen.

“What…” Oliver started, mentally counting the days. “That was at least a week before…”

“Yes. One week before the explosion. The date is the last time something was done with the file. It was sent to the printer, Oliver.”

Oliver straightened, rubbing his forehead. “You mean… no. That’s… no.”

Dig sat down, facepalming. “Your dad checked the plans of a factory, printed them and one week later that factory blew up. And we know it was arson. Oliver…”

“It can’t be, Dig. It’s just… no. My dad wouldn’t have done that,” Oliver said, shaking his head. No way. No way his father would have done that on purpose. No way would he have been alright with the murder of innocent people. Corruption, yes. But this? No. It was impossible.

He sat down next to Felicity, unable to focus on anything.

“Oliver… whatever happened, whoever made the call… we know your father regretted everything and wanted to walk away. It counts for something,” Dig said while Felicity was still busy typing on her laptop.

Oliver shook his head, his hand covering his mouth. Eventually, he took a deep breath before facing his friend. “I’m not sure it really does, Dig. He knew. At the very least… he knew. How could… how could he let it happen? He is probably the one who provided the information.”

Felicity suddenly let out a low whistle. “OK… this is getting interesting.”

His shoulders slumping, Oliver asked, “what is it?”

“Hum. There were other blueprints. From two other factories. Including the foundry. Our foundry.”

“What? But nothing happened to that factory,” Dig said with a frown. “It closed, yes but that’s all.”

“Well I don’t know what the plan was exactly but I found blueprints for the foundry, the factory that blew up and another one just outside of Starling.”

Dig tilted his head. “Maybe they were looking for something specific like…”

“Like the best candidate? Patient zero, or something? We know that the explosion actually kept QC from paying severance packages and the production was sent to Mexico… in short, QC had some clear benefits,” Felicity explained as she shifted on her chair, her hand reaching out to rest comfortingly on Oliver’s leg.

“Oliver, don’t let this get in your head too much. We will eventually find out what happened to your father. We already knew he was involved and hopefully we’ll uncover everything,” Dig stated calmly before pausing and reaching inside his pocket. He fished out his cell phone then quickly excused himself before picking it up and walking to Felicity’s bedroom.

As soon as he was out of the room, Felicity turned around to face him. “Are you OK?”

Oliver shrugged, unable to answer because he honestly wasn’t even sure how he felt. Confused, that was for sure.

“I just feel like the more I want to find out who killed my father, the more I find out about who he really was… and I’m not sure who’s the villain in the story anymore,” he eventually admitted quietly.

Felicity was about to answer when Dig walked back in the room. “It was one of my contacts. The warehouse we visited yesterday? It’s gone. A fire. There is nothing left, everything has gone to ashes.”

“What?!” Felicity asked with a gasp while Oliver rested his elbows on the table, hiding his face behind his hands.

“I’m going to check that out. Then I’ll have to stop at QC, we have a special meeting about tightening the security. I’ll come back as soon as I can,” Dig said as he put his jacket on. “Oliver, I know you probably wanted to go back there but… I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have found any evidence anyway.”

“Still. I just feel like for every step forward, we’re taking two backwards.”

“Don’t think like that. We have a lot of clues now, even if no evidence. Look for intel about Dylan Stern, Rupert Colt. Those are clues we didn’t have 24 hours ago, Oliver. Hopefully I will also learn a few things on my side. We’re moving forward.”

With one last reassuring smile, Dig left, letting Oliver lock up behind him.

“He’s right, you know,” Felicity’s soft voice reached him as he was still staring at the door. “We made a lot of progress since last night. It might not seem like it but we did.”

“I know. I just… it’s not exactly the progress I was hoping to make, I guess.”

“You saw the Gambit… are you alright? I know it must have been hard, especially since it was out of the blue,” Felicity asked with concern, squeezing his hand.

“I don’t know, honestly,” he admitted quietly. “In a way it’s still my worst nightmare even though it was just a stupid boat. But it changed my whole life and not really for the best. And learning that about my dad is just…”

“I know. It’s a lot. Don’t jump to conclusions, Dig is right. We learned a lot of things and yes, it doesn’t look good but if I’ve learned one thing these last five months or so is that nothing is ever simple.”

Oliver smiled, picking up her hand and kissing her knuckles. “You always find a way to make everything better. How do you do that?”

“It’s a gift,” she grinned with a proud little smirk. “I also know you very well… which helps. Tremendously.”

“You know… I thought a lot last night,” Oliver said, feeling it was time for him to share with her what had been in the back of his mind all morning.

Felicity winced. “Please let’s not mention that… thing I found on the table.”

Oliver snorted. “No, it’s not about the poem.”

“Don’t call it that,” she groaned, dropping her head back.

“Hey! I love that poem. It’s very good for my ego.”

“I still can’t believe I said all these things and don’t even remember it. I’ll never be able to look at Tommy ever again. Or that nurse.”

“I have to admit I’m very impressed with your vocabulary. That was some extensive slang knowledge,” Oliver snorted, patting her thigh. “I just find it very interesting that what was apparently a poem about your love for me turned into this after one line. Some might think you’re with me for my sexual prowess.”

“I **am** with you for your sexual prowess,” Felicity taunted him. “That and your bagels, of course.”

“Not my foot massages?”

“They’re definitely the third reason,” she winked, stroking his jaw before leaning in and pressing a little kiss on the corner of his lips. “But that’s not what you wanted to tell me, right?”

“Nope,” he confirmed with a shake of his head. “I think I should get back to work. At QC, I mean.”

Felicity raised her eyebrows in surprise, her mouth opening in a little o. “Really?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “I was thinking last night and then when you were asleep… I need to take charge. And not just so we might get more answers, but also because I feel like it’s the right thing. For my mom, that would lessen the burden on her shoulders. If some people want to approach her again, they might come to me instead. I’ll have access to QC’s servers and archives, our connections, our investors, and so on. It’s just… things would move on faster. I hope so at least. What… what do you think?”

Felicity observed him quietly for a little moment before smiling reassuringly. “I think it’s a good idea. What made you change your mind exactly?”

“Our close call, for one. Then seeing you at the hospital… you… you said something,” he whispered, unsure if he should share with her what she had told him since she was mostly acting that way because of the drugs.

“What did I say?”

“You told me about things you wanted in the future. Travelling. A house. A dog.”

“Oh. I don’t remember,” she frowned. “But… well yes, those are things I’ve thought about. I didn’t freak you out or something, right? Because it’s… just dreams, not plans we have to stick with.”

Oliver smiled, shaking his head. Freaked out? While all he was waiting for was her giving him the thumbs up? “No. Not at all. It’s just… you thought I wasn’t there.”

“Ugh? I thought about those things **without** you? What kind of drugs did they-”

“No,” Oliver quickly denied. “You didn’t think I was by your side at the hospital. You thought you were dreaming of me.”

“... Oh.”

“Yes…”

“I told you it used to happen to me. I guess I was confused and…” she trailed off with a sheepish smile. “I mean, I know you’re here with me, don’t worry. I’m not going all sixth sense on you.”

Oliver let out a nervous chuckle, lowering his eyes. He wasn’t sure how she would react to his decision and if he was honest with himself, he was more than a little anxious. Felicity’s opinion mattered to him more than anybody else’s and if she thought it was a bad idea then he wasn’t confident he’d be able to go through with it. He would need her support, and her help. “It’s just that… it made me realize a few things,” he finally said. “I have dreams about a life with you too. I had them before and they’re still there. And you were right about what you told me. We already lost so much time. I don’t think I want to spend my days doing nothing while you’re having this amazing career. I need to… I need to do something and I know it will take time for me to actually be of any use at QC so… I should start now.”

Felicity didn’t answer, her silence making him more and more nervous with each second passing. “Do you think it’s a good idea?” he eventually asked, feeling a knot in his stomach at her lack of response.

“Yes,” she finally said. “I think it’s a wonderful idea, actually.”

“Really?”

“Really,” she beamed. “I’m just… I’m really happy that you’re embracing that part of your life again. You were good at your job and also... suits.”

“Suits?” he laughed, relieved. He carefully lifted her from her chair so she could sit on his lap, making sure to not touch her shoulder.

“What can I say… You look mighty fine in a business suit.”

“We’re going to be competitors though.”

“Well we were before too, in a way. Although now… I’m the one with the highest rank,” she smirked proudly as she buried her hand in his hair.

“That you are.”

“Your mom will be very happy. And I think you will too. Which makes **me** very happy.”

“Happy enough to take a nap?” he asked, remembering the doctor’s orders.

“Happy enough to take a nap with you,” she corrected, stroking the back of his neck lazily. The little light in her eyes let him know directly where her thoughts were straying.

“No,” he said in a firm tone. “You’re wounded.”

“Oxytocin would make everything better, you know.”

“Oxy… what?”

“Oxytocin. You know… the cuddle hormone?”

“So you just want a cuddle, then?”

“... for starters. Oliver, I haven’t seen you naked in a week. A week!”

“... You want a naked cuddle, then.”

Felicity pinched her lips, tilting her head. “Are you really teasing your wounded, sex-deprived girlfriend right now?”

His mouth twitching, Oliver denied. “No. Not to mention we had sex last night. I hardly consider this as deprivation since you know… you seemed thoroughly satisfied. If I remember correctly, your legs were wobbly.”

“Oh God, yes they were,” she groaned. “It was amazing."

“See? I think we should give your legs a break.”

Felicity took a deep breath, rolling her eyes. “You’re just saying that because you’re not sure you can do better.”

“I’m not sure I…” Oliver huffed out a laugh. “Are you really trying reverse psychology on me?”

“I’m desperate.”

“Felicity,” he grinned, shaking his head. “There is no way I’m having sex with you as long as you have a sling.”

“Does it turn you off? Because I don’t have to wear it, it’s just so I don’t put pressure on my arm.”

“I don’t think there is anything about you that could turn me off but-”

“No need for a but, here. I’m perfectly fine with the first part of your sentence. I would be even more fine if we could take that first part to the bedroom.”

“Oh, we are. For a nap,” he added when she beamed at him, before lifting her off his lap. “You’re going to take your med, then go to bed.”

Felicity pouted but didn’t add anything and his suspicions were confirmed. He had seen her shifting on her chair and occasionally wincing but stubborn as she was, she wasn’t about to complain. Thankfully he had helped her shower as soon as they had made it back to her place and she was wearing comfortable clothes, some pajama pants and one of his hoodies which had been much easier to put on than a t-shirt.

He walked to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water and the small bottle of pills while Felicity made her way to the bedroom. By the time he joined her, she had gotten rid of her slippers and slid underneath the blankets. Wordlessly, she gulped down the pill then settled against the pillows.

Willing to reward her for her accommodating behavior, he took off his shirt, earning a happy sigh from her.

“I already feel much better,” she said, her eyes travelling down his chest. “You’re not taking your pants off?”

“No,” he laughed before slipping underneath the covers next to her. He rolled onto his side, facing her, then pushed back a strand of hair behind her ear as she did the same the best she could, resting on her right side.

“Tell me a story,” she murmured as she shifted against him, snuggling as close as she could, their heads now only inches apart, her fingers stroking his chest.

“About?”

“Anything. Something I don’t know.”

Oliver frowned, searching his mind. There were still so many things she didn’t know about him, some she would probably never find out. But he had promised himself he would try. “I told you about Yao Fei, right?”

“The archer on the island?”

“Yes. He saved me. After a few days, I got really sick. I was dehydrated and I fainted while I was…” he trailed off, swallowing the lump in his throat when he remembered how he had been writing to her, confident that the notebook would be the only thing left of him, hoping she would get it one day and know, without any doubt, how much he had loved her. “I fainted in the forest, and I knew I wouldn’t wake up. But I did. There was a small fire and I was covered in an old blanket. There was some kind of bird cooking and… it smelled heavenly,” Oliver chuckled, remembering how it had smelt like the best thing in the world after days of literally starving. “He gave me water and some kind of herbs to chew, which he had apparently done several times already but I honestly don’t remember it. Long story short… I survived. Those herbs are almost magical, they can cure you of pretty much anything apparently. Or at least make you survive long enough to get better. Anyway… he asked me who I was, where I was from.”

“What about him? Who was he?”

“He was a former Chinese official who had been sent there. The island used to be some kind of… gulag. He was the last survivor of all the prisoners and his government just completely forgot about them. Or didn’t care. He spoke English, which was a relief because as you know… Chinese wasn’t my forte.”

“And the other ones? Who were they? You told me there were three other people with you.”

Oliver closed his eyes, the face of his friend Anatoli dancing in front of his eyes. “Anatoli. He is from Russia. It’s actually thanks to his connections that I made it off of the island for good.”

“So he is still alive?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re not in touch anymore?” Felicity asked with surprise.

“Not really,” Oliver answered. He hadn’t been in touch with Anatoli in weeks. But then again, that’s how it worked in the brotherhood once you left. You didn’t exactly send birthday cards. “We both have very different lives now and we knew it would turn that way. It’s all good.”

“I still feel like sending him a fruit basket though.”

Oliver chortled at the idea of Anatoli, one of the most lethal Bratva captains, receiving an edible arrangement from a bubbly blonde with glasses on the other side of the planet.

“What? Don’t laugh! You said it was thanks to him!”

“My bad. I’ll send him a Christmas card, if you insist.”

“Why, yes, that would be nice,” she said, muffling a yawn and closing her eyes. The painkiller was starting to kick in, he noticed as her face slowly relaxed. That and the lack of sleep from last night and he knew she would probably be out for a few hours.

“What about the third man, who was he? It was a man, right?”

Oliver froze and Felicity must have felt it because her fingers paused as well against his chest before resuming their caress.

“His name was Slade Wilson,” he eventually said. He didn’t add anything else, and she didn’t insist, her breathing evening out. He watched her, forcing himself to keep his thoughts at bay. He hadn’t allowed himself to think about Slade, or even speak his name, in a long time. The shame and guilt were still too overwhelming for him. He had betrayed a man who had become his friend.

Once he was sure Felicity was asleep, he left the bed, leaving his dark thoughts behind him as well. There was no point in reliving the past, especially the parts that hurt the most.

He busied himself by preparing dinner, thankful to find Felicity’s fridge well stocked up, which he had asked her to do while he had been away. He had just finished preparing the bolognese sauce for a lasagna, the ragout gently simmering on the stove, when Dig came back.

“Where is Felicity?” Dig asked as soon as he had draped his jacket on a chair.

“Sleeping.”

“Oh, good. She needs rest.”

“I wish she would see it that way, too,” Oliver snickered as he started to slice some peppers.

“She’s stubborn. What’s new?” Dig laughed as he leaned against the counter. “Anyway Everything from that warehouse is completely gone. Overheard a few forensics techs saying they didn’t know if they could even find anything. Looks like someone used some chemicals to make sure everything would be burnt to the ground.”

“Not surprising, unfortunately. Did they give any hints about the bodies?”

“No. But they were barely starting, so it’s not surprising. If the bodies were still there, they might find a few bones at least.”

“And QC?”

“Queen Consolidated and Merlyn Global will hold a joint press conference later today announcing tightened security as well as other measures but apparently those measures are relating to business because they didn’t mention them during the security meeting. What we know so far is that they shot the guards at the entrance and seemed to know the grounds very well, each and every single exit was covered.”

“So either they took the time to recon or…”

“Or someone clued them in, yes,” Dig nodded, crossing his arms on his chest. “You know, Oliver, I’ve been thinking…”

“Yes?” Oliver asked, wiping his hands on a towel before grabbing a saucepan to make the white sauce.

“I know what your position is about going back to work at QC but-”

“But if tonight proved something it is that I could learn much more from the inside, right?”

“It also gives you a lot of potential alibis.”

“I know. I agree. I’m going to tell my mom I’m going back to work. I talked about it with Felicity while you were gone.”

Dig smiled, nodding in approval. “That’s the right thing to do, you know. Even for later.”

“Yeah. I’ll have to get back to my life eventually. I just honestly have no idea what good I can do there professionally.”

“Your mom will help you. So will Felicity. Tommy could give you a few tips as well. You won’t be alone on that front. It’s just… one step at a time.”

Oliver pondered his words as he finished the white sauce. He knew he was completely out of the loop business-wise. And for someone like him, someone so controlling, it was borderline frightening to jump back into this world. But he knew he had to.

“Why don’t we take advantage of Felicity being completely out to watch football? I have a few beers in my fridge, I can go grab them,” Dig offered eventually, probably noticing his silence.

Oliver glanced at him in surprise. He hadn’t watched a football game in forever. “I think I’d like that.”

By the time Dig was back with a six pack, Oliver had made a quick dip in the microwave with some leftover cheese and jalapenos. He knew Felicity always had some plain tortilla chips, that she often took to work or ate as a snack.

“You’re really getting into the cooking stuff, aren’t you?”

Oliver huffed out a laugh as he opened a cupboard. “Yeah. For some reason it’s very calming.”

“Makes sense. I started plane models when I came back from Afghanistan. I still do them.”

“Really?” Oliver asked, raising his eyebrows. For some reason, he had a hard time picturing Dig, all muscles, working on tiny plastic pieces.

“Yes. Made me focus on something, kept my mind off bad things. Although, I have to admit that you cooking has its perks,” Dig answered, dipping a finger in the melted cheese and tasting it. “Damn. That’s pretty good.”

“I never asked you but… how did you eventually move on? Turn the page?”

“You never really do, Oliver. But one day you realize that all those bad thoughts, all these things that cause you to rage and close off… they’re fading away. You’re finding a new balance. You learn to deal with them in a healthier way. That’s what you’re already doing.”

“I still have nightmares and… other stuff.” _Like anger. Impatience._

“You’ve been back, and I mean really back, for what… a month? I think you’re already in a much better place now, and that was in such a short time. The key is to accept whatever you’re feeling. Repressing it, it only makes it worse. It takes time but you’ll get there eventually. You have stopped pushing people away for the most part. It took me months to get there. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“Yes, that’s what Felicity told me and…” Oliver trailed off as he grabbed the bag of chips. “What the…”

“Something wrong?” Dig asked, already on alert.

Oliver just shook his head, his hand closing on the object that had caught him off guard and showing it to Dig.

“Oh yeah. You didn’t know it was there?” Dig said in a much more relaxed tone.

“... Surprisingly, no I didn’t know Felicity had a taser in her kitchen cupboard.”

“She has some everywhere. There’s also one in her bathroom and a few others in the living room.”

“How many of these things does she have?!”

“Oh I don’t know. I bought her the first one then she went on a shopping spree once she got the hang of it. She hates guns but tasers make her feel safer. And you can’t deny the logic: having one in her nightstand won’t be useful if she needs it while she’s in the kitchen, for instance.”

“So she hid tasers all around her apartment?” And her car, now that he thought of it. He had seen one in her trunk the night she had found out about him and the foundry.

“Yup, pretty much,” Dig nodded with a shrug. “You know Felicity. She’s always been an overachiever.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh, his hands resting on his hips. “Yup.I actually shouldn’t have been surprised. Just tell me if I should expect knives in the bathroom or anything like that?”

“I mostly taught her how to use a taser. She did ask me to teach her how to shoot, though. But I suspect you might be the one who wants to teach her that, right?”

Oliver winced. The idea of Felicity near guns or weapons was uncomfortable for him because it mostly meant having her close to danger. That being said… she needed to be able to defend herself. And yes, if she had to learn that… he wanted to be the one doing it. But Dig had an extensive knowledge of firearms he didn’t. Dig had learned and taught about guns a big part of his life and Oliver trusted him. “She hasn’t talked about it yet. If she has to, I think you’d be the best teacher though. You’re more experienced with beginners.”

“Anyway, as long as her injury is healing it’s out of the question.”

When they finally sat down in front of the TV, the game had already started, but Oliver didn’t really mind. It was some college football, and to be honest he wasn’t exactly cheering for any of the teams but it felt good to be able to relax and share a beer with a friend.

They had just finished the chips when Felicity appeared, a small sleepy frown on her face and her hair all over the place. Checking the clock, Oliver saw she had slept a good three hours but still seemed pretty out of it. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the day by her side but he had promised his mother he’d be at the mansion for dinner and he also had to talk to her about QC.

After explaining how to heat up the lasagna he had made for her and Dig, he left, knowing she was in good hands.

 

To say that his mother was surprised by his decision was putting it mildly, judging by the way she was staring at him.

“Hum… I have to admit I was hoping for… more enthusiasm,” Oliver said quietly, before cutting a piece of his steak.

“I’m sorry, Oliver. I just wasn’t expecting this, especially not after what happened last night,” his mother eventually said, regaining her composure. And what happened with Felicity, Oliver understood. There was still a lingering tension between him and his mother, one that she was very much aware of. When they were in company, Oliver played his part but he was still unable to get past what she had done.

“Isn’t it good, though?” Thea chimed in. “You kept nagging him to go back to work a few weeks ago.”

“Well, yes. Of course it’s wonderful. I’m just wondering what made your brother change his mind?”

“I want to move forward and it looks like you’re going to need all hands on deck. I mean, I know I won’t be helping much at first but at least I’ll be doing something.”

“Do you want your old position?” Walter asked with a smile. “I, for one, think it’s the perfect moment.”

“No,” Oliver denied right away. “I’m not qualified anymore, you know that. Your plan was good.”

“I agree,” Moira said. “We’ll just have to get everything sorted. We already have an emergency board meeting tomorrow morning. You’ll come with me so we can announce it officially.”

“It will also be reassuring for the markets. Someone else stepping in, taking charge,” Walter nodded before taking a sip of wine. “We’ll just have to figure out the logistics. You’re going to need an office and an assistant. You could probably take Isabel’s former office, no one has used it.”

Oliver grimaced, sharing a look with his mother. “Hum… I really don’t want to ask for favors but would it be possible to get my old office? I mean it was completely separated from the Marketing team anyway… and I’d very much rather not get Isabel’s old office.”

“I’m sure Millie won’t mind. Isabel’s office is bigger after all. But I will ask her nonetheless. I am positive she will understand how unwilling you are to use it.”

_Yes… and also my old office doesn’t have glass walls. Not that I plan on having Felicity around but… who knows..._

“Hopefully you should be able to get to work by Wednesday or Thursday, depending on when Millie moves out. I’ll ask HR to look for assistants for you in the meanwhile.”

“No. I want my old assistant back.”

“Felicity?” his mother asked in surprise. “Honey I doubt that-”

“No, mom,” Oliver laughed. “Debbie. You know, I hired her right before I left?”

“Oh. Of course. I’m sorry I’m afraid those few weeks are still a bit blurry for me. I’m not sure she still works for us, though.”

“She doesn’t,” Oliver answered. He had checked up on her a few weeks ago, wanting to make sure she had found a good place. He had only known her for a little while but he knew she had been in a difficult situation when he had hired her. Debbie now worked as assistant manager in a supermarket. “I’d like to get a chance to offer her the job before looking for someone else.”

If he had to dive back into the business world, he needed people he could rely on. And trust.

 

Oliver waited until dinner was over to go to Thea’s room, knocking softly on her door. When she called him in, he opened the door, unsurprised to see her sitting on her bed, watching TV.

“Ollie?” she asked in surprise. “I thought you were leaving again… to meet up with some of your new and mysterious friends.”

Oliver gritted his teeth, unwilling to go there. “I wanted to talk to you first.”

She observed him for a  few seconds before lowering the sound coming from the TV. “I’m all ears.”

Toeing out of his shoes, he went to sit on the bed, his back resting against one of the posts at the foot. “I told mom I am going to move out.”

Thea observed him for a few seconds before nodding her head. “It’s not like it will change much, will it?”

“I’m sorry I’m not here as often as you wished. But I need my space.”

“What changed, Ollie? I don’t understand. It’s not like you’re here most of the time anyway.”

“I wanted to move out before… before I went on the Gambit. I never got the chance to let you know. I was going to ask you to help me pick the place… so you’d get to pick your own bedroom,” Oliver huffed out a small laugh. “You were still a teenager back then, in my defense. I thought you’d like visiting me sometimes when… mom was being mom, I guess.”

“Oh,” Thea breathed. “I… I had no idea. You wanted your own place or…”

“Yes. My place. I wasn’t planning on living with anyone either. I just felt like I needed it. It’s hard to figure out what you really like when you’re expected to live in the same house forever. I mean… I don’t even know what kind of fridge I’d like to have.”

Thea laughed, dropping the remote control by her side as she straightened against the pillows. “I’m more worried about which color you plan to have on your walls.”

“White?” 

“Oh God.”

“Hey! White is good!”

“It’s too… plain. You don’t leave a house like this one to not try to find something more… homey.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Oliver nodded, relieved to see her taking the news much better than he had expected.

“Do you already know what you’re looking for? Apartment, house?”

“Apartment,” Oliver said firmly. “Mom prefers it too for security.”

“Modern?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Have you already approached some real estate agents?”

“No. I was first waiting to tell you and mom about it.”

“I can do it for you if you want to. Do you want to buy or rent?”

“Rent. It’s faster, isn’t it?”

“Usually, yes,” Thea nodded before chewing her lip nervously. “Is… is the job still open?”

“The job?” Oliver repeated with a frown.

“Yes. To help you find that perfect place,” Thea explained, shrugging.

“Yeah,” he grinned, happy to see his sister so supportive. “Totally.”

“Deal. I’ll get in touch with a few agencies tomorrow and plan for visits on… Saturday? Does that work for you?”

“Saturday is perfect. Make it the morning, we’ll grab lunch afterwards?”

“Awesome,” she smiled. “So tell me more. What exactly are you looking for?”

Oliver took a deep breath, having about zero idea. All that he really wanted was a place with two bedrooms at least, one big tub for Felicity and… the possibility to have a mirror over his bed.

But that wasn’t something his sister needed to know.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this chapter edited in my inbox since Saturday. But I haven't been able to post it, and honestly had to force myself to do it today.   
> I lost my brother last week. He was 42. So this story is going on a hiatus until I reach a spot where I can dive back into this, into this story of a love so beautiful and rare that it survived death, a story where I explored what it's like to lose the love of your life. I see my sister-in-law going through that right now and I know there won't be a happy ending for her. My brother is gone, and he'll never come back.   
> I desperately need things that make me smile and arrow and everything else related to arrow is doing the opposite for me at the moment.  
> I am not giving it up, but I don't know when I'll be able to start writing again.   
> This chapter has no title, because my three possibilities were about celebrating life and the future and their lyrics feel so utterly wrong at the moment.


	24. Absolute Beginners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone,  
> I want to thank you all for your kind words. I felt so much love and support from so many people, people I never met but who were nonetheless bringing me comfort in any way they could. It warmed my heart.  
> This chapter (and the next few ones) has been written since... well almost two months now. Seeing how a lot of you were disappointed with olicity on the show, I wanted to give a little something. So, here it is, an update, after one month of hiatus. I am not fully back to writing. So don't expect quick updates like before, but I'm trying.  
> Unfortunately, my grand-father passed away last week, less than a month after my brother. I can safely say that 2016 will always probably remain the most terrible year of my life. But we're getting there and I honestly can't wait for January 1st to really get a new start. It's pretty hard to find the right tone to write, and insomnia is being a real bitch at the moment.  
> So please be patient with me and STAMTB. We're getting there slowly but surely :)
> 
> Previously on STAMTB:  
> During the QC/Merlyn Global gala, there was an attack. Felicity got hurt, Oliver and Dig followed the gunmen to a warehouse, where the Gambit was stored. Most of the gunmen were killed.  
> Felicity doesn't handle drugs very well and made poor Tommy write an ode to Oliver's penis as a way to show her everlasting love (don't search for the logic).  
> Dig took the cellphone and wallet of one of the gunmen.  
> Oliver decided to move out of the mansion, told Thea and his mom. Also decided to head back to QC. 
> 
> Song: Absolute Beginners - David Bowie.

**"Absolute Beginners"**  


 

I've nothing much to offer  
There's nothing much to take  
I'm an absolute beginner  
And I'm absolutely sane  
As long as we're together  
The rest can go to hell  
I absolutely love you  
But we're absolute beginners  
With eyes completely open  
But nervous all the same

If our love song  
Could fly over mountains  
Could laugh at the ocean  
Just like the films  
There's no reason  
To feel all the hard times  
To lay down the hard lines  
It's absolutely true

Nothing much could happen  
Nothing we can't shake  
Oh we're absolute beginners  
With nothing much at stake  
As long as you're still smiling  
There's nothing more I need  
I absolutely love you  
But we're absolute beginners  
But if my love is your love  
We're certain to succeed

If our love song  
Could fly over mountains  
Sail over heartaches  
Just like the films  
If there's reason  
To feel all the hard times  
To lay down the hard lines  
It's absolutely true

 

 

 

 

“The gunman was freed from Iron Heights a month ago,” Felicity announced as soon as Oliver walked through the door of her apartment. “Dig gave me his wallet and his phone. His name was Roger Logins. Drug trafficking since he was a teenager.”

Oliver paused, his jacket still hanging limply from his arms. Truth be told he had totally forgotten about the evidence Dig had thought to grab in the warehouse. The Gambit, and then Felicity at the hospital had completely taken over his thoughts.

“Did he used to be in a gang or something?”

“No. And that’s the surprising thing. He clearly was a lone wolf, judging by his track record. And seeing how things ended for him, he really should have stuck to the whole better alone than in bad company thing.”

“And his cellphone?”

“Felicity has been scanning it. A burner, no surprise,” Dig said as he joined them with two steaming mugs in his hands. Oliver tilted his head in disapproval, seeing it was almost past 10PM and Felicity needed to rest, not ingest caffeine.

“Tea,” Dig mouthed in reassurance, his eyes laughing.

“I found several texts, but mostly phone calls that lead us to… more burner phones, dun dun dun duuuuun,” Felicity explained. “The texts mentioned a time, which makes sense with last night's attack and also a mention of a ‘project’. Isn’t it what the guy who broke into your house said too?”

“Yes. He asked me about my father’s project. Could be a coincidence but-”

“But there are way too many coincidences already,” Dig finished as he took a sip of tea. “How did it go with your mother?”

“Good. There is an emergency meeting tomorrow, she will announce my new position as VP.”

“Oh. So much for my higher rank,” Felicity pouted, making his mouth twitch in amusement.

“I’m sorry?”

“Well, I’ll still be the more experienced one, so I guess there’s that,” she shrugged a shoulder with a teasing smile as he leaned in to press a small kiss on her lips. “Did you tell her about the other thing?”

“Yes,” Oliver nodded as he took a seat next to her. He didn’t continue, feeling this might be better to talk about in private. 

“Since I have a few days off, I should head to the foundry. We now have better equipment there and I’m not that comfortable hacking here. I mean, snooping around the police captain in my own home isn’t a very bright idea, is it?”

Oliver inhaled, his thumb rubbing against his middle finger. “I will need Dig with me tomorrow. It won’t make much sense if he doesn’t come with me. Why don’t you rest in the morning and then we’ll head over there in the afternoon?”

“Sounds good to me,” Felicity agreed. “I’ll work for PT in the meanwhile. Ray is coming back earlier to deal with everything since I’m not exactly available but I offered for him to stop by so I could update him.”

“When the doctor told you not to go back to work, it wasn’t so you could bring work to you, you know that, right?”

“Yes, my love, I do know that. But I can’t exactly do nothing and waste time while the only thing not working properly is my shoulder.”

“Not to interrupt you two or anything but… do you have any idea what that project could be?” Dig interjected.

Oliver frowned. “No. Not sure. But it has to be something big, because it’s apparently still being planned and has been for about three to four years.”

“Their main goal seem to be money or… some kind of a purge?” Felicity said with a little grimace. “Judging from what you told us of your talk with Rupert Colt, as well as your father’s letter, it’s like they’re looking for good excuses, or a way to clean up the city from criminality with minimal cost for them.”

“That’s my take too. But how?”

“Well… isn’t the warden of Iron Heights on our list?” Dig asked suddenly, reaching out for the small stack of paper that was on the middle of the table.

“Yes, I think so.”

“Well, you said that Logins was freed a month ago and apparently there was a clear change in his usual criminal habits. Maybe the warden is recruiting for whatever plan they have? Seeing the police captain is also in it, it seems like a good partnership.”

“They would be building a network of criminals that would work for them?” Oliver asked with a frown. “Wouldn’t it be risky? I mean the thing with criminals is that they don’t like to play by the rules. And to what extent? Do you think they plan more attacks like last night's in order to justify some mass exodus?”

“Well… their insurance agencies would pay. Not the companies, so I guess financially speaking it would be better than severance packages and so on,” Felicity murmured. “It’s very cowardly and completely disregarding all of the risks but maybe they just don’t care? I mean they sure as hell didn’t care about your dad or the employees with him, or you and the boat’s crew.”

“But it’s… it’s crazy. I mean what kind of people suddenly decide to sit down in a salon and plot some potential mass murders?”

“Well… remember what your dad told you. He kept walking the line until the day he crossed it and didn’t realize it. People don’t turn evil overnight, Oliver. They slowly push limits until at some point those limits vanish and they don’t realize it. The end justifies the means,” Dig explained calmly, turning his mug of tea between his hands. “I know you’ve known most of these people your whole life, Oliver. But don’t forget these are probably the same ones who murdered your father, who was probably friends with most of them. If they’re willing to do that to one of theirs… chances are they won’t have a lot of scruples with a bunch of strangers, especially if they’re confident it’s for some kind of greater good for their own families.”

Felicity’s hand reached out, resting comfortingly on his thigh. He focused on it, her small fingers tracing soothing patterns over the fabric of his jeans, knowing she was trying to support him.

“Anyway… I think it’s more than time for me to leave you. Thanks for the dinner, Oliver. That was some mean lasagna. If the whole VP thing doesn’t work out, ask to be moved to the catering service, God knows QC needs a new chef.” 

Oliver chuckled as he watched his friend standing up and bringing his mug to the kitchen, leaving it in the sink. He then walked him to the door, making sure to lock up after him, while Felicity was shutting off her computers.

“So… how did it go with your mom?” she asked as she leaned back against her chair, holding her mug of tea.

“Well… she was surprised when I told her I wanted to get back to work. I think she mostly wasn’t expecting it because of what happened with you. Walter was very supportive and so was she eventually once she got over her surprise.”

“And about you moving out?”

Oliver winced, remembering that one hadn’t gone as easily. “She is confident it’s mostly because of the whole Russian mob thing. I didn’t prove her wrong though. She asked if I was moving in with you, actually. I think me running away to get to the hospital kinda sold me out." 

“Well… yes. I was thinking about that too. I mean Tommy knows, apparently. Your mom has strong suspicions. People at the hospital saw you spent the night with me but with all the drama going on, I figure it might not make that much noise. But still. Cat is out of the bag now.”

“It is. We’ll just keep on being discreet. I doubt my mom or Tommy will gossip. Well Tommy would have but I told him not to and I think he is probably going to stay as far away from my love life as possible, now.”

“Ugh?” Felicity asked, scrunching her nose in confusion.

“That poem traumatized him and I think it might be a good lesson for him. Be careful what you wish for kind of lesson,” Oliver snickered, still remembering the look on his best friend’s face when he had walked into Felicity’s room at the hospital.

“Well… I’d rather we never mention it, so that works for me,” Felicity mumbled, a small blush invading her cheeks. Unable to resist, he leaned in, brushing his lips on a dimple.

She grinned then, stroking his jaw before asking, “what about Thea?”

“I still haven’t told her. About us, I mean. She knows I’m moving out.”

“She might figure it out by herself, you know. She can feel you are hiding a lot of things from her. This one, you don’t have to so don’t make it another secret, so whenever you’re ready to tell her, go ahead.”

“Has she told you anything?” Oliver asked, furrowing his brow. He hadn’t noticed any change in his sister’s behavior but truth be told, he hadn’t spent much time with her either.

“Just that… Listen, she came to work for PT. Then you come back to life but still barely spend time home. Then you go back to work to QC. It must be hard for her to feel included in your life under those conditions. So the sooner you open a door, the better it will be, for the two of you. She might be officially an adult, but she still needs you, Oliver. And it’s going to be hard for her to lean on you or trust you when you don’t confide in her at all.”

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow,” he promised. “I’ll invite her for lunch. I’ll tell her you and I are slowly getting back together.”

“Good idea,” Felicity nodded. “Now… when are you going to take me to bed?”

Oliver chuckled, shaking his head. “I am taking you to bed so you can sleep. Nothing more.”

“Let’s compromise. I promise not to move an inch.”

“No,” he replied while standing up and pulling her on her feet.

“Okaaaay… Then what about I get on top? You won’t be afraid to hurt me that way!” 

“Still no.”

“Ugh!” she huffed as they walked inside the bathroom. “You are being completely and utterly unreasonable here, Oliver.” 

“Brush your teeth, honey. Where are your pills?”

“Kitchen, by the sink,” she grumbled before grabbing her toothbrush. “You are so stubborn!”

Still laughing, Oliver went to pick up the bottle of painkillers she had left on the counter before joining her to brush his teeth as well. He watched carefully as she popped a pill in her mouth, gulping it down with water. When he was done in the bathroom, she was already lying in bed, resting on her right side like she had earlier that day.

Switching off the lamp, he joined her, scooping in as close to her as he could. “Are you comfortable?”

“I’ve been better, but good enough,” she yawned. “You know what would make me really comfortable though?”

“Yes. But no.”

“Not even a quickie?”

“Not even a quickie.”

“I thought you were a master in the bedroom but as soon as you need to be a bit creative you just quit,” she groaned while slipping her feet between his legs.

“Reverse psychology won’t work, Felicity,” he grinned.

“But oxy-”

“Don’t even try the oxytocin thing again,” he cut her off with a chuckle. No matter how adamant he was on limiting her physical activities to a strict minimum, he couldn’t deny that her sexual appetite was more than flattering.

She let out a big sigh. “You better make it worth it.”

“Oh I will,” he smirked in the darkness.

_Damn right I will._

 

 

 

 

The board meeting didn’t take long. Moira informed the members of everything that had happened during the weekend and how Oliver would now be Vice President of QC by her side, so she could overlook his work. Everyone seemed to approve of her decision and the head of marketing agreed to switch offices with him as well.

By Wednesday, he would be able to take over his new position officially.

As he walked out of the conference room, Oliver felt slightly… nervous. This was big and scary in a way. It was like stepping into something huge with no idea of what he was supposed to do. He knew the company, had worked for it in a high position but still. He was more than rusty and had very little idea of how to handle his new responsibilities for now.

Luckily he had a girlfriend who had a very similar job and his mother was apparently more than ready to mentor him for as long as needed. The last thing he wanted was to make mistakes that would cost the company. He still had doubts, wondering if it was the right call. But knowing he had Felicity's support was enough to push him forward. He wanted to build a life for himself, for her, for the two of them. It was time to live again, really, and not just survive and focus on the next day. He was nervous as hell but he also knew that at the end of the day, he'd go back home to her. In a way, it was a new beginning.

 

 

It was almost 11AM when Dig stopped the car in front of the supermarket where Debbie was working. As Oliver made his way to the cashiers, he ignored the curious glances thrown his way - he knew he must have seemed completely out of place in his three-piece suit. He asked a young girl who was stocking up tomato cans if he could talk to the assistant manager, hoping she was there.

The girl, Tiffany, he read on the name tag, gaped at him, holding two cans in her hands.

“I believe her name is Debbie…?” he offered gently, trying to make her snap out of it.

“Hum. Yes. Sorry,” the petite redhead eventually said, coughing. “Just… can you wait here, let me get her.”

He smiled in gratitude then linked his hands over his abdomen, feeling very out of place. A woman, probably in her forties, passed him with a curious look and it was with relief that he heard the hurried footsteps of the teenager.

“Mister Queen?” Debbie asked in surprise as soon as she saw him.

“Oliver,” he corrected her out of habit, a small smile stretching his lips. “You know the drill.”

“What… what are you doing here?”

“I’d like to talk to you if it’s possible?”

“Hum. Yes. Follow me,” Debbie answered, frowning and obviously confused.

She led him to a small office at the back of the shop. Her name was on the door and he recognized the neat desk, very familiar to how she used to organize everything back at QC. Even if he had only worked with her a very short amount of time, it had been a comfortable, easy working relationship, and he had picked up a few habits of hers almost automatically. Probably something he had learned from Felicity.

She sat down on her chair, gesturing him to do the same. He unbuttoned his jacket, taking place in front of her, on the other side of the desk.

“It’s good to see you, mi… Oliver,” she said with a smile. “You seem in great shape.”

“So do you, Debbie,” he grinned back.

“Is there any reason for this visit or are you unsatisfied with our selection of diced tomatoes?” she asked, perking an eyebrow.

“Nothing to say about your selection of tomatoes,” he replied, the corner of his mouth lifting in half a smile. “I’d like to make you an offer.”

“... an offer?”

“I am heading back to work for QC. I’d very much like you to come back and work for me.”

“Hum… What? I read in the tabloids that you had no interest in going back to work any time soon. I mean, I know those magazines are mostly rumors but since you’ve been back for weeks and haven’t been seen at Queen Consolidated, I assumed they were true.”

“I needed a bit of time to readjust first. With what happened Saturday night, it is more than time for me to help my mother and her husband.”

“You’re back to Marketing?”

“No. I’m too out of the loop for that. I’ll be taking the position of Vice-President. And you’d be my assistant. With an increase of salary of course.”

“With all due respect, mister…” she took a small intake of breath before correcting herself. “I mean, Oliver, I already have a job.”

“I know. And I also understand that quitting it for someone who disappeared a few weeks after hiring you the first time sounds risky but I’m ready to offer you some guarantees.”

“Such as?” 

“Well, we can have it stated in your contract that in case I would step down, or get fired, or disappear during a cruise, you would get a replacement job inside the company with a guaranteed minimum salary, for instance.”

“Assistant to a VP is something, Oliver. I’m not sure I am the best candidate for you especially since you’re quite out of the loop yourself.”

“I need someone I can rely on. I know how you work, you know how I work. You’re reliable, trustworthy. Smart.”

She looked at him for a few seconds, obviously pondering his words.

Oliver understood she was still hesitating. “How are your children?” he asked gently, eyeing the family picture on the wall next to her desk.

“They’re doing good, thank you,” Debbie smiled fondly. “Growing up too fast, I’m afraid.” 

“Are you hesitating because of them?” 

“Well… yes and no.”

“What is holding you back? Is it a matter of schedules? We can work around that.”

“I get long weekends here. I managed to have four day weeks regularly, which makes things much easier, especially since Amelia is starting to visit colleges.”

“We can do that too. We’ll write it down if you want to. That’s not a problem,” Oliver offered. “Listen, I’ll be honest. I don’t want to go through the whole selection process again when I found the perfect candidate last time. Why don’t you take the day to think about it, then call me tonight if you’re in?”

Debbie eventually nodded as he wrote down his phone number on a post-it. “Yes, I’d like that.”

“Also, think about any specific clause you’d want to add. You’d keep all the advantages you had formerly in terms of healthcare and dental as well as a 15% augmentation of your salary.”

“You’ve always been a good negotiator,” Debbie laughed as they both stood up.

“So were you if I remember well. Don’t be afraid to use that skill,” Oliver grinned as he shook her hand. “Actually… do your worst.”

He was about to open the door when Debbie exclaimed, “a car!” 

“What?” he smiled, turning around.

“I live close to the store and use the bus. But I moved in from three years ago and QC is not practical for me as a commuter. So… I need a car,” she explained calmly.

“A car?” he repeated, perking an eyebrow. “You do know it’s very unusual for the company to offer such an advantage to non-executives?”

“Yes,” she reaffirmed, her tone stronger. “But I’d also say it’s very unusual for executives to conduct their recruiting process in supermarkets.” 

“Fair point. What color?”

The grin she offered him made him chuckle. His hand still on the handle, he added, “I’ll have a contract ready for you by Wednesday morning. Everything will be included in it. If things still work the way they did, we have an agreement with a car dealer downtown. I’ll fix an appointment for you as well.”

“Very well. See you on Wednesday, Oliver.”

“See you on Wednesday, Debbie.”

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

Ray stayed with Felicity a couple of hours, working on several files. Felicity wouldn’t be allowed to get back to work until Thursday at the very least, depending on her appointment with the doctor. She had just finished her lunch when Oliver and Dig came back and they didn’t waste time, heading straight to the foundry. She was happy to see how things were going for Oliver, and even if he was still clearly nervous about Queen Consolidated, there was also a new, much more confident and assured spring in his steps. She had very little doubt that he had made the right decision, forcing his fears aside. She knew that he felt the heavy weight of responsibilities much more than he used to and he didn’t want to fail. There was very little she could do though, apart from offering her unconditional support and help whenever he would need it.

“Did you have lunch with Thea?” she asked once he was done telling her how things had been going with the board meeting and his former secretary.

“Yes,” Oliver grimaced, resting his hand on her thigh. She was wearing a simple legging with a long sweater-dress that almost reached her knees. She had needed his help to get dressed that morning, and it had been very hard for her to stay focused when he had clasped her bra for her. By the time he was done, there was a visible bulge in his pants - which might have had a little something to do with the lingerie she had picked, two little pieces of red lace. Also the way she had wiggled her butt all along hadn’t helped.

Felicity Smoak never played fair, after all.

“And…?” she continued, sensing the lunch hadn’t gone as well as he had hoped. 

“I didn’t tell her about us. But she seems excited about my new place. I actually couldn’t really talk, she just rambled about it the whole time.”

“Next time,” Felicity said softly, her hand covering his. 

“Yes. There’s no rush. I mean it’s my private life, I don’t feel like I have to tell anyone anything when it’s about the two of us. We had a good time and that’s what matters. I think it’s good for us to look for my new apartment together. One step at a time.”

“It is already an improvement,” she approved. At least that would involve Thea in his project rather than leaving her completely out of it. Even if Thea was a grown-up she had still missed her big brother while she was younger and having him back but still so out of reach must have been hard for her to handle.

“I did something stupid though,” Oliver mumbled sheepishly, his eyes fixing Dig’s skull in front of him.

“...stupid as in?”

“Well, I said that now that I was working at QC again, nothing was stopping her from coming back too.”

Felicity looked at him, her mouth opening in surprise. And not exactly good surprise if she was honest. She could understand why Oliver might think of this idea but… it didn’t change the fact  that she had pulled quite a few strings to get Thea the position she had. Going behind her back and offering her another job, even if it was for her family’s company, sounded really like the work and the relationship she had created with the young woman didn’t matter at all.

“Oliver... Thea already has a job, one that she committed herself to until at least until May. We’re in October.”

“I know. I just thought she’d realize I still want us to be part of the same life and you know she belongs at QC, Felicity.”

“No. No, Oliver, I don’t know that she belongs at QC. Neither do you. There is only one person who knows that and it’s Thea herself. But even so, she is under contract for at least another seven months.”

“We could buy her contract, I don’t think it would be an issue. I mean she is an intern, it’s not as if she had a leading position.”

“It doesn’t matter. She could be working for our catering service as bus girl, it still remains that she committed herself to Palmer Tech.”

“So did you to QC, yet that didn’t stop you.” 

Felicity gasped, feeling the anger rising at an alarmingly fast rate.

Oliver shook his head then, sighing. “I’m sorry, that’s totally not what I meant. It's just that I didn’t think it would be impossible for her to resign, or at least that we could reach an agreement. But it’s pointless because she turned my offer down.”

“I still can’t believe you’d be OK with that, Oliver,” Felicity said, ignoring the second part of his sentence. “Is this another of the Queen family habits? Pay off contracts when they don’t suit you anymore so you get rid of them? Because, and forgive me if I’m wrong, but this is exactly the kind of behavior you didn’t want Thea to grow up with.”

“Felicity, she is young, I just wanted to offer her another option.”

“The other option was what I offered her in the first place Oliver. And she took it.”

“I’m sorry, I just wanted my sister to work with the rest of the family, is this such an unforgivable sin?” Oliver hissed.

“No it isn’t. But it just happens when you decide to move out of the family house, Oliver. Surely, you see where I’m going with this, right?” 

_That damn man and his controlling issues._

“It’s… it’s not,” Oliver stuttered, his fingers drumming on his leg nervously. “I… it’s not like that,” he eventually said, his voice clearly lacking confidence.

“It’s not?”

Oliver glanced at her, then slipped his hand away from her, rubbing his face with a small groan of frustration. “I don’t know, OK?”

_Oh yes you know._

Oliver remained quiet, apparently deep in thought. She exchanged a quick glance with Dig through the rearview mirror, but didn’t press the subject. She had a strong suspicion Oliver needed to sort his own thoughts first.

 

 

She launched a bunch of searches on the police captain as soon as they made it to the foundry, while Dig and Oliver had changed into workout clothes and were currently training with some boxing moves, as far as she could tell. Oliver was in his usual broody mood and Dig had taken it upon himself to try to get his mind on something else and judging by the grunts reaching her, he might have been regretting his decision.

“Anything coming up?” Oliver suddenly asked in a breathy voice, startling her.

“Jeez, Oliver,” she cursed, her hand resting over her heart. 

“Sorry,” he murmured, squeezing her shoulder. She glanced at him, trying very hard to ignore the sheen of sweat all over his… his everything actually. Or at least above the waist. He was shirtless, ripe as can be. She licked her lips at the sight of his abs, perfectly visible after his intense workout.

Oh, she wanted to lick those abs, one by one and then-

“I’m not sure Dig would like to witness that,” Oliver murmured, his eyes twinkling.

Blushing, Felicity glanced at the back of the room, relieved to see Dig was out of earshot. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Looking forward to that,” he winked, his mood obviously much more playful now. Apparently the physical exertion had been enough to clear his head. Or at least, hopefully, get it out of his ass.

“Hum. Yes,” she coughed, willing herself to remain strong and not jump him right away. “So far, not much really apart from something that is actually very interesting. The police captain and the warden of Iron Heights actually went to college together. Same fraternity, same year and they probably kept in touch because they went to each other’s weddings and so on.”

“Any link with another name of our list?”

“Not yet. But there is something else I found. I kept tabs on Isabel and she’s back in the country. Currently in LA, working for her old company. High executive, too. Not that it means anything but it’s worth keeping track of that.”

Oliver nodded before leaning against the desk, meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry for what I told Thea. You were right. It wasn’t appropriate and I probably also did it for selfish reasons.” 

Felicity slowly exhaled as she leaned back in her chair. “It’s OK. Fortunately for you, your sister is the wise one in the family.”

“She probably is,” he laughed, relief clear on his face. His hair was even messier than usual, probably a direct result of all the sweating.

_Do **not** think about the sweating, Felicity._

She cleared her throat, forcing her naughty thoughts away. “I’ve been thinking this morning. Ray told me something that made me… wonder about another thing.”

“Ray?” Oliver repeated with a frown.

“Yes. He just mentioned our security cameras and… you know, usually the old footage is archived for years. I mean at PT, they are recorded on CDs then stored away and no one really takes care of them afterwards.”

“... You mean maybe we could gain access to some footage from years ago? Like… the days before my dad died?”

“Yes. And maybe we’ll find out who exactly stopped by for a visit? I mean it’s a long shot, I can’t be sure how QC deals with the security footage but… it’s kinda worth a try, isn’t it?”

“Yeah… yes it is,” Oliver said.

“And since now you will be working there… and seeing how it’s pretty pointless hiding the fact that we’re at least back on speaking terms since many people saw you rushing after me…”

Oliver locked his jaw, letting out a small humpf. “I know. My mom, Malcolm and a bunch of other people asked how you were doing. Which I also wanted to talk to you about. I’d like you to up your security at PT as well and have someone picking you up and drive you back home, things like that.”

“Ray and I talked about that as well. I couldn’t exactly tell him anything about what we know but he wants to tighten the security inside the building and get bodyguards for the executives.”

“Good.” 

“For now, I suggest we keep our relationship the same way it was. Discreet. A small circle probably guessed it but…”

“Not a reason to scream it from the rooftops, I agree,” Oliver nodded, his eyes traveling to her shoulder. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m OK. It hurts a bit and yeah it bothers me, but I’ll live,” Felicity reassured him with a smile, squeezing his hand. She grinned when she saw him leaning towards her, her eyes automatically fluttering shut as he brushed his lips against hers. The kiss lasted a few seconds at most but it was enough to make her feel all fuzzy inside, making her forget about the pain she could feel down her bicep. Soft, tender and sweet Oliver was something that always turned her into a fourteen year-old about to be kissed for the first time.

“Let me shower then we’ll head back home. You’ll be more comfortable lying down.”

“... can I also get a foot rub?”

“Yes.”

“And ice-cream?”

“... if you want to.”

“And-”

“Yes,” Oliver grinned.

“You don’t even know what I was going to say!” she chuckled.

“But you know that as long as it doesn’t involve sex, I’ll say yes, don’t you?”

Felicity pouted, playing with the zipper of one of the side pockets of his pants. “You know… I’m sure we could find a way.”

Oliver gazed at her, a small amused smile stretching his lips. He glanced behind her, then dipped his head until he was close enough to whisper in her ear. “Why don’t you use that forced celibacy to think about that future sex tape of ours?”

She gasped, straightening on her seat. “Oliver! We said we wouldn’t… mention my drugged rambling ever again!”

“Nah. You said that… I never agreed. Also if it makes you feel better, apparently Tommy scored a date with the nurse.”

Felicity rolled her eyes. Of course he did.

“But for your sake, I promise to veto any double date,” Oliver continued innocently. “I mean I wouldn’t want the poor girl to be reminded how you’re the one who got lucky in the whole… pink torpedo department.” 

“Shut up,” Felicity said, trying to sound as stern as possible but failing to keep the laugh from her voice. “I would have never had the idea of that poem if it wasn’t for your drunk attempt when I was dating Barry, mister Jealous Guy.”

“At least mine was romantic.”

“You compared me to a cow,” Felicity scolded him.

“A heifer,” Oliver corrected her, lightly tapping her nose with his index finger. “Don’t flatter yourself, miss Smoak.”

The gesture reminded her of before, when she was still his assistant, when they were mostly teasing and not acting on their feelings and she marveled at how far they had come. “You used to do that a lot,” she said quietly, watching his eyes softening.

“I know. It was the only thing I allowed myself to do.”

They gazed at each other, remembering their little banter and flirting and Felicity was honestly about to launch herself in his arms because the way he was looking at her was enough to make any human being go weak in the knees when Dig coughed behind them, forcing them to tear their eyes off each other.

“I’m **really** glad to see we’re back to the heart eyes,” Dig said sarcastically, “but I’ve run out of things to pretend to do to give you a moment and since it looks like you’ve made up… maybe you could fill me in?”

They exchanged one last glance, and Felicity couldn’t help but smile when she saw the tips of Oliver’s ears turning a very interesting shade of red. She untangled their fingers, pretending not to feel her own cheeks flaming up.

 

_Heart eyes indeed._

 

***

 

 

“There you go,” the doctor said as he slowly flexed her shoulder, checking for any sign of discomfort. “Is it painful?”

“No, more like… sore and an… unused kind of feeling?” Felicity said with a small frown.

“That’s perfectly normal. Everything is healing just fine, your stitches held. Just take it one day at a time but I doubt you’ll need a sling any longer. Don’t carry heavy things or take boxing lessons, but normal activity is just fine, avoid things that are too physical for a little longer, though.”

… normal activity?

“Is… sex a normal activity or…” Felicity trailed off, her eyes shifting to the doctor’s stethoscope.

Dr Gavin, the one who had patched her up, chuckled before helping her put her blouse back on. “Yes it is. Unless you’re into athletic sex, you should be more than fine.”

“Oh thank God,” she blurted out, physically restraining herself from running to Oliver’s office. It was Thursday and despite her many, many tries - sometimes very sneaky attempts involving raunchy lingerie - Oliver hadn’t budged from his position.

And Felicity was reaching her limits. She was pretty sure she had drooled into her cereal this very morning when Oliver had walked into her living room in nothing but a pair of boxers, his hair still damp from his shower.

To be fair, he had tried to go down on her on Monday… only to stop when she had automatically tried to reach out to grab his hair, her hiss of pain making him freeze instantly. She had managed to convince him to get back to work, but merely a minute later, she had arched her back as he had started that thing with his tongue that drove her absolutely crazy… and her yelp had put a definitive end to their activities.

But not today. Oh no. Not today. Today she would tap him like a maple tree and hell yeah he’d finish what he had started on Monday.

Twice, preferably.

She spent the afternoon flexing her shoulder the way the doctor had told her to, warming her muscles and mentally preparing herself for some very good, sweaty sex.

When Oliver finally came home, he didn’t even have the time to take off his jacket before she was already on him.

 

 

***

 

 

“Walter and I figured that you should first oversee the marketing department. It’s something familiar, which will ease you back in since you know most of the team. What do you think?” Moira asked Oliver as he sat down on his chair. It was his second day back at QC, the first one having been dedicated to settling back into his old office and filling in a mountain of paperwork.

“I think it’s a good idea,” he nodded.

“Walter told me you went through the new organization chart already?”

"Yup. There haven't been that many changes, which kinda surprised me if I can be honest.”

“Well, things have been running smoothly so we didn’t see the point of changing for the sake of changing.”

“Fair enough. It does make things easier for me,” Oliver smiled reassuringly.

“Good. I’d really like if you could check the latest ad campaign. I’ll have it delivered to your office as soon as possible. We also have a weekly meeting with Walter. It’s every Friday at nine, it usually lasts from one to two hours. We go through the week, plan the next one.”

“OK. I’ll make sure to tell Debbie to block that time slot then.”

Moira grinned, her eyes travelling across Oliver’s office.

“Is there something wrong?” Oliver asked, his own eyes wandering across the room. It was still pretty plain, since he hadn’t really cared about decorating. The only personal thing he had brought was the framed picture of him and Felicity from Ivy Town that was safely hidden in the top drawer of his desk.

“No. It just feels good to see you back here,” Moira said softly with a small smile.

“It actually feels kinda good,” Oliver admitted. It had surprised him how much he was looking forward to getting back in the game, and doing something with his life, something proactive that could lead him somewhere, and not just dwell on his seeking for justice for his dad and the other ones who had lost their lives.

“Do you know when you’re planning to move out?” 

“Not yet. Thea and I will visit a few places on Saturday, though. I’m not really in a hurry, mom. But…”

“But you don’t feel comfortable living with us anymore, do you?”

“It’s not something new. I was going to do the same thing before… before I went missing. And-”

“And what I did to Felicity probably didn’t help.”

Oliver winced, still uneasy about the whole Russian mob thing his mom had pulled. “I won’t lie, it’s a hard pill to swallow.”

But some part of him understood how she had felt cornered and probably jumped to the first solution she could think of. After all, Oliver himself had tried to scare Felicity into stopping. It didn’t change the fact that so many things could have gone wrong that it wasn’t exactly easy to brush it off.

“But it’s not what pushed me over the edge,” he continued. “It’s really a mix of many things.”

“Oliver, if this also has to do with the man who broke into our house…” 

“Of course it played a part, mom.” 

“Then you should stay with us. Our security is so tight now, you’ll be in the safest place.”

“I can defend myself. Also I’ll have John with me most of the time.”

Moira observed him quietly for a few seconds, a hard, thoughtful look on her face. “You did hold your own against him quite well. Which reminds me… how do you know Russian?”

Oliver shrugged. “I don’t. I just learned a few words on the boat. Thank you, I’m sorry, things like that.”

Moira pinched her lips, nodding absentmindedly. “It seemed quite natural. Maybe you should work on it, it could also be handy for our branch in Russia.”

“Why not? But first, I’d like to focus on our branch in Starling,” Oliver grinned as he leaned back against his chair.

“Fair enough,” Moira smiled as she stood up. “Don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Walter if you need anything.” 

“I won’t,” Oliver said as he walked her to the door. He was barely back at his desk when his phone buzzed, and seeing Felicity’s face appearing on the screen instantly brought a smile on his lips.

“Hi, hon,” he said as soon as he picked up.

“We can have sex!” she all but squealed back.

He paused then, slightly taken aback, then sat down on his chair and loosened his tie. “I take it your appointment went well?”

“Yes! He said I could get back to normal activities so I asked him if sex was a normal activity and he said that as long as I don’t do anything very athletic, I’ll be more than fine. And we know I don’t do athletic anyway except for that thing sometimes when I’m on top or when you stretch my legs and-”

“Hum, yes, I know,” Oliver mumbled, knowing indeed way too well what she was talking about. He already had some very vivid mental pictures dancing in front of his eyes. Felicity's leg thrown over his shoulder as he thrust inside her, Felicity riding him then leaning back as far as she could or-

“Anyway… we’re good to go. He gave me a few exercises to do for my shoulder and now… well I’m waiting.”

Oliver shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the conversation. “Waiting?”

“Yes. For you. For the sex.”

Chuckling, Oliver twisted in his chair, facing the window. “You know that I won’t be back for a few more hours and I work tomorrow, right?”

“Well… yes. But you’re still in for at least one round, right? I mean… it’s been forever, Oliver. I barely remember how it feels.”

“You’re trying to challenge me, aren’t you?”

“Is it working?”

“You know it is.”

“Good. How is your day?”

“Nice so far. Easing back in quite smoothly, I have to say.”

“Let’s hope you’ll ease back in quite smoothly into something else…” 

Oliver’s jaw dropped. Had she really planned to say that out loud or was it one of her usual and oh so charming mishaps? Unless... “... Honey, did the doctor give you more drugs?”

“What? No,” Felicity grumbled. “I was trying to… forget it, ugh.” 

Oliver laughed at the pout in her voice. “Felicity, I love your dirty talk. It’s just so very you that sometimes I’m not sure if you said it on purpose or if it escaped you, that’s all.”

“... You better make it up to me when you get back home.”

“Pinky swear,” he smiled, trying to ignore the way his heart was swelling at the mention of ‘home’. “I’ll work extra hard to make it worth it.”

“Pun intended?”

“Pun very much intended.”

“Jeez and you were mocking my dirty talk...” she snorted.

“I’m more of a man of action.”

Felicity let out a deep sigh. “If only I could remember it. But it’s been so long, my memory is all fuzzy.”

“It’s been less than a week.”

“Still. I’m sorry but you will have to refresh my memory. Like… twice.”

“Deal,” he replied with a grin.

They hung up shortly after he had told Felicity what to order for dinner, not exactly trusting her in the kitchen.

One hour later, Debbie brought him the file his mother had promised and the next thing he knew, it was already five o’clock. He stopped by the bakery to get some raspberry and white chocolate mousse for dessert, knowing they would go well with the fresh berries Felicity had in her fridge.

Felicity ended up licking it off his naked body on the kitchen’s floor, before riding him until she finally collapsed on his chest, panting heavily after her third orgasm of the night.

His hands roaming over her body, lingering on her ass, Oliver’s eyes were fixed on the ceiling as he tried to catch his breath.

“Oh my God, that was awesome,” Felicity breathed against his throat.

“Your legs are still shaking,” Oliver chuckled, his fingers slowly caressing the underside of her butt.

“Yeah that’s something new. I had that Saturday.”

“I noticed it then as well.” 

“It’s because it was really good,” she whispered, raising her head and seeking his lips for a lazy, slightly sloppy kiss. Her rumbling stomach interrupted them and she giggled against his lips. “Sorry.”

Effortlessly, he sat up then helped her on her feet. They quickly cleaned up and put on some clothes before reheating the Italian food Felicity had ordered. Unfortunately, Felicity had eaten most of their dessert while… doing some things that he was pretty sure he’d remember even after his death.

But he made very good use of the berries, until she was a quivering mess on their bed. 

There really was nothing like heading back home to Felicity after a long day of work. Even if she didn't let him sleep until midnight.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah Felicity was on her last legs.  
> Oliver is back to work and yeah he is nervous and not very confident... but he also knows bae is there for him <3<3 and he wants to build a life, for the two of them.  
> Also, office sex.
> 
> What did you think?
> 
> Find me on twitter @PimsiePim or tumblr pimsiepim.tumblr.com  
> DOn't be shy, come say hi!


	25. The One That Got Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> OK, phew... finally. Ugh. Can't believe I'm only updating once a month... so sorry about it. I am really, really trying to get back to writing but it's so, so hard, mostly because I deal with some serious lack of sleep and I, unfortunately, reached a part of the story where everything starts to be put into place and unfolds at the same time and it's very confusing for me to keep track with every little single element I'm going to need. But... let's hope we get there sooner rather than later. 
> 
> I want to thank you all, again, for your support. I haven't replied to your comments, but know how touched I was to get them. I wanted to but it was a bit too hard for me to jump back into the grieving process. Know that I will get back to my replies with this chapter, new year's resolutions and all that jazz. 
> 
> Big thank you to mysticaldetectivepanda, who is still with me despite my lack of chapters, and to pidanka who is still with me but also side-eyes me a bit XD
> 
> Song: The One That Got Away - Katy Perry

**"The One That Got Away"**   
  


Summer after high school when we first met  
We'd make out in your Mustang to Radiohead  
And on my 18th Birthday  
We got matching tattoos

Used to steal your parents' liquor  
And climb to the roof  
Talk about our future  
Like we had a clue  
Never planned that one day  
I'd be losing you

In another life  
I would be your girl  
We'd keep all our promises  
Be us against the world

In another life  
I would make you stay  
So I don't have to say  
You were the one that got away  
The one that got away

I was June and you were my Johnny Cash  
Never one without the other, we made a pact  
Sometimes when I miss you  
I put those records on (Whoa)

Someone said you had your tattoo removed  
Saw you downtown singing the Blues  
It's time to face the music  
I'm no longer your muse

But in another life  
I would be your girl  
We'd keep all our promises  
Be us against the world

In another life  
I would make you stay  
So I don't have to say  
You were the one that got away  
The one that got away  
The o-o-o-o-o-one _[x3]_  
The one that got away

_[Bridge:]_  
All this money can't buy me a time machine (Nooooo)  
Can't replace you with a million rings (Nooooo)  
I should've told you what you meant to me (Whoa)  
'Cause now I pay the price

In another life  
I would be your girl  
We'd keep all our promises  
Be us against the world

In another life  
I would make you stay  
So I don't have to say  
You were the one that got away  
The one that got away  
The o-o-o-o-o-one _[x3]_

In another life  
I would make you stay  
So I don't have to say  
You were the one that got away  
The one that got away

 

 

Oliver woke up slowly, his brain all warm and fuzzy, unlike the way he usually awoke. He took a deep breath, the scent of green apples invading his senses and he groaned, burying his face into Felicity’s hair. The room was still mostly dark and the alarm clock hadn’t gone off yet, which meant he still had a bit of time.

Lingering in bed was something he hadn’t done in a while. Especially this relaxed, no fucks given kind of lingering when he couldn’t even bring himself to open his eyes. His body was heavy and completely sated, a direct result of the two rounds of mindblowing sex they had had last night.

And he felt fucking amazing. It was Friday, his girl was asleep in his arms, and apart from some apartment hunting with Thea on Saturday, he’d get two whole days to spoil her rotten. In the kitchen and in the bedroom. With a little pit stop by the couch probably.

Last week had been quite tough for him. And for her. He had had to bite back his first instinct - which would have been to push her away or lock her into a panic room, he still wasn’t sure. But… when he had seen her at the hospital, when he had realized that in her drug-induced state she had thought she was dreaming of him, she had thought he was still gone… it had been a slap int he face. The pain in her voice, the pain in those five little words had crushed his soul.

_Because then you’ll be gone._

All those dreams she had had for them, so similar to the ones he had had himself, those dreams she had been forced to say goodbye to, that future she had imagined so perfectly forever unreachable... He couldn’t. He couldn’t cause that kind of pain ever again. All he could do was pray that they’d both make it safe and sound and that her injury from last Saturday would be the only one. He’d stop at nothing to protect her and keep her safe but he also knew she had made a choice and he had to try to respect it. She wanted to be by his side, in every possible way. 

Felicity suddenly shifted, pressing her butt against him. He froze, listening to her breathing. It was still deep and regular. But her little wiggling had awoken a certain part of his body that was already stirring. With a regretful sigh, he eventually opened his eyes, knowing he should get out of bed before he was too tempted to wake her up. She needed to rest.

His nose nudged her ear as he dropped a small kiss on her neck before slowly slipping out of bed. He put on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt before leaning in and kissing her forehead, something he always did whenever he would wake up before her, then headed to the living room. Stretching, he scratched his stomach once he saw he still had more than thirty minutes before the alarm clock would go off. The apartment was quiet, apart from the small ticking sound from the clock in the living room and he took advantage of the situation. Felicity was still completely out and with the painkillers she was still taking, he doubted she’d wake up before the alarm clock, especially seeing how late they had eventually fallen asleep - and how much of a work out she had gotten as well.

He sat down, cross-legged, by the coffee table and pulled off the table cloth and the square of plexiglass before rubbing his hands. He hadn’t been able to get back to the puzzle since that night when they had fought, almost two weeks ago. He knew Felicity hadn’t noticed and he hadn’t felt like bringing it up. Truth be told, a part of him wanted to surprise her… because he could still remember their little bet.

The one who got to finish the puzzle would pick their first date.

It was crazy to think that they still hadn’t, technically, gone on a real date together, and had skipped quite instantly to the next step - which was head over heels in love and thinking about houses with a swing on the porch and adopting a dog. But he wanted to experience that with her. No matter how much he loved their domesticity and the sheer perfection of their relationship, he wanted to woo her. He wanted to take her out to dinner, and to a movie, and steal kisses from her in the back of a cab. Play with her hand on the table of a nice restaurant, see the candle lights shimmering over her hair. Share a dessert, not because he actually liked desserts, but because it was one of those ridiculous things he had always done out of obligation and for some reason, with her, it felt right.

There was also another reason though… one that was much more hidden and that he didn’t really like to think about. He wanted to try to erase those three years. Pick up as if he had never left. It was futile, and unrealistic, but it almost felt as if he was fixing something by assembling that puzzle piece by piece. He wasn’t sure exactly what it was but each piece of the puzzle that was finding its place was, in a way, bringing him closer to her.

He had almost finished it the last time, with only about thirty pieces still waiting to fit inside the frame. He made a quick job out of them, the bright light right above the table letting him see clearly. It was only when he was down to two pieces that he frowned, his eyes travelling across the table, peeking underneath it. He quickly put the pieces in their place, staring at the small hole on the left hand corner of the puzzle.

One piece was missing.

“Damn,” he muttered before standing up and checking the floor. He saw no trace of the small piece of cardboard and he eventually put back the plexiglass and the table cloth. He’d have to check Felicity’s drawers but it was getting too close to 7AM to do it now. Felicity would be up shortly.

 

He was in the kitchen, cutting some fruits for breakfast when he heard the sound of her bare feet padding on the floor. He quickly glanced at her and smiled when he saw her sleepy frown as she walked up to him before circling her arms around him, nestling her face against his back.

“Morning sunshine,” he said as greeting, chuckling when her muffled groan reached him. Felicity wasn’t exactly a morning person.

He knew she usually needed a few minutes at the very least, so he went back to his apples and pears, a small smile stretching his lips as she started to rub her cheek against his shoulder. She eventually let go of him with a little sigh before starting the coffee maker. He had already placed her favorite mug on the counter as well as the milk and sugar and the only thing left to do was literally press a button. Quickly washing his hands, he dried them before cradling her face and pressing a soft kiss against her lips.

“Good morning,” she eventually whispered when he let her go.

“How are you?”

“Good. Very sleepy though.”

“You should head back to bed when I leave. The painkillers and the… physical activity from last night probably did a number on you.”

Felicity grinned as she picked up his hand and laced her fingers through his. “That was so worth it, though. I still feel all fluffy inside my tummy.”

Oliver rolled his eyes despite being secretly more than smug by the clearly more than satisfied look on her face. “Still. You don’t have to go anywhere until this afternoon, so rest. You’re back to work on Monday and I plan for much more physical activities this weekend.”

“You made me turn onto sports, I can’t believe it.”

“What we do isn’t exactly sport, Felicity,” Oliver snorted as she poured milk in her coffee and added a spoon of sugar.

“My legs beg to differ,” she threw across her shoulder as she walked to the living room. He followed her, bringing the plate of fruits to the table.

“It’s not my fault that you are so damn flexible,” he murmured in her ear.

A small blush invaded her cheeks as she looked at him through her eyelashes. “Something I wasn’t really aware of until recently.”

He smirked then before taking a sip of his own coffee. “Bagel?”

“Yes, please,” she nodded, leaning on her elbow.

After their breakfast, Oliver went to take a shower and get ready for work while Felicity cleaned up the kitchen. When he walked back inside the living room, she was already working on her laptop, her glasses low on her nose. Raising her head, she let her eyes travel down his body and up again… then down one more time as if she wanted to make sure she wasn’t missing anything.

His mouth twitching, he pulled up his collar, slipping his tie around his neck. “Do I meet your approval?”

“Oh yes,” she breathed. “I’m so glad you decided to go back to QC. So glad, Oliver.”

“I’m really starting to think you’re only with me for my body,” he laughed as he finished tying his tie and smoothing his collar.

“Well… I don’t think anyone could blame me. But the real appeal is your bagels, I’m sorry to break it to you.”

He put his jacket on, shaking his head. Resting a hand against the table, the other on the back of her chair, he leaned down to brush a kiss on her cheek and whisper in her ear. “And here I was, thinking it was because of my mighty fine schmuck.”

“Oliver!” she gasped, her eyes wide as she started to stutter in outrage. “Will you… don’t… just stop mentioning… ugh!”

With one last wink, he dropped a peck on her lips before grabbing his satchel. “Between four and five, is that right? Call Dig when he needs to come and pick you up.”

“OK,” she mumbled, still giving him the stink eye as he walked to the door.

“Lock up behind me and go back to bed.”

“Sure.”

“Love you,” Oliver couldn’t help but add innocently, the frown on her face making his mouth twitch in amusement.

She glared at him, pursing her lips before grumbling, “love you too.”

It was with a spring in his step that he went to knock on Dig’s door and by the time he was walking into his office, he was whistling, like a goddam love-sick puppy.

“Good morning, Debbie,” he said gently as he passed her. “Any messages?”

“Yes. I already put them on your desk. Remember I leave at noon today?”

“Don’t worry I didn’t forget. I have to go to Walter’s office in about thirty minutes. I should be back before you leave, and could you please look over the Kowalski report for me this morning?”

“Sure. Do you want a summary?”

“That would be amazing, thank you.”

Quickly walking to his desk, he got rid of his jacket before sitting down on his chair.

Time to get to work.

  
  
  
  


“Alright, so good news is that everything has been archived online up to five years ago. It gets deleted automatically afterwards. Hopefully it’s just a matter of…” Felicity trailed off, her breath hitching. “Oliver…”

“Mmmhh?” he murmured, too busy ravishing her neck with his mouth to form a coherent word.

“I didn’t come here to get freaky freaky on your desk.”

“Then why are you wearing my favorite dress?” he asked with a pout, finally letting go of that little spot underneath her ear.

“You… literally never saw this dress before today,” she scolded him, but the way her eyes dropped to his lips told him she wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted him to believe.

“It has a zipper, Felicity. A zipper in the back. All the way down.”

“I thought your favorite work dress was the grey one with the squares on my hips.”

“God I love that one too,” he whined, dropping his head against her shoulder. “But I can’t take it off you with my teeth.”

“With your…” Felicity breathed, her eyes growing darker.

“Yes. With my teeth,” Oliver promised. He saw the hesitation in her eyes and he was about to to kiss her when she straightened, shifting away from him as much as she could.

“No. We’re on a mission and Dig is supposed to stop by. We don’t have time for… God it hurts me to say it but we don’t have time for this, Oliver.”

Closing his eyes, Oliver leaned back against his chair, knowing she was right… and at the same time wondering if maybe he couldn’t just text Dig and tell him to not show up in the next thirty minutes. Or the next hour, to play it safe.

“How long is it going to take?” he eventually asked, knowing they would have plenty of time to catch up afterwards.

“Well it’s from more than three years ago so it’s much slower to access those files. Maybe one hour, seeing the pace. I have to break through some security at every step.”

Oliver glared at her. “Do you have any idea what I could do to you in one hour?”

“Yes,” she grinned. “But you also told me you were supposed to get in touch with an investor in LA by the end of the day and wanted my input on this Kowalski report.”

“Cut it to half an hour. Do you have any idea what I could do to you in half an hour?”

“Nothing that you can’t do to me all night long, I hope.”

“Oh you’re on. I just need something to do, baby.”

“Why don’t you go to your conference room, call your partner while I keep an eye on my… hacking and read through that report?”

“Are you actually kicking me out of my own office?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Why… yes. Yes I am. Old habits die hard, I guess,” she grinned smugly before waving him off. “Chop, chop. Let me work my magic.”

“Are you sure it’s OK, by the way?” Oliver asked as he stood up. “For you to check that report, I mean? I don’t want to put you in a difficult position.”

“Don’t worry, Oliver. I would have never offered if there would have been any kind of conflict of interest. I like helping you. I feel useful,” she reassured him with a smile. “I know it’s not easy and… I’m here if you need anything. It’s part of the girlfriend job, I heard.”

“I wish I could do the same for you,” he winced, knowing there was quite no way he would ever be able to keep up with her business-wise. Truth be told he didn’t exactly like being so clueless and knowing that in that field, she’d always be the one helping him and that he probably wouldn’t be able to give back.

Something passed in her eyes, like a flicker of sadness that he didn’t understand but she just shook her head. “Oliver, don’t be silly. I’ll always welcome your advice and this is definitely not one-sided. It’s just that at the moment, I’m the most experienced one. But one day might come where I’ll need your point of view.”

Still unconvinced, he nodded nonetheless, understanding it would be pointless to get into a conversation about this, especially since he knew he would only sound like one of those men with a bruised ego.

Grabbing his laptop, he left her at his desk then made his way to the conference room.

 

***

 

Oliver had been busy with his call for the last fifteen minutes while she was checking the financial report Oliver had been struggling with. Numbers had never been his forte and for some reason, it made her feel good to help him with that, like she used to before.

She had just passed through a firewall from QC’s security, mastering again the art of multitasking, when a small knock on the door echoed in the room.

Not even glancing up, she shouted a “come in”, knowing it was probably Dig.

But the sound of clicking high heels made her realize it probably wasn’t the badass bodyguard she knew so well. Raising her head, her mouth opened in a small o of surprise when she saw the visitor.

Judging by Laurel’s taken aback expression, she wasn’t the only one surprised.

“Hum… I’m sorry but the secretary wasn’t there so I knocked and… I was told this was Oliver’s office but… and…” Laurel eventually said as she obviously tried to gather her bearings. “I am at Queen Consolidated, right?” she eventually snorted nervously, glancing around her.

“Yes. yes, of course. This is Oliver’s office, he’s just in the conference room. Business call. And I’m here in his office because…” Felicity explained, pinching her lips. How exactly do you explain to your boyfriend’s ex fiancée why you have hijacked his own desk and kicked him out of his office while you’re not even supposed to work for his company?

“Programs! I’m here because some of the programs I installed for him back when I was still his assistant are acting up and he’d like to retrieve some information from them. You know. Refresh his memory,” she added with a giggle.

“And no one from QC’s IT department could have helped because…?”

“Becauuuuse…” Felicity trailed off, nervously tapping her pen on the keyboard. “Well they’re just very busy with… some cleaning. Porn infection. Pop-ups everywhere, it’s been quite a day, especially when Joan from accounting had a threesome popping in the middle of her presentation. And you know, I’m the one who created them so it’s much more simple. Oliver’s programs, I mean. Not the threesomes. I… I **obviously** didn’t create those. And I live in the same building as Oliver’s bodyguard so he tipped me off.”

_Not bad, Smoak. Not bad. Could have done without the porn but… not bad._

Laurel blinked, shifting on her feet. “Alright. Hum… is Ollie in this conference room?” she asked, pointing to the room on her side, the frosted glass hiding him from their eyes.

“Yup,” Felicity nodded as she stood up. “Just let me… announce you. Like in the old times, you know.”

Laurel gave her a stiff smile, her hand visibly tightening on the strap of her purse as Felicity hurried to the door separating them from Oliver. One tiny knock and she slipped inside the room.

Oliver frowned, quickly glancing up at her before asking his interlocutor for a minute, and muting him. “Hon’?”

Felicity grimaced as she hurried next to him. “Laurel is here.”

He looked at her blankly for a couple seconds then furrowed his brow. “What?”

“Laurel. Lance. You know, your ex… fiancée? Even though you broke up so fast after the engagement I doubt you guys could really be considered as fiancés, but technically it was announced officially and most people believed it was true for weeks and weeks so… well. Your ex, Laurel… is here.”

“What is she… what does she want?” Oliver murmured. “I haven’t… Felicity I haven’t seen her since before… before.”

“Well I didn’t ask. Damn I should have asked. In my defense, my PA skills are a bit rusty. I told her I was retrieving some information on programs I created because…” Felicity twisted her hands, her cover story suddenly less brilliant now that she had to repeat it to Oliver. “Well let’s just say that if she mentions threesomes and Joan from accounting, just nod your head.”

This seemed to do the trick because Oliver’s eyes widened, confusion replaced on his face by wariness. “Do I even want to know…?”

“I don’t think so, no.”

“OK. Just... give me one minute, we were done anyway.”

Felicity nodded with a smile, ready to walk away when his hand reached out, grabbing her wrist.

“Yes?” she asked.

“Felicity, I didn’t ask her to stop by… you know that right?”

She blinked, wondering why he was telling her that. “Hum yes. Seeing how confused you were, it was pretty obvious?”

Oliver exhaled slowly and she saw the flicker a relief in his eyes. She suddenly understood.

Of course. She had been on the front line before. The incessant parade of women she had witnessed when she was his assistant.

“We’ll talk about it later,” she smiled, reassuringly squeezing his wrist. She didn’t doubt Oliver. But it was true that he had quite the past.

She heard Oliver getting back to his call and apologizing for cutting it short just as she opened the door. Laurel was pacing by the sofa and she turned around at the sound.

“You can go in. He’s ending his call,” Felicity said waving her in.

She watched as the brunette carefully closed the door behind her and for the first time, she felt a weird pinch of jealousy in her heart. Oliver’s words playing in her mind, she went back to his desk and dropped on the chair.

Oliver was nothing like the manwhore he had been before and God knew she was aware of that. But still. Laurel had been his fiancée. He had proposed to her, offered her a ring, had planned a life with her. He had been in a long-term relationship with her. Had slept with her, shared breakfasts.

_Damn._

She didn’t like it.

Felicity had never been one to be the jealous type but she couldn’t deny that she was very protective of their relationship. Oliver had dated before her, and so had she, but Laurel had been more than that and she knew it. In many ways, Laurel had known Oliver longer and their relationship had been several steps ahead of what Felicity was sharing with him right now.

“Stop it,” Felicity groaned, landing her hands flat on the desk. She wasn’t the jealous kind and if Oliver hadn’t tried to reassure her, she probably wouldn’t have thought much about it anyway. “He loves you and he is going to take off your dress with his teeth.”

“Oh God, I didn’t need to know **that** , Felicity,” Dig sighed as he walked into the room.

“Next time you should knock, then,” she stated calmly as he sat down on the chair opposite her.

“Door was open,” he smirked before popping a skittle in his mouth and handing her the package.

With a glare, she grabbed it, fishing out the green ones.

“Where’s Oliver?”

“Conference room,” Felicity said with her mouth full, pointing to the room with her chin. “With Laurel.”

“... Laurel?” Dig repeated, raising his eyebrows. “As in... Lance?”

“Yes,” Felicity grumbled, now picking the red candies.

“You know they broke up for a very good reason, right? Not to mention it was literally a lifetime ago.”

“I know. I’m just… they were engaged,” she shrugged. “It’s… I don’t know.”

“Felicity Smoak, jealous. Wow.”

“I’m not… jealous. Just… I just realized how far they were and how not really far we are.”

“To be fair he went missing for three years, Felicity. It’s pretty hard to build a relationship when one is… not even considered alive anymore.”

“I know. I’m ridiculous,” she whined, now eyeing the yellow skittles. Not her favorite but… in times of crisis…

“Yes, you are. The man loves you and… in a way he never loved Laurel. So yes they were engaged for… thirty minutes. But I think we both know he never committed to her. Not like he does with you. Also could I have my skittles back?”

Felicity huffed as she gave him back the small package, stealing a couple of yellow candies.

“I don’t even understand why it bothers me all of a sudden.”

“You should talk to him about it. It’s OK to have doubts sometimes.”

“You’re right, Yodadiggle.” 

“As always,” he smirked.

“Anything I could help you with in your personal life to even the scales?”

“Well, do we still have plans for tonight?”

Felicity frowned. “Well… yes. It’s Daryl Dixon’s day.”

“The Walking Dead, Felicity.”

“I’m sorry but I’m a Daryl girl through and through.”

Dig rolled his eyes but fortunately, now knew better than to push the subject. It was a very sensitive topic for her. Daryl was… he had a crossbow. A big, solid crossbow.

“Since it’s my turn, Chinese or pizza?”

“Chinese. I’ll be there by seven as usual,” Felicity said before stopping herself. “Wait. No, make it eight o’clock.”

Oliver had to undress her with his teeth after all.

  
  


***

 

“Laurel,” Oliver said, standing up as she walked in and closed the door behind her.

“Ollie,” she grinned at him, her face warming up as she took him in. She stepped closer to him, going in for a hug and he reciprocated, feeling slightly awkward. Was there any kind of decorum for these situations?

“How are you doing?” he asked as he offered her a seat at the head of the table.

“Good. Thank you.”

“My mom told me you were hired by a prestigious firm?”

“Yes. Last year. Things have been going great.”

“That’s good. It was your dream.”

“Yes,” she nodded, folding her hands on the table.

As she wasn’t adding anything, Oliver asked, “is there anything I can do for you?”

Glancing at him, Laurel took a deep breath. “I just… wanted to know how you were. I was very happy to know that you had been found alive and well but Tommy told me you weren’t really into company so I figured… well… it would have been kind of awkward anyway.”

Oliver tilted his head. He hadn’t known that Tommy had kept in touch with Laurel. “Yes it hasn’t been exactly… easy to settle back in.”

“But it looks like you’re on the right path,” Laurel said, her eyes travelling across the room. “I heard you are now Vice-President. Congratulations. I’m surprised you kept your old office.”

“I like this office. It’s familiar and also a place where I know…” he was about to say it was a place he was sure his father hadn’t slept with his mistress but remembering how much he had cheated on Laurel inside this very building, he stopped himself. “Where I feel comfortable,” he eventually added instead.

“I actually was planning to ask you if you wanted to go grab a drink or something… since it’s Friday night. So we could talk. But I see you’re not alone.”

“Hum… yes, Felicity is helping me with the computer and I honestly don’t know how long it’s going to take. Is there something you want to tell me?”

“No. It was mostly… we never talked or even saw each other ever since our… I mean that night at the mansion.”

“I’m sorry, Laurel. For what I did. And what I didn’t do sooner, actually,” Oliver said quietly, the guilt still heavy in him.

“No. It’s… I had a lot of time to think about it and… you were right. I lost my self respect along the way. It took me a long time to admit it but… I should have never let things go that far with you and still stay around.”

“I should have never considered getting married while cheating on you the way I did.”

Laurel let out a small smile, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I… you remember when QC finally made an official statement about our engagement? Well more like about the end of our engagement actually?”

“Yes. Of course I remember.” It had happened a couple of weeks before the Gambit had gone missing. Some paparazzi, helped by Felicity’s very own ex-boyfriend, had sold pics of them, in positions that left very little doubt concerning their intimate bond. It had forced QC’s public relations to do some damage control, starting with the official statement that his engagement with Laurel Lance had been called off a while ago.

“I saw the pictures in the magazines.”

Oliver winced. He wasn’t surprised but still wished he could have spared her. Adding humiliation to the situation hadn’t been his plan. He had let Laurel decide on the best way to handle the announcement of their break up and she had never said or done anything. He had assumed she had chosen to play it as them slowly drifting apart, or them breaking up during the planning of their wedding, not… thirty minutes after getting officially engaged.

But the tabloids exposing his relationship to Felicity had forced him into action, mostly to avoid making her look like a homewrecker.

“I still remember our talk. In the library. You said… you said it wasn’t because of her.”

“It wasn’t, Laurel. Things started with Felicity during that trip to Vegas.” Technically, at least. But he didn’t feel the obligation to share details of his relationship with Felicity. “Nothing… absolutely **nothing** happened while you and I were still together.”

_Apart from me falling in love with her._

“What… what didn’t work, Ollie? I mean all these years I kept wondering… what went wrong?”

“I… I don’t know Laurel. We just weren’t right for each other, I guess.”

“I used to think that we met too soon. You wised up when Robert passed away.”

Oliver paused, considering her words. She wasn’t wrong. His father’s death had forced him to face responsibilities but… it had also started before that. When he had told his dad that he didn’t want to be like him had been the day where he had slowly, but surely, found his own path and felt more comfortable in his life.

That being said… even if they had met later on… he knew now that Laurel would have never been what he needed to be happy.

He needed laughter and bickering. A girlfriend unable to make an omelet but knowing the periodic table by heart. One who could sabotage his car to prove her point and make him want to kiss her senseless as a result. One who never backed down and pushed him to give his best. Not because of her expectations, but because of her unwavering faith in him. One who was shy and awkward in society just as much as she was a giggler and a little vixen between the sheets.

One whose smile was enough to brighten his day, one who had slowly found her way to his heart without him even noticing it, until it was way too late, until he was head over heels in love with her.

One he’d rather spend the night holding in his arms over a quick hook up at the back of a pub. One he loved to fight with as much as he loved to make love to.

“... Ollie?”

Laurel’s voice reached him suddenly and he blinked, clearing his throat. “Sorry. I was… thinking. I wouldn’t have treated you that way if we had met later, Laurel. I’d like to think so at least.”

Laurel smiled, her body relaxing. “I think so too.”

“But we were never made for each other,” Oliver continued. “I don’t think either of us would have been able to make the other one happy.”

“... and she does? Felicity?” Laurel asked, holding her arms protectively around her.

Oliver hesitated, then settled on a half truth. “It’s complicated. It’s… not that easy to come back to life. She just stopped by to give me a hand today. That’s all. But it doesn’t change anything between you and I. We weren’t meant to be together, I think we both know that, deep down.”

Laurel nodded, folding her lips over her teeth before rummaging through her purse. “I’ve… I’ve been wondering since you were gone… what to do. I didn’t know. Until this morning, I didn’t know. But I think it’s time I give this back to you,” she explained as she handed him a ring.

Her engagement ring. Oliver recognized the blue stone, still as big and impressive as in his memories, completely circled by white diamonds.

“It felt wrong to give it to your mother and then you came back and… I wondered if… but… now I know.”

Oliver stared at the small piece of jewelry between his fingers, still remembering he hadn’t even picked it out with her, sending his mother instead. He had barely nodded in approval at her choice, already feeling so disconnected from everything.

“I guess I should go,” Laurel said as she stood up. “Thank you. I… I think I needed this to really put everything behind me for good.”

“Anytime,” Oliver answered as he saw her walking to the door. “Thank you for stopping by.”

With one last smile, Laurel opened the door and walked away, making sure to close it behind her.

Still sitting, Oliver couldn’t keep his eyes off the ring, being thrown back to three years earlier. How his life could have been different if Felicity hadn’t walked into his life. Isabel would have gained leadership over QC… therefore would he have even been targeted? Would his mother have been threatened if she hadn’t been in a position of power?

He had been willing to get married, settle down. He probably wouldn’t have thought that there was something more for him out there. And now, he was starting over from the very beginning with the woman he loved, despite the unbreakable bond they were already sharing.

When? When would they get there? When would it be the right time to pick a ring for Felicity and sweat buckets at the idea of proposing? Because he would be nervous this time. That much was a given.

That ring, no matter how small the object seemed, was the perfect symbol of the life he could have led. Admired by everyone, but one he wouldn’t have chosen.

With a smile, he put it in his pocket, knowing it was pointless to think of what could have happened. It hadn’t and he still had his entire future ahead of him, with the woman he loved by his side. Closing his laptop, he then switched off the light and joined Felicity in his office.

She was reading, a pen drumming against her lips and he coughed to attract her attention.

“Oh. Dig just went to get skittles,” she told him as he approached her. “And coffee.”

He smiled, pausing to put his laptop on his desk before pulling her to her feet. She let out a tiny squeal of surprise when he twisted her around then cradled her face between his hands before kissing her fully on the lips. He wished they had more time but at least one kiss wouldn’t hurt. She moaned against him, melting into his kiss instantly as her small hand gripped his shirt tightly on the side. He tasted lemon on her tongue and he grinned into the kiss, knowing she was probably the reason why Dig had to restock.

“What?” she breathed against his lips, obviously noticing his amusement.

“You ate his skittles, didn’t you?”

“What? No! He… he offered!”

“Honey… I taste lemon on your tongue. Which means you ate the green and red ones already. That makes probably at least half the pack.”

Felicity huffed when he dropped one last peck on the corner of her lips. She sat back on her chair and he took place next to her as well, his arm thrown against her backrest.

“So…” Felicity started, pursing her lips. “I don’t want to be that kind of girl but…”

“But you wonder what Laurel wanted, right?” Oliver finished for her, his fingers playing with her ponytail.

“Kind of?” she grimaced in apology.

“To give me back her engagement ring,” Oliver said as he leaned back against the chair, sliding his hand into his pocket. He held it out for Felicity to see and chuckled when he saw her wide eyes.

“Woaw. Oh my… that’s not a ring. You could build a Church on that rock!”

“It’s… big, I know. She picked it out with my mom,” he felt the need to add. He didn’t want her to worry about **her** future ring, seeing as this one wasn’t exactly her taste.

“You… wait. You didn’t choose her ring?”

“No… not really proud of it but she didn’t seem to mind.”

Felicity stared at him, her mouth agape. Eventually she shook her head, snorting, “well, I really don’t understand why it didn’t work out between you.”

“Yeah it wasn’t really smooth of me,” Oliver whispered.

“For sure. But… damn, don’t you ever think of sending me pick my engagement ring with your mom, Oliver. I can’t even fathom how a woman could be OK with that, to be honest. And that’s not on you.”

She froze suddenly, her face taking a very interesting shade of pink. “I didn’t mean that… that I’m thinking you have to propose anytime soon or even at some point, by the way. I was speaking… generally. Like very generally.”

Oliver felt the corner of his lips lifting at her obvious embarrassment. _If only she knew he had been thinking about her own ring himself not five minutes earlier…_

“You mean you’d say no?”

“No! Yes! I mean no I wouldn’t say no!” she stuttered, the pink turning to crimson. “Jeez Oliver I need more sugar to handle this conversation.”

Laughing, Oliver shook his head, taking pity on her. “Anyway… she wanted to bring back the ring and… I think we never really talked about our break-up. I guess she needed closure.”

“And did she get it?” Felicity asked softly.

“I think so.”

“Did you need it too? The closure, I mean?”

Oliver frowned, considering her question. “No. No. I think I really told her everything when I broke up with her but… it’s good to know that everything is clear for her as well. Even if it’s years later. And… it made me realize how close I had been to taking a very different path.”

“You got engaged,” Felicity nodded, folding her hands on her lap.

“Yeah… we never really talked about that before, did we?”

“Nope.”

“I… It wasn’t that long before we kissed for the first time. I mean more than a month for sure but… did you already have feelings?”

“Yes. Of course yes, there was already some feelings. But I mostly felt horrible for my sucky timing and swallowed them back real fast. I thought it was pointless anyway since well… you were getting married and I had just told you your future wife was spying on you, causing you to break up with her right after you officially announced, in front of at least a hundred people, that you were engaged.”

“You do have quite a sense of timing, I have to admit,” Oliver chuckled. “But you know that’s not really what made me realize it was a gigantic mistake.”

“What was it?”

“My mother’s speech.”

Felicity smiled softly, tilting her head. “It was a lovely speech.”

“Yes. But the person she was describing, the partner I could rely on and always count on, that helped me be a better person… it wasn’t Laurel that I saw in my mind. It was you.”

“Oh,” Felicity breathed, blinking. “So soon?”

“Yep. But make no mistake. I still didn’t really understand what it meant and… I swallowed the mental picture back real fast,” he said with a wink. “I think I was afraid because I was still confused about everything and… I didn’t want to bring you into this. I had to break up with Laurel because we weren’t made for each other, not because I had hope we could get together.”

“It feels weird you know. I never really thought of it before but… you almost married her. You almost married someone else. I just… I don’t know. You shared something special enough with her to consider it and… I think I’m a bit jealous.”

Oliver huffed out a surprised laugh. “What?”

“Not like… listening through the door with a glass jealous. More like… she had you for longer than I did and shared many things with you first,” Felicity shrugged sheepishly.

“I understand," Oliver murmured. Jealousy was a feeling he had become very familiar with. But he was also mature enough to realize that what they had couldn't be compared to anything else. "I feel the same way about you. I’m jealous of Cooper who knew you when you still had dark hair. I’m jealous of the first boy you kissed. I’m jealous of the first man you slept with. But I also know that… one day I’ll be the one seeing your hair turn white. I’ll be the last man you kiss. The last one you make love with. In the end… I win. We both do.”

Felicity pinched her lips, tears pooling in her eyes as she grabbed a tissue from his desk. “Damn it, Oliver. If this whole Vice-President thing doesn’t work out for you, I suggest giving romance books a try. Nicholas Sparks has nothing on you.”

Oliver grinned as she started to blow her nose, in a very un-lady like manner. He liked it that she didn’t care about being unsexy or ungraceful in front of him. He liked that she was comfortable enough not to pretend.

“So what are you going to do with the ring? I mean you could probably use it as a weapon seeing the size of the thing but it might be a waste.”

“I think maybe sell it for charity? It’s not a family jewel, after all.”

“That’s a good idea, actually,” Felicity nodded in approval just as Dig walked back inside the room, a cup holder with three mugs in hand.

“Felicity wanted a frappuccino,” he explained as he put them down on the desk. “A frappuccino in October…”

“Hey!” Felicity protested as she took her drink, licking her lips. “I’ll have you know that it’s perfectly normal and common to-”

A small beep interrupted her and she put the plastic cup back on the desk with a squeal. “Oh God it’s done. It finally got back to the day before your father died. I have the elevator cameras, as well as the hallways just outside his office.”

Dig hurried behind them, grabbing a chair and sitting on the other side of Felicity.

Before clicking, she briefly turned to face Oliver. “Is it OK? I mean you’re going to see him, do you want to watch alone?”

“No. Don’t worry,” Oliver shook his head. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but he was ready.

“Alright,” Felicity nodded before clicking. She fast forwarded and they kept their eyes glued to the screen, watching the clock going up and up until Felicity finally slowed when Robert’s secretary left.

“That’s his secretary, right?”

“Yes, Rosie. She is leaving early,” Oliver confirmed.

Felicity sped up the footage, Oliver tensing beside her. He was hopefully about to find out who his father had met the day before he had died. Who had been that person he didn’t want Rosie to see. For some reason he wasn’t positive he was ready to face that truth, a bad feeling twisting his insides.

Finally thirty minutes after Rosie had left, they saw a familiar silhouette on the screen.

“Oh,” Felicity said quietly.

“Well… I guess… it kinda puts her back on the list for sure, right?”

“Yup,” Oliver nodded, gritting his teeth. Isabel. It was Isabel that his father had met the day before his death.

“Why did he want Rosie out, though? I mean Isabel was his VP, it’s not exactly surprising…” Dig trailed off when Isabel and Robert suddenly appeared in the footage. They were visibly arguing, Robert holding her out by the shoulders, Isabel… apparently crying from what they could see on the low quality video.

“Is she… is she crying?” Oliver asked.

“Yeah it looks like it. She is distressed for sure at the very least,” Dig confirmed.

“Wait isn’t it the day… oh. Oliver remember when she told us about the pregnancy? She was supposed to get an abortion right when your father died. Maybe…”

“Maybe she was just trying to convince him,” Oliver sighed, grabbing his head between his hands. “Which explains why dad sent Rosie away. He didn’t want her to witness it.”

Standing up, he pushed back his chair violently, pacing with his hands on his hips. It was probably another dead-end. He knew there was a chance Isabel was linked to what had happened but… she also had every reason to be in his father’s office.

“Oliver…” Felicity murmured as she stood up, joining him by the window. She squeezed his bicep in her hands, leaning against him. “We’ll find something. You know we will. I’ll check the footage from the days before. There might be someone showing up who doesn’t belong.”

“I know… at some point… something is going to happen but… two people died last week. You got hurt. How long will it take for us to find who is behind that?”

Rubbing his back in soothing patterns, Felicity rested her chin against his shoulder. “We’ve already made so much progress. Don’t let that little set back get you down. There are still many clues we haven’t explored. The rest of the list, for instance.”

“I know… I know,” Oliver sighed before pulling her into his arms, holding her tight. He knew he was probably squeezing her but she didn’t protest. Once he felt better, he let her go with a small kiss on her head and went back to his desk.

“Felicity is right, man. We have many leads we still need to explore. I know it’s frustrating. But compare it to where we were two weeks ago.”

“I know,” Oliver answered as he picked up his coffee and took a long sip. “I think I should start packing so we can all go back home.”

“Dig and I are having our zombie night,” Felicity said with a small wince, twisting her hands. “But if you don’t mind watching Daryl… I mean the Walking Dead, you can-”

“No, honey, thank you,” Oliver shook his head. “It’s your night. And I have some work to do anyway. I saved some leftovers for dinner, don't worry.”

“You sure? We can postpone,” Dig offered as well.

“No. Just make sure she doesn’t eat too many dumplings. Her stomach hurt last time.”

“Hey, **she** is right here!”

“Felicity… I love you more than words can say but you simply can not be trusted with dumplings,” Oliver said as he framed her face between his hands.

She glared at him as he gave her one last wink before heading to the bathroom. As he was washing his hands, he tried not to feel too defeated. Felicity and Dig were right. They still had plenty of leads and it wasn’t exactly as if Isabel had never been on their list of suspects. Especially since she had recently come back into the country.

Resting his hands against the counter, he bowed his head, repeating to himself that they had made huge progress. They were moving forward.

A small startled cry made him whip his head around, recognizing instantly Felicity’s startled voice. Opening the door, he rushed inside his office, his heart barely having the time to calm down before he was already by her side. He noticed Dig rushing as well as she turned her head to face him, her mouth opened in a mix of shock and surprise.

“Hon’?” he asked hurriedly.

She pointed to the screen and at first he didn’t know what he was supposed to see. The tab of the footage was still opened, and had kept on running until Felicity had abruptly stopped it at 6:23PM. Which was about two hours after Isabel had left.

Oliver took a step back once he was able to make out the silhouette. The still wasn’t giving much away but judging by how his father was standing, he was probably in the middle of a heated argument.

And Oliver knew exactly who his father was fighting with.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oopsie!  
> A cliffie, damn it, how did the little sucker end up at the end of my chapter?!
> 
> Is it *really* a cliffie though? ;)
> 
> I have a few comments about Laurel, dear old Laurel, being back. First of all, let's blame the sucky timing. This chapter has been written since late October, early November, long before we were supposed to get her back on her screen (even if for only a couple of episodes). Now, unfortunately, we got her in 508, we're getting her in 510 *grumbles*. I had several plans for Laurel in HGW. My very, very first was to redeem her character and make her some kind of a black canary (some kind as in Oliver is some kind of a Green Arrow, know what I mean?) but avoiding all the usual tropes and stuff as well as romantic pairing. Mostly because I like kick ass female characters and that is what she should have been on the show. Then, unfortunately, I always loved Sara the most so I figured if I was gonna go that road, I would have Sara as kind of BC. Then as you know, I sent Sara away to make sure Felicity and Dig could bond. I also had the Tommy/LL possibility that honestly... was a strong possibility because I did like them together. When I say I liked them together it is mostly that Tommy made her bearable. But then... then 419 happened. ANd I couldn't do that because Tommy Merlyn deserves better. AFter that episode I knew I just couldn't bring myself to really write for her character because the damage had been done. 
> 
> That being said... it doesn't sit well with me that LL didn't get her closure in HGW. That we didn't see her really move on, with at least a bit of self esteem. So I always planned for her to show up again in STAMTB. For how long and how, that was unsure. But as a woman, she deserved answers to her questions. Questions I would have asked myself to if I had been in her situation. Did she cling onto O for three years?... No. Did she see him coming back and think maybe it was their second chance? Yes. A changed man, and as far as she knew, single. Is it because she hasn't learned anything? No. I think in her mind, Oliver is still a man she could see herself with, especially since he has changed. Who could blame her for real?   
> Danka wanted her to be a bit more... "clingy" but I didn't want to write for her any more than necessary, I didn't want the focus to be on her. So if you have more questions concerning her mindset, don't hesitate to ask :)
> 
> ANd I thought it was also good for Oliver to get rid of his guilt, to make him take a few steps back and rethink his life. Also good for Felicity to realize how far they had come as a couple. Having LL show up makes O and F talk about serious things about their relationship, makes them realize how protective they are of their relationship. ANd it's good and healthy for them. It also tests the trust a bit, explores jealousy, but allows me not to fall into clichés. 
> 
> Last but not least... for those who remember, in HGW, there was a few confrontations between F and LL. Or not confrontations but awkward scenes when LL visited O at the office. Laurel always had "the upper" hand, being the official girlfriend and so on... I wanted Felicity to be able to get said upper hand at least once too :) (even though she isn't the official girlfriend... she calls the shots and this time Laurel has no other choice but to wait and stay in her lane lol).
> 
> On this, circle prayer my muse gets back and you don't have to wait another month for the next update ;)
> 
> Xoxo


	26. Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys :)  
> Here is the next chapter - more clues, things move forward a bit on different fronts. Emotionally speaking, it's an important moment for Oliver too, as well as for Felicity. They are gonna have to sort out a bunch of stuff in the next few chapters, related to their three years apart and Oliver's PTSD. So buckle up :)
> 
> Thanks to everyone who left a comment, or reached out on twitter, you guys rock! I am trying to reply those comments but yeah I'm clearly behind... sorry, I'm getting to it I promise!!
> 
> Also, happy birthday Dani :)
> 
> Song: Monsters - Imagine Dragons
> 
> PS: I am so sorry for the folks on tumblr, haven't logged in in months... too much crap in my life at the moment and right now it doesn't exactly work for me. But I love you all <3<3 it is mostly for my own sanity that I avoid it ;)

**"Monster"**   
  


Ever since I could remember,  
Everything inside of me,  
Just wanted to fit in (oh, oh, oh, oh)  
I was never one for pretenders,  
Everything I tried to be,  
Just wouldn't settle in (oh, oh, oh, oh)

If I told you what I was,  
Would you turn your back on me?  
And if I seem dangerous,  
Would you be scared?  
I get the feeling just because  
Everything I touch isn't dark enough  
That this problem lies in me

I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,  
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.  
A monster, a monster,  
I've turned into a monster,  
A monster, a monster,  
And it keeps getting stronger.

Can I clear my conscience  
If I'm different from the rest?  
Do I have to run and hide? (oh, oh, oh, oh)  
I never said that I want this,  
This burden came to me,  
And it's made its home inside (oh, oh, oh, oh)

If I told you what I was,  
Would you turn your back on me?  
And if I seem dangerous,  
Would you be scared?  
I get the feeling just because,  
Everything I touch isn't dark enough  
That this problem lies in me

I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,  
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.  
A monster, a monster,  
I've turned into a monster,  
A monster, a monster,  
And it keeps getting stronger.

I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,  
I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.  
A monster, a monster,  
I've turned into a monster,  
A monster, a monster,  
And it keeps getting stronger.

 

 

 

Oliver swiftly slipped through the window, landing soundlessly on the tile floor. Not moving, he quickly checked his surroundings. The room was mostly dark, spacious like the master bathroom of a two million dollar mansion should be. No sound could be heard, the entire house was completely silent.

Pressing a small button on his chest, he murmured, “I’m in.”

“See? I told you these comms were a good idea,” Felicity teased him, the background noise telling him she was typing on a keyboard furiously.

“Hon’...”

“I like that codename, by the way.”

He rolled his eyes, feeling the corner of his lips rising.

“As long as I don’t get called ‘sweetie’, I’m good with that codename too,” Dig’s voice echoed in his ear. “Everything is clear here… pumpkin.” 

_Et tu, John?_

“From the security cams in the garden, he switched off the lights one hour ago. He should be asleep by now. Just be careful,” Felicity said in a more serious tone.

Nodding, Oliver finally stood up, walking to the door on his right, knowing it would lead him to Dylan Stern’s bedroom. Opening it slowly, he peeked inside, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness until he could make out the bed, and the shape lying under the sheets. A small snore could be heard, confirming that his target was asleep. Reaching in his pocket, Oliver took out a small gun, aiming it towards the sleeping form as he slowly approached him.

Keeping his eyes on him, Oliver switched on the light, then covered the man’s mouth with his hand, giving it a rough shake.

The middle-aged man woke up with a start, eyes wide looking frantically around him as he tried to move away from Oliver’s grip.

“Don’t move,” Oliver in a low voice, pointing his gun directly towards the man’s face. “I do not want to cause you harm. But I will if you force me to.”

He could see the confusion in Dylan Stern’s eyes, and panic growing as well. “I only have a few questions. Just answer me, and I’ll leave you unscathed. If you move or make a sound, you’ll have a bullet between your eyes. Are we clear?”

Eyes glued to the gun Oliver was pointing at him, the man nodded vigorously and Oliver slowly took away his hand. The man took a short intake of breath, Oliver’s hand ready to grab him by the throat at the slightest move.

“Just do it. I have nothing left to lose anyway,” Stern said in a small voice.

“I don’t want to kill you. I want to find out who killed your wife.”

“Is this a test? I learned my lesson. I’ll never talk.”

“I’m not part of the project. I want to stop them. I want to stop the people who killed your wife.”

“You can’t. And… they’ll go after my son.”

“Who are they?” Oliver growled, sensing the man was on the brink of breaking down. Interrogating someone emotionally unstable was almost impossible.

“Why do you care? Who are you?” the man replied, his eyes filling with tears. “It’s too late anyway. I have sent my son away and if I still live afterwards, I’ll join him. There is nothing we can do.”

“I can stop them. Just tell me who they are.”

Dylan Stern just shook his head, making Oliver tighten his grip on the gun. He knew how to make people talk. He had become quite good at it thanks to Amanda Waller and the Bratva… but there was a battle going on inside of him right now. Could he do it to someone innocent?

… But Dylan Stern wasn’t really innocent was he?

“Is your wife the only one who got killed because of them?” Oliver asked, fearing the answer to the question might tip the scale in a direction in which he wasn’t confident he could deal with the consequences.

“No…”

“People who wanted out? Because you wanted out, right?”

“It… it wasn’t supposed to be that way. At first it was just a way to clean up and make sure we wouldn’t suffer financially but… then a few of us… he…”

“Is there anybody else here?” Oliver asked in a breath.

“What?” the man replied with a confused expression.

“I’m not talking to you,” Oliver explained curtly. He heard Felicity’s little yelp as she understood the question was directed towards her and a few more clicks were heard before her answer. “No. I checked every single camera, and he never had personal security home… why?”

The scream of pain from Dylan Stern was the only noise that answered her as Oliver broke his finger.

“O… oh my God Ol-... what?” Felicity’s terrified whisper echoed in his ear and with a press on the button of his jacket, he silenced her. He had to do this. He didn’t have a choice. Dylan Stern was the only lead they had and he had answers. He had to get these answers in any way necessary.

 

***

 

Felicity started at the scream that reached her, her hand covering her mouth. She stopped herself just in time from saying Oliver’s name - just in case - but she heard his groan and understood that whoever had been in terrible pain… it wasn’t him. Then the comm went silent.

For ten long minutes, the comm was silent.

When Oliver had pitched the idea to pay Dylan Stern - the man whose wife had been executed at the gala - a visit, Dig had thought it might be their best shot at getting answers. Felicity had rallied to them, thinking the mourning husband would probably give them hints, if not the identity, of those responsible for this tragedy. But now she was left completely in the dark, despite Dig’s quiet reassurance that he was still waiting for Oliver and that he hadn’t heard a gunshot. Which did nothing to reassure her since she knew very well Oliver had packed a gun with a silencer.

“I see him,” Dig said suddenly. “We’ll be there in fifteen.”

Felicity let out a breath of relief she wasn’t aware she was still holding. “Is he OK?”

“Seems like it.”

“Shut the comm,” she heard Oliver say, followed by the banging of a car door closing.

“What?! Don’t you-” Felicity yelped, but the silence that answered her confirmed her that Dig had done as asked.

They had left her out of the loop. Willingly. While she didn’t even know for sure Oliver was fine. What had happened? Was mister Stern alright? Was-

Oliver’s voice suddenly reached her and she almost whimpered in relief. Not so much that he was apparently fine, but that he had come back on his decision to leave her out of it.

“I’m OK. I just… I just need a moment,” Oliver said in a voice that made her shudder. He sounded… cold. Calm. But also defeated.

“How is Dylan Stern?”

“Alive.”

Alive.

Alive.

For some reason… this did not comfort her. Not when there was something so gloomy in Oliver’s voice. And it made her remember that ski-mask dude, the one she had met, had put a bullet between a man’s eyes without second thoughts. Had almost choked another man to death. In front of her. It had been easy to forget this was the same man as Oliver when her Oliver had been nothing but loving, kind, tender. But there was this side of him that she had, willingly she had to admit it, pushed aside. And tonight had been a wake-up call.

What had happened to Oliver to turn him into someone who could do these things so easily? Who had taught him that? What had caused him to become that man?

She was still trying to reconcile both men - ski-mask dude and the boyfriend who had held a hot water bottle against her abdomen all night long, the one who had looked up recipes on [allrecipes.com](http://allrecipes.com/) and left a post-it with little hearts on her bathroom mirror - when the click of the automatic door resonated in what she called the lair.

Sniffling, she stood up, holding her arms protectively around her and one glance at Oliver confirmed to her that something had happened. His face was closed, his eyes low, his jaw forming a set line that emphasized the bleak look on his face.

“Oliver?” she asked hesitantly, unsure if she should reach for him or not. She glanced at Dig who was following him and he just shook his head with a shrug.

“I’m fine, Felicity,” Oliver replied as he went to put his gun, and other knives, in the drawers where the weapons were stored.

“Mister Stern…?”

“I told you. He is alive.”

“What happened, man?” Dig said with a sigh as he leaned against the med table, his arm circling Felicity’s shoulders in support.

“Malcolm is in it. For sure,” Oliver answered before slamming the drawer shut. “Malcolm Merlyn, my father’s best friend, plotted to kill him.”

The pain in his voice made Felicity instinctively reach for him but Dig held her back, his eyes fixed on Oliver.

“What… Dig?” she asked with a frown, wondering why he wouldn’t let her get to Oliver to… to… she didn’t know why but she had to be near him. She had to touch him, hug him or… anything at all. Ever since he had seen the footage of Malcolm and Robert, Oliver had been struggling, keeping his emotions bottled up. She hadn’t been fooled by his suggestion to interrogate Mr Stern. A part of Oliver had probably hoped it wasn’t Malcolm Merlyn who was behind all the trauma he had been living with for almost four years. Unfortunately… it had only confirmed their suspicions.

“Man, are you OK?” Dig asked with a calm voice.

“As OK as finding out your best friend’s father tried to kill you,” Oliver snorted, crossing his arms against his chest. “Then patted your shoulder and said ‘welcome home, son’ when he found out he hadn’t succeeded.”

“How… what else did you find?”

“Apparently Malcolm is one of the big names. But he’s not the only leader.”

“And that project?”

“It’s… all he could say was that he just wanted to take his business somewhere else. He repeated it over and over again and… I couldn’t…” Oliver said, his voice strangled as he rubbed a hand over his face. “I stopped because…”

Felicity shrugged off Dig’s arm, her feet carrying her to Oliver almost on instinct. Oliver started, almost as if he was surprised to see her coming to him, his body tensing when she slowly circled his arm with her hands, trying to offer him her support.

“It’s OK,” she whispered, squeezing his bicep reassuringly.

“Oliver, why don’t we go for a round with those sticks of yours?” Dig asked, shrugging his jacket off. “It will clear your head.”

Visibly hesitating, Oliver eventually shrugged, slipping away from her embrace. Pinching her lips, she watched him as he went to change his clothes, Dig stopping by her.

“Don’t worry. He needs to set his mind onto something else,” he said in a soft voice, pressing her shoulder.

Felicity nodded, watching as they both headed towards the back of the room where they kept their spare clothes. No matter how hard it was, she had to accept that she wasn’t what Oliver needed at the moment.

As she sat down on her chair, she tried to gather her thoughts. At least now they had confirmation. What could they do with that piece of information now? Going to the police was out of the question since they were in it as well apparently.

What they needed was to find enough proof to expose them all. Enough to attract the attention of the media and spread the word.

After twenty minutes of grunting and general swearing, Dig approached her desk, gulping down half of a bottle of water.

“See? I told you a mini fridge was a good idea,” she said in a lame attempt to hide her nervousness. She could still heard muffled sounds in the back, as if someone was hitting something repeatedly.

“Oliver is… working out,” Dig said with a wince as he sat down on the desk.

“Is he OK?”

“He will be. He just needs to… cool down. I think he was faced with some ugly memories today.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Felicity admitted quietly, keeping her eyes on her computer screen.

Dig sighed, playing with his now empty bottle of water. “I wish I could tell you but everyone is different. Try to talk to him once he’s in a better place. That’s all I can say.”  
  
  


 

Felicity watched Oliver as he carefully locked her door, placing the security chain as well. They had barely talked on their way back to her apartment, Oliver falling into a more and more brooding silence.

“I’m going to shower,” he murmured as he made his way to the bathroom.

Standing alone in the middle of her living room, she nodded, sensing he was cutting himself off from her. With a sigh, she went to change into her PJs. It was almost 2AM and to say that she was exhausted was putting it mildly. But her brain was overstressed and she knew she probably wouldn’t be able to fall asleep right away. At least not until she got the chance to at least get Oliver to open up a bit.

Fidgety, she made herself a cup of relaxing tea, hearing the sound of the shower running for much longer than usual before it eventually stopped. She was sipping her tea, leaning on the kitchen counter when Oliver walked in, barefoot, hair still damp.

“I thought you’d be in bed,” he said with a frown. “You should rest.”

Felicity licked her lips, rolling her mug between her cold fingers. She observed him quietly as he poured himself a glass of water, still unsure of how to act.

_Gotta rip off the band-aid._

“What did you do to Stern, Oliver?” she eventually asked, knowing he shoudn't keep it to himself.

He froze for a moment before finishing his glass quietly. “I interrogated him.”

“How? Why did you turn off your comm?”

“Because I didn’t want you to hear.”

Leaving his empty glass in the sink, Oliver walked away, heading to the bedroom. Shaking her head, Felicity squared her shoulders, following him. She wouldn’t let him cut himself off from her.

“I need answers, Oliver.”

“I broke his fingers, OK?” he eventually said as he pulled the covers open.

Felicity felt her breath catching in her throat and she put her mug down on a drawer. “Oh God, Oliver…”

“It’s effective. Pain makes people talk. Actually, the fear of pain makes them talk. It worked. I did what I had to do. Please get into bed.”

It was only at that point that she realized Oliver was standing by her side of the bed, holding the blankets open for her.

“What… if you even think about leaving me, you’ve got a surprise coming, Oliver.”

“I can’t sleep right now,” he said curtly. “But you need rest. Your shoulder needs rest. So please get into bed. I’m not leaving, I’ll just go in the living room.”

“Talk to me, Oliver.”

“There’s nothing to say, Felicity,” he snapped. “I did what I had to do. End of the story.”

“Then why are you behaving this way?”

Oliver paused, pinching his lips, his eyes travelling everywhere in the room and obviously avoiding meeting hers. She could see the tension, the battle inside of him and all she could do was wait for an answer, unsure if what she was doing was right or would only push him away even more. She was walking in the dark, relying on her instincts and her love for him and all she could do was pray that she knew him well enough to be able to help him.

“It’s because you didn’t like doing that, am I right?” she asked, trying to force him to meet her eyes. “It reminded you of things…?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Felicity.”

He walked past her, heading towards the living room and she stayed there, watching him leaving her, her arms hanging limply by her sides… not knowing if she should follow him or not. She eventually sat down on the bed and put on a pair of socks, understanding he probably wouldn’t be there to warm her feet during the night. She was trying to understand, trying to figure out what was eating him alive that way. Was it disgust? Self-hatred? Regrets? Or… lack of regrets when he should have felt some? A little bit of everything?

You can take a horse to the water but you can’t force it to drink. Her mother had always told her that concerning her father. She had tried for them to be a family but at the end of the day, when one parent didn’t want to be there, there was nothing the other one could do.

Except Oliver wasn’t even near a fucking river. He was in another room, probably brooding or sulking.

But... he was still there.

With decided steps, Felicity made her way to the living room, unsurprised to see Oliver sitting on the couch, eyes staring into emptiness rather than on the TV that was on some weird show about vampires.

Wordlessly, she sat down by his side, crossing her legs and turning on the couch to face him. She saw the way his shoulders tensed and when he kept on pretending she wasn’t there, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“So you broke his fingers. And then he talked.”

Oliver slowly exhaled, finally facing her. “Yes.”

“How did you feel?”

“I just basically tortured a man, how do you think I felt?”

“... I don’t know. I don’t know because I’ve never been in that position. But I can take a guess? I think… you felt like you were doing the right thing. You tried to get the answer out of him. I heard you. And then at some point you reached the conclusion that for you the only way to make him talk was to cause him pain. So you shut your comm, because you didn’t want me to hear that. Which makes me think you’re ashamed of that part of you. And once it was done, you got your answers which proved you were right to do it. But still. You went back to Dig and told him you needed a moment. So I don’t know if you feel regrets… or if you feel bad for not having regrets.”

“I… I don’t know,” Oliver admitted quietly. “It used to be easy to do it. No questions, no doubts. It became very easy once you had a target in mind. But…”

“Not anymore?”

“No. All I could think about was that you were going to know. And also… what does it say of me, as a man, if I can do these kind of things and the only thing that makes me hesitate is not even my own morals but how you are going to perceive me?”

“How did you feel when you… broke his finger?” Felicity asked, trying to keep the trembling in her voice to a strict minimum. No matter how assured she wanted to look, it wasn’t exactly the type of conversation she was used to having.

“Detached. I know these things. It’s simple. You’ve got to make him talk.”

“Who did this to you, Oliver?”

“... what?”

“You told me fear of pain makes people talk. You learned it yourself didn’t you? Then who did this to you?”

“Felicity…”

“You promised, Oliver. No lies. That was my condition,” she reminded him with a firm voice. She wouldn’t back down on this.

She could see how fidgety he was becoming, obviously uncomfortable with her questions. Reaching out, she grabbed his hand between hers, gently stroking his knuckles.

“A part of me was screaming for me to stop, the other that it was the only way,” Oliver finally said, his voice barely a murmur. She noticed he didn’t answer her other question, but at least he hadn’t lied. “How can I be… how can I be both men? Oliver Queen, Vice-President of QC and… a man who tortures answers out of grieving widowers?”

“You can because someone forced you to become that man. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be that man for the rest of your life. It means that you are trying to get back to your life the best you can, in a situation that forces you to revert to what those three years taught you. You stopped, right? With Stern?”

“Yes… I couldn’t… I couldn’t continue. I should have, because he knew so many more things but…” Oliver paused, gulping. “I couldn’t do it.”

Scooting closer to him, she let her hand stroke the back of his neck, hoping her touch would be enough to soothe him.

“How are you not… afraid? Or disgusted?” Oliver asked, a deep confusion in his eyes.

“Because I know that this part of you… isn’t the real you. You wouldn’t feel that way if it was. Because I don’t blame you and I will never blame you for surviving and coming back to me. I know there is a heavy price to pay, and I know you’re paying it more than I am, but… in the end… all I can think about is that you’re here. And that you clearly didn’t like doing what you did. I might be scared if you felt nothing about it, I’m not going to lie. But it’s not the case.”

Oliver nodded, a small smile stretching his lips. His eyes were still heavy with sadness and something close to despair, but at least he didn’t seemed as burdened. “What did I do to get so lucky to have you?”

“You mean apart from your bagels?”

There it was. His smile widening, finally reaching his eyes. “Apart from that, yes.”

“Mmmhhh…” she hummed, feigning reflection as she climbed on his lap. His arms automatically circled her as she let her hand rest on the back of his neck. “Let’s see… there is the obvious, which I already stated long and clear last week, I believe.”

“Not that I’ll ever get tired of hearing it.”

“Your ego doesn’t need any boosting, Mister Queen.”

“Keep squirming on me like that and it sure won’t.”

“Behave,” she chuckled before pressing a small peck on his lips.

“I’ll give you behave,” he smirked, before twisting her in his arms until she was lying on her back, his body covering hers.

She moaned in contentment, his weight above her always so weirdly reassuring. He kept her warm, and safe. Her hair was falling in her eyes and Oliver delicately pushed it away, slipping a few strands behind her ears.

“I really want to kiss you,” he murmured.

Grinning, she circled her arms around his neck. “Then get to it. I’ve been dying for a good old fashioned snogging session for a while.”

“Felicity, you’re the one who always… jumps me,” Oliver laughed.

“I have a lot to catch up on, Oliver. A lot. Sorry if sometimes I get… overenthusiastic.”

“Tell that to my poor raspberry and white chocolate mousse.”

“I’m not even sorry about that one,” she smiled mischievously, remembering how she had literally used Oliver’s body as a plate… or popsicle, actually. She had spent a lot of time focusing on that part of his anatomy.

His lips were soft against her, almost hesitant. He took his time, letting her give him entrance at her own rhythm and she let out a deep sigh when she finally welcomed his tongue inside her mouth. It was tender, and slow, Oliver seemingly in no rush at all to speed things up and for once… she wasn’t either.

She eventually lowered her arms, slipping her hands underneath Oliver’s T-shirt, taking the time to caress his skin in the same leisurely pace her tongue was playing with his. Whenever they would come up for air, they would linger, breathing each other in, dropping little pecks everywhere they could reach before their lips found each other’s again. Tracing the scarred tissue on his lower back, she caught the small strangled moan that escaped him and she continued, noticing the skin right above the outline was apparently more sensitive than she had noticed before.

It was her turn to whimper when he captured her tongue, suckling on it, the tip of his own tongue teasing hers mercilessly. She nibbled on his lower lip when he finally released her, earning a small chuckle from him as he shifted them until they were both on their sides, Oliver’s back pressed against the couch. Hooking a leg above his, she snuggled as close as she could, blindly searching for his lips again, until she finally could taste him again and drown in his warmth. The small tingles that always started to grow in her stomach whenever Oliver would kiss her, or look at her, or talk to her or generally speaking be near her if she was honest, started to spread slowly, slowly, accompanying every single one of his kisses until she felt them in her toes. Her entire body was relaxing, literally melting into his, her soft curves finding their natural place against his hard muscles. Oliver pulled a blanket over their bodies and she moaned in contentment, deliciously warm in his arms as they shared a few innocent kisses, lips lingering, unwilling to lose contact until one of them would rub their noses together.

This whole make-out session was definitely a great idea.

Eventually, Oliver started to trail kisses along her jaw, then down her throat, until he could settle his head over her breasts, his hand covering her butt almost protectively. The gesture amused her for some reason, reminding her of his obsession with this part of her anatomy. She slipped her hand away from his back, cradling his face, her fingers lacing through his hair. Oliver almost purred when she scratched his skull with her nails, burying his face against her chest and she pressed a small kiss on his forehead, moved to see him, so strong yet seeking her tenderness. She wasn’t used to seeing him physically letting his guard down… apart from when they were making love, obviously… and even then he was always so focused on her that she wasn’t sure she could exactly call it lowering his guard. But this, right now… it was pure, unadulterated trust. And she cherished it.

 

 

***  
  
  
  


“This is a gorgeous building,” Thea commented as they parked their car in front of a beautiful, modern skyscraper right in the middle of the city.

“It is,” he nodded as he closed his door, Dig following them as they met up with the real estate agent Thea had made an appointment with. Jeremiah, probably used to work with Starling’s elite, welcomed them with one of those superficial and too warm smiles, and Oliver gritted his teeth, thankful he had brought his sister along.

“Miss Queen, Mister Queen. I have selected five apartments all within a five mile radius as you asked.”

“Perfect.”

The first apartment they visited was spacious, on the 18th floor. And modern. Way too modern. The windows were going from the ceiling to the floor and knowing Felicity’s fear of heights, Oliver knew this wouldn’t do. The second one was slightly better but the security wasn’t what he was hoping for. Third one wasn’t big enough and the master bedroom and ensuite bathroom just didn’t fit. Especially since apparently the building wasn’t very soundproof. Which… was definitely something he wanted. For reasons.

“You’re much more difficult than I thought you’d be,” Thea told him as they were on their way to visit apartment number four. “Not that it’s bad, mind you. Just surprising considering our conversation when all that you could tell me was: two to three bedrooms, big bathroom and nice kitchen.”

“Sorry,” Oliver chuckled. “I had the time to think more about it, I guess?”

“Let’s hope number four and five will be better then.”

In the end, they didn’t even visit number five. Because number four did the trick. It was on the top floor of a twenty story building. High security, halfway between QC and PT. Modern, simple but not overly luxurious. Some of the walls were made of bricks and it was something Oliver really liked for some reason. The kitchen was big enough, with an island and what looked like a good stove. The living room was open space, with a fireplace, and the windows were big enough to let the sun pour into the room. Oliver particularly liked the master bedroom with a big walk-in closet and a bathroom with a tub and a large shower. There was another bedroom with a smaller bathroom attached and an office. A balcony ran along the living room, the windows were tinted so even curious neighbours from other buildings wouldn’t be able to see inside.

Thea was busy making notes concerning paints and furniture when Oliver discreetly approached Jeremiah. “When it comes to decoration, what is allowed or not?”

“Well, you’ll have to pay a deposit as you know, but other than that, apart from knocking down walls or replacing windows…”

“Mirrors are OK?”

Jeremiah looked at him in surprise. “Well yes of course.”

“I can hang them, they can be fixed on flat surfaces then?”

“Sure.”

Oliver grinned then, nodding. “Perfect. I'll take it.”

“What? Are you sure? There is still the last one.”

“Nope. It has everything I need.”

_Big tub and I can hang a mirror above the bed? Not letting that one go._   
  


 

One hour later, Oliver and Thea were having lunch together, Dig having prefered to stay inside the car.

“Well, to your new place,” Thea grinned, clinking her glass of water with his. “So since I did such an amazing job with the real estate agency… do you also need a home designer?”

Oliver huffed out a laugh. “I might need advice but… I’d like to do this myself. Apart from the second bedroom. You can do whatever you want.”

“That’s the kind of thing I like to hear.”

After they had given their orders, they talked about work. Thea told him she was considering working in public relations, her time in that department really opening her eyes to what she actually liked to do. To his surprise, she even mentioned the possibility of going to College next year to study in that field and seemed open to the idea of eventually going to work to QC. But Oliver also realized it wasn’t a definitive plan either, his sister having gotten a taste of making her own place and fighting for her own worth rather than having opportunities offered to her and once again, he mentally thanked Felicity for having stepped in right in time. He couldn’t deny he wished she would join the family company but if she found another path, one that would make her happy, then he’d be perfectly fine with it.

They had just finished their main course, Thea waiting for the waiter to bring her the dessert menu, when they started to hear a few sirens. At first no one really paid attention, but as more and more emergency vehicles started to be heard, Oliver and Thea shared an anxious look. The rest of the customers also seemed to wonder what the commotion was about but before Oliver could ask anything, Dig entered the small restaurant, his face closed off.

Fishing in his wallet, Oliver threw a few bills on the table before grabbing Thea’s elbow, making her stand up despite her protests.

“Ollie…? My tiramisu…?” she asked, confused as she quickly grabbed her purse before following him.

“What is going on?”

“I just had Felicity on the phone. There is something going on in the Glades. Explosion.”

“What? Felicity? Where is she, is she alright?” Thea asked, running after them to keep up.

“Yes she is home, don’t worry,” Dig answered, throwing a glance at Oliver at the same time.

“Do we know anything else?” Oliver asked as they all made it to the car.

“No. It seemed like an explosion, or a big fire, she wasn’t sure.”

“Oh God,” Thea interrupted them, her eyes glued to her cell phone. “Yes, it’s… it’s bad. It’s in the north of the Glades. Looks like some warehouses… not positive. But it’s on fire for sure and it’s spreading, people are being evacuated.”

Thankfully they weren’t too far away from the Mansion and after fifteen minutes, they were dropping Thea in front of the entrance or door.

“Tell mom I probably won’t come back tonight,” he said curtly as he circled the car to sit next to Dig.

“Wait… what?”

He closed his door, seeing his sister’s bewildered expression but he didn’t want to waste any more time and with one glance at Dig, the car started to speed down the driveway.

“How are you going to explain that one?” Dig asked with a smirk as he drove them to the other side of the city.

“... Ikea shopping?”

 

 

They were at Felicity’s apartment less than twenty minutes later and, unsurprisingly, she was already busy tracking police calls and digging up every bit of information she could think of.

“Those warehouses were used as workshops,” she said as soon as they walked inside. “For a subsidiary company of Goldstein & Co. They were mostly making custom designs on their clothing lines.”

“And Goldstein & Co is…”

“Is controlled by Mr Albert Goldstein… who is on our list of suspects, yes.”

“Things are speeding up,” Dig chimed in. “How and why, now…”

“Here is the interesting part,” Felicity continued. “Apparently the Unions complained about lack of security and employees' hours not abiding by the standard agreements. That was more than a year ago, but from what I’ve seen, they did little to change. Added a few guards, but that’s about it.”

“So yet another place that probably caused problems and ends up going up in flames… let me guess, their insurance will cover it, right?” Oliver asked, leaning on the back of Felicity’s chair.

“Well if it is proved to be arson and not an accident due to neglect…”

“It’s the gas explosion all over again. The company closes something that causes problems, reopens it where it costs less and they have nothing to pay. Win-win.”

“Yup. I think we might have found the common thread. The attack during the gala was mostly to send a message and probably divert attention. Which… also confirms Malcolm Merlyn’s implication. It’s the one company that despite being clearly targeted will also not suffer any consequences, since it technically happened at Queen Consolidated. Pretty smart move, if you ask me.”

Oliver nodded, locking his jaw. He knew they still didn’t exactly have any proof. No idea who was in for sure, who was targeted, how far things had gone. And it was killing him to feel so helpless.

“Wait a minute,” he suddenly said. “How… how do you know about the Union issues?”

Felicity grinned proudly. “Well, easy, once I had the address confirmed, which was fast, thank you Twitter by the way, all I had to do was find out who was the owner of the buildings and seeing what we knew of the gas explosion before your father died, I searched for the Unions and their leaders and… well I eventually managed to find their email addresses and a simple scan just did the trick.”

“You… you did all of this in thirty minutes?”

Felicity looked at the clock on her computer, shaking her head. “Technically thirty-two minutes. But it is true that with your computer at the foundry, you know the one I pimped, it would have been faster.” She paused, looking at them. “What? I’m just that good!”

Oliver chuckled at her very matter-of-fact tone. “Then, Miss I’m-just-that-good, what do you suggest we do next?”

“Mmh… I’ve sped up things… I’m running different scans to find links between everyone, especially with Mr. Stern, Malcolm Merlyn and so on. I was going to suggest… maybe we should visit the crime scenes? I know we probably won’t find anything but… who knows? I mean I can analyze components relatively easily at Palmer Tech, and maybe we’ll find something in common between the warehouse that burnt down and the one with the Gambit?”

“Which we won’t be able to do right away… and should be done during the night anyway, the place will be crowded with firefighters and the police,” Dig nodded, rubbing his jaw. “Do you think they might have used some kind of accelerant?”

“You said it yourself, the warehouse with the Gambit completely burnt down, and quite fast. I don’t think it’s impossible that some chemicals might have been used, yeah. And if I can find out what they were, I might also discover where they’re from and…”

“That could lead us to the henchman who killed most of the gunmen from the gala which in turn…”

“Could give us the proof we need,” Dig finished for Oliver.

“Good plan, right?” Felicity grinned proudly, pushing her glasses back on her nose.

“The best,” Oliver replied, leaning in to kiss her hair.

  
  


Dig left shortly afterwards, wanting to check on his sister-in-law and nephew. There wasn’t much they could do at the moment and as Oliver had pointed out, they wouldn’t be able to get on with their plan for at least a couple of days anyway. 

“Do you think I should confront Malcolm?” he asked her suddenly as she was making herself a cup of tea.

“Hum… what?”

Surely she had misheard. He hadn’t offered to let someone who seemed like a crazy psychopath know he was actually on his trail, right?

“I mean… that would force him into action, for sure.”

“You mean he’d try to kill you for sure?”

Oliver had the decency to wince as he leaned against the counter. “Yeah it might be a risk, but-”

“No no. No buts.”

“... OK.”

_Well, at least there is clear progress. He sees reason much faster now._

“I just… I’m supposed to see Tommy for lunch on Monday.”

“Oh. Oh!” Felicity gasped. Tommy. Malcolm’s son. Who had no idea what his father was up to. “That’s… well… and I thought my poem would make things awkward…”

“Yeah…” Oliver huffed out a humorless laugh, passing a hand through his hair. “What am I supposed to do?”

Felicity put her cup of tea on the counter, stepping into Oliver’s embrace. He automatically reached for her, his arms engulfing her as she nestled her face in the crook of his neck.

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. “You can’t exactly tell him that his father is probably a sociopathic murderer who tried to kill you three years ago and offer him about… no proof apart from some video footage. But he is your best friend and…”

“I don’t think it’s right not to tell him but…”

“But if you tell him and he doesn’t believe you…” Felicity continued for him, nibbling on her lower lip.

“Yeah… I could show him the footage we found but it doesn’t prove much and it could attract the attention on Dig or you.”

“Then you shouldn’t tell him. Not right now at least. When we have more evidence, before we alert the media, then yes. He has the right to know.”  
  


 

 

On Monday morning, Felicity walked into her office with a particularly bright smile on her face… which Daniela definitely noticed.

“Ooooh… I see you are back in full form,” she greeted her with a stack of messages. “And… I know that smile, by the way. I take it the rumors were true?”

“Rumors?” Felicity asked as they made their way to her office.

“Oliver Queen running after you like I run after the ice-cream truck on a hot summer day?”

Felicity pinched her lips, shrugging. “You know Oliver and I were close before. It’s not that surprising he would worry about me.”

“Sure… and it has nothing to do with your “I got sexed up all weekend long” glow, right?”

“Nope?”

“Hey. I get it. You are both business rivals now. I promise I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“We might have… rekindled recently,” Felicity admitted with a smile. There was no point in denying the truth. Plus, she trusted Daniela. Not to mention, the fact that Oliver was now occupying a similar position for a rival company actually was the perfect excuse to justify their discretion.

“Rekindled how many times, exactly?” Daniela asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

“... a very satisfying amount of times. Like… extremely satisfying.”

“Are we talking single digits or double digits?”

“It depends what you consider as “satisfying rekindling” exactly…” Felicity sing-songed innocently, sipping on her latte.

Daniela frowned, obviously taken aback. “I mean sex. Did you guys celebrate by playing bingo or something?”

Felicity giggled, shaking her head. “That is also what I meant.”

“So…”

“Soooooo…” Felicity repeated, holding her assistant’s stare with a little smirk.

“Oh. Oh. Wow. You mean… Oh OK. Damn. Lucky girl. I always knew he must be good at it. I mean, an ass like that is obviously good for… hum. I don’t think this is appropriate, is it?”

I don’t think so either.” Felicity scrunched up her nose. Daniela changed topic, showing her the files she needed to read and approve as well as the appointments she had fixed for her.

 

It took about one hour for them to go through everything Felicity had missed during the previous week. As she was leaving her, Daniela turned around, her hand on the door handle.

“Just because I like to torture myself… how many times? I mean… how many normal rekindles, like for normal people and how many rekindles just for Felicity?

This weekend? Five and… eleven,” Felicity said with a small, very satisfied smile.

“Eleven?! In one weekend?! And five times… woaw.”

“We have a lot to catch up on.”

“Oh that makes it so much more reasonable,” Daniela threw with a snark as she opened the door. “Congrats and give him my deepest admiration, by the way.”

“I will!”

_Oh yes… I will…_

Because yeah the weekend had been amazing. Once Dig had left them on Saturday, they both had gotten to work until Felicity had had a… craving. And they had finally been able to christen one of her chairs - which had proved its sturdiness - before Oliver had sprawled her on the dining table to bring her to completion for the second time. They had both recovered by the time they had gone to bed and…

Felicity squirmed on her chair, still remembering how Oliver had spent what seemed like forever eating her out, slowly, teasingly, taking his time, making her come twice under his tongue. She had only come back to earth when he had dropped on her, panting heavily after finding his own pleasure in her body. And then she had patted him on the head like a good dog, which had caused Oliver to burst out laughing until he had slipped out of her.

And then on Sunday… oh wow, Sunday…

A buzzing sound made her jump violently on her chair, bringing her back to earth… and far away from her sexual activities of the previous day.

“Felicity? There is a delivery for you,” Daniela’s voice announced.

“You can bring it in,” Felicity coughed, straightening on her chair.

“I don’t want to sound anti-gentleman,” Daniela announced as soon as she entered, carrying a huge bouquet of pink and white flowers, “but with eleven orgasms, you should be the one sending flowers.”

Felicity grinned as she stood up, walking to the table where her assistant delicately placed the vase right in the middle. Leaning in, she breathed them in, picking up the card that was attached to it.

**_Happy first day back at work._ **

**_\-- Oliver and your love twinkie._ **

Giggling, she put the small card in its envelope, confident there was a tell-tale blush now on her cheeks. Daniela didn’t ask any question but her knowing smirk told her she wasn’t fooled.

  
  


It was past midnight when she and Oliver met up with Dig, the three of them wearing dark clothes for what was, as she had excitedly called it, their very first team mission. Despite knowing that what they were doing was dangerous - and in case she forgot, Oliver’s stern looks were quite the reminder - she couldn’t deny that it felt good to be so active… to finally be able to find answers to questions she had been asking herself for so long. Yes, she had gotten Oliver back. But it wasn’t enough for her. The people who had taken him away from her, who had made him suffer so much… they needed to pay. And she wanted to play a part in that.

They had first stopped by the factory that had blown up almost four years ago. There wasn’t much left, but based on the information she had found, she knew where the center of the explosion had been. The site wasn’t completely destroyed, a few walls were standing here and there, part of the ceiling as well. At least those far from ground zero. Oliver had dug into the ground until they could collect a small jar of soil. They were all aware they probably wouldn’t find anything after all this time but it still felt right to at least get something and try.

Afterwards, they had headed to the warehouse where the Gambit had been stored. There were still charred ruins and they took samples from different places. Felicity was confident she’d manage to get some elements out of those samples and was planning on a little trip to Palmer Tech’s Research Department to borrow their mass spectrometer. Being Vice-President definitely had its perks when it came to slightly illegal activities.

“Almost there,” Dig said quietly as they made their way towards the Glades in the brand new van Oliver had bought for their “nightly activities”. It had a back seat, tinted windows and enough space in the back to carry whatever material they might need. “I don’t think they’ll have security around the area since forensic techs already did all they had to do apparently. But we should be careful, sometimes they leave guards.”

Oliver nodded beside her, his hand squeezing hers. “Felicity, you’ll stay in the car.”

“What?” she exclaimed. “Why?”

“If there is potential danger, I don’t want you out there.”

“And you really think I’ll be safer here, inside the car?”

“Yes. You have your taser, right?”

“Make it plural. Who do you think I am, an amateur?” she huffed, holding her messenger bag protectively against her. As if she would leave without three of her babies.

Dig snorted as he stopped at a red light. She glared at him through the rear view mirror and he had the decency to look sheepish and focus on the road ahead of him.

“Baby…”

“No. If you’re going, I’m going.”

“You…” Oliver exhaled slowly. “Felicity, there is no need, no need at all, to have the three of us in trouble if we get caught. At least with you here and safe, we have a Plan B.”

“And what, exactly, could I do if someone stops you? Run over them with the van?”

“... not if they’re cops.”

“That would be messy,” Dig agreed. “We’ll find a way to escape. If we don’t, just go back to the lair-”

“Don’t call it that,” Oliver interrupted.

“Just go back to the lair,” Dig continued, completely unfazed. “If they’re not cops, run over them. If anyone gets inside the van, you taser them. I’ve been told you’re pretty good at that.”

“Wait, no!” she hissed as the Van entered the Glades. “I don’t want you to be out of my sight, Oliver.”

“We all have comms, honey. We’ll be fine. You’ll be much safer here. If there is anything wrong, just say something, we’ll be there right away.”

Sighing deeply, she kept quiet. Oliver wasn’t fooled though.

“Felicity, it’s all ashes. If there was anything out of my league, I would ask you to come along. But there isn’t. It’s an unnecessary risk for you to go out there with us when you can remain safe here. And you know that.”

Felicity groaned, knowing he was probably right. If they got caught, and maybe arrested, what good would it be for her to be in the mix as well? If they encountered bad guys, she probably wouldn’t be very helpful either.

“Let’s make a deal. You stay here and you wait for me, like-”

“Like a good dog,” she snarled.

“I was going to say like when I visited Stern, except you were at the foundry.”

Felicity nodded when Dig parked the van. “I just… I don’t like being… helpless. Which I am, here. But fine. I’ll stay put. With Paul, John and Ringo.”

“... The Beatles?”

“My tasers. And before you mention George, I left it at home. I used it against you so I figured he needed a vacation.”

Oliver dropped his head, letting out a breathless chuckle. “Alright then. Let’s make a deal. We’ll be as fast as possible. If it turns you were right and nothing happens, we will do that thing you’ve been wanting to try.”

“... Which one?” Felicity asked, her eyes shifting. She had quite a list, actually. “I mean there is the shower and then hum… that… other thing we said we might try one day… but…” she mumbled, blushing.

“I meant the shower sex, hon’,” Oliver whispered in her ear, the smile obvious in his voice. “Although if you change your mind…”

“Nope. Shower sex if you’ve been overprotective again.”

“Good,” he murmured, pecking her lips before lowering his balaclava over his face and opening the door.

“Wait, what if I am wrong? What do you win then?”

“Maybe that other thing?” he winked at her before jumping out of the van.

“Woaw, what?!” she squeaked, starting when door closed behind him. “He’s kidding, right? He’s totally kidding. He has to be. Paul, John, Ringo, tell me he’s kidding?”

She fumbled through her bag, taking out her loyal tasers, putting them down next to her while biting her lips nervously. “I knew I should have brought George.”

The sound of a horn, far away, finally snapped her out of it and she shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m asking tasers about anal sex.”

“Hon’... your comm is open,” Oliver’s grunt reached her and she automatically pressed a hand to her ear, having gotten so used to the small device she had forgotten it was there.

“Very open,” Dig added in a strained voice. 

_Oh… my… God…_

“And I suggest we all keep silent now,” Dig continued.

“Great idea, huggybear.”

“I swear to God if one of you calls me that one more time…”

“Shh. You said we were to keep silent,” Felicity stage-whispered as she crouched down behind the driver’s seat, her eyes roaming the dark street, both hands full of her precious weapons.

“Everything seems clear. Already collected a few samples,” Oliver finally said after a couple of minutes of silence.

“Same here. All clear. Apart from a hooker getting out of a car that is.”

“What kind?”

“Well… blonde, short black skirt, barely covered even though it’s almost November and really what if she gets sick? I hope she has good healthcare.” She paused, frowning. “Wait. Do hookers actually have-”

“The car, honey. What kind of **car**.”

“Oh. Red convertible. Very flashy,” Felicity explained, blushing at the small chuckle she could hear from Dig. Damn… tonight wasn’t her night.

“Good.”

“Good?”

“Yeah, sometimes cops use fake hookers as bait. But they don’t drop them from flashy red convertibles.”

“And you know that because…?” she trailed off, shaking her head.

An embarrassed cough was the only answer she got and she rolled her eyes, already picturing Oliver and Tommy during one of their infamous adventures.

“We’re here,” Dig warned her about two seconds before they opened the doors. Oliver slid onto the backseat next to her while Dig slipped behind the wheel.

“Mission accomplished,” he said as he started the van. “We did our part. The next one is yours, Felicity.”

“Yup. I’ll do that tomorrow. I’ll probably stay later at the office, it might take a few hours to analyze all the samples.”

“We’ll come pick you up,” Oliver said as he got rid of his ski-mask, tossing it in the inside pocket of his jacket. She smiled when she saw his hair sticking up in every direction, barely resisting the urge to smooth it. What would be the point when she would be messing it up again at home anyway?

“So… looks like I won,” she murmured, making sure Dig was focused on the road.

“Looks like you did… such a shame George couldn’t give his input over the other thing, though.”

“Shut up,” she giggled.

“Just for the record, though… I **was** kidding.”

She smiled, knowing deep down he was telling the truth. “What would you have asked then?”

Oliver glanced at her, then eyed Dig carefully before lowering his head until his mouth was inches away from her ear. “That you come visit me at work, wearing that dress with the zipper. We could christen the conference table, this time.”

_Damn. Why did everything happen smoothly?! I want to have fun on the conference table. It’s... a big table._

Oliver had already moved back to his seat and she forced herself to pack her tasers back in her bag, mentally noting to bring her dress to the dry-cleaner's asap. She was already fishing for her cellphone, ready to leave a note in her agenda when Oliver’s hand suddenly reached out, resting on her stomach.

“Felicity… spread your legs.”

...wait, what? Here… Now?!

“Oliver,” she hissed, forcing herself to ignore the tingles that were already spreading in her lower abdomen at the sound of his commanding voice. “Dig is right here,” she added, nudging towards the driver’s seat with her chin.

“I need to-” Oliver said calmly before snapping his head to face her. “What do you mean Dig… Of course Dig is right here!”

“Then why do you want to spread my legs?!”

“I…” Oliver shook his head impatiently, his hand grabbing one of her thighs and pushing it to the side. It was only at that moment that she realized he was holding a knife.

“What the hell?!” she yelped just when Oliver planted the knife between her legs, tearing down the leather of the seat.

“We’re being followed,” he explained curtly as his hand dove between her thighs, fishing out a gun, then another one. “And not by cops.”

Felicity blinked, her mouth hanging open in shock at the ruined leather and the foamy material that was escaping it. Oliver had hidden guns inside the seats. How he even had the idea of doing that, she didn’t know and truth be told she couldn’t really bring herself to care at the moment. Her heart started to beat faster as she turned on her seat, glancing at the car behind them. Oliver’s hand pushed her down on the seat, until she was crouched down on the floor right behind Dig.

“What do I do? We can’t lead them to the foundry,” Dig said in a calm, almost soothing voice.

Oliver grimaced, his jaw locked as he glanced down at her, obviously torn. They shared a look and she shook her head at what she saw in his eyes.

_No. No way._

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *clears throat*
> 
> Oops I did it again?
> 
> I didn't mean to, I swear but the chapter would have been way too long, I had to stop somewhere!!!  
> At least now you know that yeah it is indeed Malcolm behind all that, it wasn't a bad project at first, mostly something to gain $$ and security... which is often how it starts, right? 
> 
> And yeah don't worry Thea will find out about Felicity XD


	27. I'll Stand By You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :)  
> This is a bit later than I planned to update... originally I had hoped it would reach you by Valentine's Day because it's an emotional chapter. We're digging much deeper with Oliver and Felicity, exploring their three years apart and their issues. It's definitely not an easy road, but they're fighting their way through ;)
> 
> Special thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka for their - usual, yet still very, very much appreciated - help.
> 
> Belated happy birthday to Ligia ;)
> 
> Song: I'll Stand By You - The Pretenders (damn that song... that song you guys!!!)

**"I'll Stand By You"**   
  


Oh, why you look so sad?  
Tears are in your eyes  
Come on and come to me now  
Don't be ashamed to cry  
Let me see you through  
'cause I've seen the dark side too  
When the night falls on you  
You don't know what to do  
Nothing you confess  
Could make me love you less

I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you

So if you're mad, get mad  
Don't hold it all inside  
Come on and talk to me now  
Hey, what you got to hide?  
I get angry too  
Well I'm a lot like you  
When you're standing at the crossroads  
And don't know which path to choose  
Let me come along  
'cause even if you're wrong

I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you  
Take me in, into your darkest hour  
And I'll never desert you  
I'll stand by you

And when...  
When the night falls on you, baby  
You're feeling all alone  
You won't be on your own

I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you

I'll stand by you  
Take me in, into your darkest hour  
And I'll never desert you  
I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you

 

 

"This is clearly not the ideal car for a high speed chase,” Dig mumbled as he took a sharp turn, sending Felicity crashing against the door while Oliver was loading guns with bullets.

“Don’t even think about it, Oliver,” she hissed, making him lock his jaw. It was the only solution. Felicity needed to be taken to safety.

“Dig you’re gonna slow down, then I’ll drop out of the car. I’ll stop them, you drive her to the foundry.”

“No!” Felicity shouted. “How do you plan on stopping them anyway?”

Oliver eyed her quickly before checking the glock was ready to use. “How do you think?”

“But what if their car is bullet proof too?”

“I’ll aim for the tires.”

“They’re still following us,” Dig interrupted them. “I side with Felicity on that one, Oliver. I’m not comfortable leaving you behind.” 

“Dig, we had a deal,” Oliver reminded him curtly. Their eyes met briefly in the rearview mirror and Dig nodded with a sigh.

“Alright.”

Whatever happened… their priority would always be Felicity’s safety. It was their one rule.

A small shiver low on his neck warned him a second before the first shots could be heard. Instinctively, he threw himself over Felicity, shouting a warning to Dig as bullets started to rain on the van. A loud bang later, the van started to zig zag, confirming the shooters had hit a tire.

Whatever bullets they were using, they weren’t standard because the windows eventually shattered with the impacts, making him wince when some scratched the exposed skin of his neck and hands. Felicity underneath him was completely silent, holding still, her short ragged breathing the only sign of her fear.

“It’s OK, baby,” he breathed even though she probably couldn’t hear him.

The rest happened in a blur to him. Was it because of the fear he felt at that instant, the fear that something might happen to Felicity? Was it because his instincts kicked in? He honestly didn’t know. Suddenly, the van stopped, Dig cursing loudly as they were blocked by a pick up in the middle of the one-way street. Oliver knew he couldn’t let them approach the van, so he straightened up, forcing Felicity to lay even lower on the floor and shot through the back window at the driver of the car that had been chasing them. Then he opened the door and jumped on the street, making sure to close it behind him before rolling and hiding behind a garbage bin, a few bullets straying past him.

“Let’s not play games, shall we?” a voice with a thick, deep accent said loudly in the empty street. He knew that accent. Russian.

From his point of view, he could see there were five men, but only one was a possible target from his position. Taking a breath, he aimed, then pulled the trigger.

_Two down, three to go._

Sounds of shooting erupted on his left, probably between Dig and the pick-up that had forced him to stop.

“ _I am Bratva_ ,” Oliver shouted in Russian, hoping to distract them. It seemed to work as a call for cease fire was screamed. He let himself pray for a second that Felicity and Dig were unscathed then slowly, warily, stood up, his gun still at the ready.

He saw the suspicion in the eyes of the men but their fingers were no longer on the triggers. Stepping underneath the halo of a street lamp, he slowly pulled aside his henley, showing the tattoo on his chest.

“ _Interesting,_ ” said the man who was obviously the leader. He was around fifty, with black hair and a deep scar running from his cheek to his chin. “ _I didn’t know a Bratva captain was paying us a visit._ ”

“ _I’ll make sure to send an advance notice next time,_ ” Oliver answered, keeping his voice deeper than usual.

“ _Come closer,_ ” the man said, gesturing with his chin. Oliver winced, all his instincts screaming at him to lead them as far away from the van as possible, but he didn’t exactly have a choice. “ _And ask your friend to join us so we can talk._ ”

“Dig… get out,” Oliver said in English as he slowly walked to the middle of the deserted road.

The driver’s door opened and Dig’s gun appeared first before he finally slipped off the seat.

“ _I doubt your friend is Bratva too,_ ” another man, younger and blonde, snorted. The third one was still silent, more taciturn than the other two. 

“ _No, he isn’t. He doesn’t know. So I’d keep my mouth shut if I were you_ ,” Oliver hissed.

_“Easy, easy there. We’re all brothers, here, guys. So what is bringing you here and… how come an American was part of the Moscow branch?_ ”

“ _Ask Anatoli Knyazev. Or Alexi Leonov if you don’t want to pay for a long-distance phone call. But I doubt he even knows himself.”_

_“You work for Anatoli himself? What were you doing, searching the ruins of the workshops? Does he want to launch a clothing line?_ ” The blonde man asked.

_“Again, not my business to tell.”_

Oliver shared a quick glance at Dig before joining him, both turning their back on the van where Felicity was still, hopefully, safely hidden, shielding her from the danger.

“ _You know it’s going to be pretty quick to check your story, right?_ ” the leader asked. “ _But what I’m curious about is that Alexi himself sent us on this contract. Why wouldn’t he warn us you might also show up?”_

_“Maybe Moscow doesn’t trust him with that?”_

“Watch your mouth,” the third man finally said. He was by far the youngest and Oliver could see a clear resemblance with the leader. They were probably related, even maybe father and son.

“Take it to your boss if you have a problem. I just follow the orders,” Oliver explained with a shrug.

“...what did you say?” he asked, his eyes frowning.

“I said, take it to your boss if you have a problem,” Oliver repeated louder.

“I’ve met you before… I’ve heard your voice… you’re the guy who killed Dimitri!” he yelled, approaching Oliver and pointing his gun at his head.

“I know no Dimitri.”

“Abandoned warehouse, not far away from here… Late at night, you shot a bullet between his eyes then strangled me. What was the girl’s name again? The one you told me to stay away from? Felicity something… I tried to go after her but Dimitri had been the one in touch and-”

Oliver saw red.

Gripping the man’s wrist, he twisted it until he dropped his weapon before knocking him on the head with his own gun. Oliver’s forearm circled his neck, pressing it against his temple. “You’re gonna go and leave us alone or I’ll kill him,” he said in a slow, warning tone.

From the corner of his eye, he saw that Dig had also grabbed his gun and was aiming it at the blonde man.

“Easy, easy, there,” the leader repeated. “You guys are outnumbered. If you kill my son, you’re both dead, that’s for sure. I suggest you release him and maybe I’ll let your friend live. But you, on the other hand… will have to explain to me what happened that night.”

Oliver took a sharp breath, knowing all Dig had to do was jump back in the van and drive away from them. Felicity would be safe. Right now, two men were aiming at them and he knew the only reason they hadn’t shot was because he was holding the child of the leader.

“Man, don’t…” Dig told him, his hand still holding his weapon firmly, eyes never leaving his target.

Oliver was about to tell him to get in the car, when two small flashes of light startled him, the two men threatening them with guns dropping on the ground in convulsions.

“Wha…” Dig murmured.

Oliver didn’t lose any time, knocking out for good the man he was still holding until he dropped on the ground as well.

“Oh my God, did I kill them?” Felicity’s worried voice reached them.

He turned around, relief flooding his veins when he saw her through the broken window, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in shock as she stared at the two men she had taken down, a taser in each hand.  She eventually seemed to gather her bearings and she threw her tasers behind her before opening the door. Oliver took the few steps that separated them, understanding from her flinch that he had a hard, blazing look on his face but he didn’t stop, his hands framing her face before crashing his lips against hers. “You are devilishly good with these things,” he said when he released her, pride literally filling his chest.

Felicity blinked at him, shock still clear in her eyes as she licked her lips. “I… I used Paul and John, they are my long distance tasers and Dig told me not to linger too much on the button with those but I didn’t really hold back. They’re not dead, right?”

“They’re alive,” Dig confirmed after pressing a finger on their throats. “I suggest we don’t stay around.”

Oliver nodded, climbing into the back seat of the van and fishing out his phone. He quickly called Alexi, staying vague, mentioning his encounter with some of his men and where they could be found - before the police. He ended the call with Alexi’s promise he would keep the men in check and they wouldn’t cause any more trouble. Even if their job was indeed to keep an eye on the site of the fire, Oliver was still a Bratva captain, of higher rank than any of them. Just the fact that they had threatened him should have been enough to put a bullet between their eyes, the act considered as high treason in the brotherhood.

As soon as he put the phone back in his pocket, he reached out for Felicity, pulling her tight against him, his lips pressed against her forehead. She was uncharastically quiet in his arms and he knew she was probably processing what had just happened. She would have questions, obviously, but he wasn’t sure tonight would be the right time to have that talk. His heart was still beating wildly, the fear that had creeped up on him ever since he had realized they were being followed unwilling to leave him for some reason.

 

 

They were walking back to her apartment, having parted ways with Dig, when Felicity finally talked.

“Do you mind if I take a rain check on my reward?”

Reward? Oliver paused for a few seconds, until he remembered their silly bet. Shower sex.

Noticing her shaking hands, he shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing her back to his front and taking the keys from her fingers. He unlocked her door and led her inside, his hands still on her hips, before taking off her jacket and helping her out of her shoes.

“I don’t think either of us would have appreciated it anyway,” he eventually answered, nuzzling his face against her neck, his lips pressing a soft kiss on the tender skin. “Are you OK?”

“Yes. I think so. You’re sure they’re not dead, right?”

“Positive,” Oliver assured her, his hand stroking her back reassuringly as she nestled in his arms. “Go get ready for bed, I’ll set the alarm.”

  
  


***

 

It was dark. All she could hear was an impassioned voice, speaking a language she didn’t understand but knew well enough to recognize - Russian. She didn’t know where she was but something, deep down in her soul, was screaming at her to find a way out. All she needed to do was find some light, find an escape and she would be safe.

Oliver would be safe. She could see him now, trying to defend her, facing two men when her hand automatically reached for her purse, searching for her tasers, the one and only weapon she always carried around.

Before she could find it, she felt a strong hold on her throat, cutting off the oxygen supply. She tried to scream, but the firm grip around her neck made it impossible for her to let out the slightest sound apart from struggling whimpers. She froze for a few seconds, the panic building when she realized that whoever was holding her wasn’t going to let her go.

Oliver. Where was Oliver? All she could remember was them going back home, sharing a shower - sans the sex. The way he had held her, so gently against him, washing her tenderly as if he was trying to wash away the memories of the night, making her feel safe and loved.

Where was he? Had they hurt him? Why couldn’t she see him anymore?

Survival instinct finally kicked in and she tried to kick whoever was holding her, her hands flying to any target she could reach. Their face, their arms, her nails were digging deep, the heel of her hand trying to aim for the nose, like Dig had taught her but everything was dark, so dark around her, that she didn’t even know where her assailant was. A grunt of pain told her she had managed to strike a sensitive spot but when that sound should have filled her with hope and even more rage to fight more, it was like her blood had turned into ice in her veins.

She knew that voice.

“Oliver,” she managed to squeak out.

His breathing was deep, his hands strong and so unlike the way he always touched her and why was it so dark? Why couldn’t she see him? Where were they?

All of a sudden, she realized her back was lying against something soft. Her mattress.

They were still at home. They had been asleep and for some reason, Oliver was attacking her. And she could still remember her promise to him, one she had made weeks ago, when she would have never, ever imagined she could be in this position.

_… “Never hesitate if you feel scared or threatened. Incapacitate whoever is scaring you, then run. Even if it’s me. Promise me that, Felicity.”_

_She had snorted in reply. “Well now that I know it’s you, I doubt I’ll ever need to clock you, Oliver.”_

_“Felicity,” he had gritted through his teeth. “Promise me. Even if it’s me.”_

He had wanted to make sure she wouldn’t hesitate, a part of him probably fearing he’d hurt her eventually.

One of her hands left his, scrambling over her night table until she found something to use. Her alarm clock. Gripping it tightly, she smashed it over his head as hard as she could, yet not too hard, still afraid she would hurt him.

Air ran through her throat when his fist loosened around her neck and she took big, relieved gulps of air while slipping underneath him and switching on the bed lamp. Reaching in her drawer, she grabbed her taser, pointing it out firmly on him, her eyes wary of his every move.

“Oliver,” she said in a voice as calm as she could manage, ignoring the pain in her throat. “Oliver it’s me. Felicity.”

His eyes were confused, still filled with a rage that should have had her running out of her apartment screaming bloody murder and she tightened her grip on her weapon, praying he would get back to his senses, knowing if he didn’t, something between them would be irrevocably damaged. And not so much on her side, but on his. He’d never forgive himself.

It lasted a couple of seconds at most but it seemed like a lifetime to her before Oliver’s blinking eyes started to lose that shadow that had scared her so much. His head snapped to his left, then his right, searching the bedroom and she knew he was looking for whoever he had dreamed was attacking him.

Except there had been no one else in that room. Just her.

“Felicity?” he breathed, jumping from the bed suddenly. “What… are you OK? I thought someone was…”

She couldn’t help but take a step back when he approached her, still unsure he was completely back to himself and not willing to be forced to pull the trigger.

Oliver licked his lips nervously, his eyes still travelling across the room as if he was expecting someone to jump out of the walk-in closet. “Are you alright?” he eventually asked, passing a hand over his lips.

Not trusting her voice again, she merely nodded, her hand lowering slowly.

She saw the frown on his face when he saw she was holding a taser, his eyes darting up to her face. She could pinpoint the exact moment Oliver realized what had happened. His eyes gave him away.

“Oh no… God, no,” he breathed, standing up, his intense gaze fixed on her throat, where she was sure a red mark was already showing. “Felicity?”

“I’m alright, Oliver,” she sighed, dropping the taser on the bed. Rubbing her hands on her thighs in a superficial attempt to stop them from shaking, she bit down her lower lip. “I'm OK.”

“What have I done?” he murmured, his shoulders falling as he stared at his hands. “Tell me, Felicity, what have I done?”

“I think you were having a nightmare. What is the last thing you remember before… you woke up?”

Oliver blinked. “I… they had you. Someone had shot you and… they wanted to… I don’t know. I remember you were in danger and then I was strangling the one threatening you. It was you right? I was trying to…”

He took a few steps back, until he was pressed against the bathroom door, his hands covering his face. “I’m so sorry, Felicity. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m OK, Oliver,” she said with as much conviction as she could. She didn’t feel OK, truth be told. Her heart was still beating wildly, her neck was killing her and yes… she was scared.

“No you’re not! I can see that mark on your neck from here!” Oliver snapped. “I could have killed you, Felicity! In my sleep, I could have killed you!”

“You didn’t.”

“Because you hit me with something, not because I stopped myself!”

“Because I kept my promise!” she yelled angrily, ignoring the way her throat tightened as she screamed. “You told me, the night when I found out, that whatever happened, if anyone scared me or threatened me, I should always fight back, even if it was you. You knew this might happen, right?”

“Yeah… I tried to choke someone too before.”

“While sleeping?”

“Yeah,” he croaked. “I didn’t realize what I was doing. A couple of guys had to pull me away.”

“Who? And why?”

“Felicity, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well you’re shit out of luck because I sure as hell want to talk about it,” she said coldly. She was running on adrenalin, and she knew it. But things had been left unsaid for far too long and if tonight had proven anything is that it was dangerous to keep secrets much longer. Oliver needed to free himself, share what had happened so she could help him, and more importantly, so they could work on these issues he had. Because no matter how much she loved him she wasn’t exactly looking forward to this kind of wake-up call in her future. Fear should never, ever be a part of their relationship and she knew herself well enough to know that the only way she could move past that was to find out what had happened to him, rationalize everything, find a solution. “But since you don’t seem comfortable talking, I will start.”

“I should go,” Oliver said, searching for his clothes.

“Don’t you dare leave me all alone, Oliver Jonas Queen! Not tonight!”

“Felicity, what the hell do you want me to say?!” he roared. “I hurt you! I tried to kill you in my sleep, how can you even consider spending another minute with me?!”

“Your secrets are eating you alive, Oliver. You’re keeping your trauma so buried that the only way it has to express itself is when you lower your guard. What happened tonight isn’t you being a violent person, it is a part of you that couldn’t find any other way to express itself.”

“I won’t risk you. I won’t risk your health or your life. I’m not worth it.”

“Shut up. Shut up, Oliver,” she hissed. He was closing off again, keeping her out of his problems and she knew, without a doubt, that if she let him, there would be no coming back from that. He would cut himself from her slowly but surely. “Did you hurt me? Yes. Did you scare me? Yes. Am I still scared? Hell yes. But neither of us is walking away, do you hear me? We are going to calm down, get some tea and talk through it long enough until we both feel better. And then you’ll hold me because I know I’m gonna need you to.”

Resting his hands on his hips, Oliver shook his head. “You shouldn’t be with a guy like me, Felicity. You should be with someone who’s not dangerous, someone who’d be good for you. Someone like Palmer.”

Felicity stared at him, blinking. How had the conversation slipped from Oliver’s trauma and her fears to Ray Palmer?

“What are you even talking about?” she let out in a breath. “I do not love Ray. I love you. There is no choice to make. I didn’t decide who I was going to fall in love with, Oliver. And yes, our story is messy and complicated and I think everything that happened tonight, from you speaking Russian to these guys, to your nightmare, is quite the wake-up call from our honeymoon phase but we didn’t survive those three years for nothing. I know it’s not gonna be easy and we’ll probably need to make some adjustments, at least to prevent this kind of situation from happening again but don’t you dare walk away. And I never even saw Ray as a romantic partner, for goodness sake. At least try Barry, that would make more sense. I mean I dated the guy at the very least.”

“You dated Palmer too,” Oliver said before pinching his lips, his eyes closing for a brief second.

“... what?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“I saw you… several months before I came back. At your door. You guys kissed, and then you went upstairs. I know it didn’t last between you, obviously, but… he’s a good guy. He saw right through you from the beginning. Saw your potential and helped you grow, helped you to a place you deserve and it’s so much more than I ever could do for you.”

Her mouth was half open in surprise. Oliver’s words were almost echoing perfectly those he had told her almost four years ago when she had left QC but that wasn’t what had her heart miss a beat. “What do you mean… you **saw** us? Here, in Starling?”

She knew the answer to that question very well. She had only shared one kiss with Ray, the night of her failed date with a friend of Daniela.

“Yes.”

“That was at least three, four months before…” Felicity trailed off, then sat down on the bed. She had a feeling she wasn’t going to like that conversation very much. “You were back, here in Starling, months ago and you never told me? You came here, you saw me and you didn’t tell me you were alive?”

“It was complicated.”

She didn’t even realize she had grabbed the alarm clock until it was hitting the wall next to Oliver’s face. “I’m getting sick and tired of that word coming out of your mouth, Oliver!”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, picking up the now completely destroyed alarm clock. "I'm trying."

“You have to talk to me, Oliver. This can’t go on. You have to tell me,” she all but begged him, her anger already vanishing, only to be replaced by sadness. “Why don’t you trust me? I would never… there is nothing that could make me turn my back on you. Haven’t I proved that already?”

What was he fearing? She had given him all the time he needed, all her patience and support and it had led them nowhere, surely he could see this?

“I know I don’t deserve you. But I’m scared of losing you nonetheless.”

“You’re not gonna lose me. Absolutely nothing you confess could ever make me stop loving you,” she said quietly, reaching out a hand with pleading eyes. “But we can’t go on like this.”

Oliver nodded, but didn’t take her hand. She let it fall on the mattress next to her, her head dipping in defeat. He started pacing but she barely paid attention, her heart filling with a numbing pain. Would this be it? She didn’t want to break things off between them but there was no way she could accept living in fear of the unknown. It wasn’t healthy for her, and it wasn’t healthy for him either. Love, despite how big it was between them, wasn’t enough. Tonight had crossed a line and without some serious work, she would not let herself go on with their relationship no matter how much pain the mere idea was causing her. Oliver had to do something. He had to give her something.

“I was part of the Bratva. It’s Russian mob,” Oliver finally let out, so low that she thought she was dreaming it at first.

She snapped her head up but he wouldn’t meet her eyes, his fingers playing with a pair of earrings she had left on a cabinet.

“I couldn’t let you know I was alive because I was here for a contract. I did what I had to do, checked up on Thea and mom… Tommy… then I drove here. Waited on the other side of the road all night long. I didn’t even know you were out for sure but I still couldn’t leave. It was the closest I could be to you. Then you got out of Palmer’s car. He followed you.”

“I remember,” she murmured. “That night… it was the first time I went on a date since you had been missing.”

“With Palmer?”

“His name is Ray,” Felicity scolded him. “And actually… no. It wasn’t with him. It was a friend of my assistant I had met earlier that week. He asked me out. I figured it was time for me to start… going out in the world of the living again, I guess.” She let out a small smile, remembering how hard it had been for her to force herself to leave her memories of him and try to see if there was a second best somewhere out there for her.

“You never… dated anyone else? In three years?”

“No. I couldn’t. I buried myself in my job. Literally.”

“Did the date go wrong? Is that why Palmer was the one who drove you back home?” Oliver asked, and she could almost hear his teeth clenching from across the room.

“No. It was a good date. I mean a bit weird at first but then we got more comfortable and… it wasn’t a bad date. Except for one thing.”

“What?”

“He wasn’t you. He would have never been you. When he asked me about my job, he didn’t lean on his elbow and listen to me like you do, even though most of the things I tell you don’t make much sense, I know. He didn’t hand me his pickles, either. So I told him I had a lovely night, made him understand it wouldn’t go any further and we left each other outside of the wine bar where we met. A couple of minutes later, Ray showed up. He had gone on a date as well. Mostly with the same result. We were so pathetic, standing out there,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes. “He offered to go get dinner, so at least the night wouldn’t be completely ruined. We had some good wine. I drank enough to be tipsy, to be honest. We talked about you. About his wife. See… Ray understood me. He knew. He knew what it felt like to lose the love of your life, to know that you’ll only get second best… and that’s if you’re lucky. He knew what it was to wonder if you’d ever be ready to be with somebody else again. So he walked me back to my door, because he wanted to make sure I’d get back home safe. I told him that sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if he and I could… I don’t know. On paper we seemed right for each other. He told me he also sometimes wondered. So we kissed. And nothing happened. No fireworks, no butterflies in the stomach. It was like kissing a relative, really. He went upstairs with me because I had a file for him. That’s all. He left my apartment ten minutes later. Nothing happened with Ray. Or with anyone else while you were gone.”

She dried her cheeks, the tears having started to fall somewhere in the middle of her monologue. “That kiss you saw was good for me though. It made me realize I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to you. But that one day I might be. And it was OK for me to take all the time I needed to mourn you because you had been the one for me and it takes a long time to try and forget this kind of love. Why exactly do you think I still live here, Oliver?”

She raised her eyes, staring at his back. His shoulders were tense, and she couldn’t see his face but knew he had listened to every single word she had said.

“This place… is full of you. We made love for the first time on this very bed. We spent my birthday here. You saw me turning my mother’s collection of dildos into a giant pile of parts on my work table. You made me breakfast in that kitchen, and the first time you made me coffee, it was in my favorite mug. There is still a spot on my night stand, where you dropped a strawberry that night when… you know. Losing you was the most painful experience of my life and truth be told when you came back I was barely starting to recover from it. I needed you near me, by my side, to get me through that last stage. That’s why I couldn’t move out after coming back from New York. I knew it was time for me to move on but I wasn’t strong enough yet.”

Silence fell in the room, stretching, seconds turning into minutes. She was clinging to hope, knowing he was at least still there and hadn’t left.

“Vibrators,” Oliver eventually said.

“Hum… what?” she licked her lips nervously, trying to calm down the beating of her heart.

“If it vibrates… it’s a vibrator. Not a dildo,” he explained with a small smile as he turned around to face her.

She let out a shaky laugh, remembering their fight back at QC when she had received that parcel from her mom - because only Donna Smoak would think it was appropriate to send her daughter some sex toys at work. “My bad. I forgot.”

Hesitantly, Oliver stepped closer to her and this time, when she tried to hold his hand, he let her pull him next to her. She sat, quiet, giving him the time he obviously needed.

“I was rescued from the island with Anatoli. He is part of the Bratva. High rank, actually. He managed to protect me as much as he could. Not from the initiation or anything, but… I had to pay them back for rescuing me. It’s how the brotherhood works. I already had some skills I learned on the island mostly and they wanted to use them. Not to mention… I either joined them or died. I didn’t have much of a choice, I knew too much.”

“... Ninja-style skills?”

“You could say that,” he nodded with a side smile. “I wasn’t free, Felicity. Alerting you or my family would have put you in danger. Anatoli might be on my side but his influence does have limits. At first when I arrived in Moscow, I still thought I could come back to you even though… I was already a changed man. But after six months, I realized… it wouldn’t be possible anymore. My last test was to execute a rat from Starling’s Bratva. That’s why I was here. Also why I couldn’t stay or tell you because I wasn’t alone. I managed to ditch my companions the last night before we left. I saw you with Palmer and… it hurt like hell. But I wanted you to be happy. I still do. So… it made it easier for me, to leave. Knowing you were in a good place, I mean.”

“That’s how you know Russian and why you talked to these men, right?”

“Yes. They are Bratva too. I guess we got lucky. Do you remember these men who followed you to that warehouse?”

“Yes. First time you saved me, hard to forget. Even though I didn’t know it was you.”

“They were part of the Bratva. That’s how I found out you were targeted. And why I came back. Leaving you when I thought you were in a good place, happy, was one thing. Knowing someone was after you… nothing could have stopped me from coming back then,” he explained as he pressed a kiss on the back of her hand. “Turns out that guy I killed was a family member of one of last night’s men. Hence why things went south. Forcing you to save our asses.”

“I was badass.”

“You were,” he chuckled.

“What did you do for the Bratva?”

Oliver stiffened by her side. “Things I’m not really proud of.”

“Like…?”

“Trafficking. Weapons. Drugs.”

“... humans?”

“Yes. But I never… I know it doesn’t mean much but I never took benefit from any of these things, Felicity. I swear to God.”

“Who was that person you choked?”

“A girl. The initiation is… rough. Lots of fights included, for one. They really mess with your head too, test your loyalty, your strength. In the end, you stop trusting everyone around you because you never know if they won’t be told to stab you in the back to test your instincts. Once the initiation is done, which takes several months until they are satisfied with you, you’re part of the brotherhood and there is a certain level of protection. You don’t rat on a brother, you don’t betray a brother, you don’t stab them in the back. Normal men relax. I couldn’t. I was an outsider, you see. I was the Yankee. There was a big party to celebrate for the few of us who had made it. I drank, not that much but after everything that had happened, it didn’t take more than a few shots to have me fall asleep on the table. I don’t know what happened. They told me the waitress just wanted to make sure I was OK. She must have barely been 18. Apparently, she woke me up and I strangled her.”

“Is she… did she…”

“She was OK. A few men pulled me off just in time. I had been dreaming someone was trying to get at me, I reacted. Like tonight.”

Felicity nodded, sensing there was a pattern. She didn’t think it was a coincidence that Oliver had attacked her just the night when they had had an encounter with the Russian mob. It had probably sent him back to the mental state he used to be in, triggering his reaction. It helped her feel better about it. She wouldn’t lie and say she was fine, but at least if they could figure out what triggered him, they would know when it was safer for them to sleep separately if needed.

“I think… I think it might be best if I spend the nights at the mansion,” Oliver finally said quietly after a couple minutes of silence.

“No.”

“Felicity…”

Closing her eyes, she let out a long, frustrated sigh. “I’ve told you before, and I’ll say it again. I am not going to let you pull away from me, not if it’s for some bullshit reason such as ‘it is for your own safety’. I haven’t changed my mind about that.”

Oliver started pacing again, his fingers rubbing furiously against his thumb. “Maybe we went too fast. Maybe we should have waited instead of jumping back in our relationship. I should have sorted my own mess before-”

“Before what Oliver? I love you, you love me and you need me, you know it. We’ll work through this like we have worked through the rest, one step at a time. We will figure it out.”

“God, Felicity. How can you say that? You have the imprint of my hand on your neck!” Oliver snapped. “What are you gonna tell everyone? And at work, Jesus Christ, what are people going to think? That I abuse you and they’ll be right! We can’t go on and take the risk it happens  again or worse!”

“What are you implying exactly?”

“That I’m not the kind of man you should be with. Can’t you see? You’re the Vice-President of Palmer Tech and a damn good one at it, judging from everything I’ve heard about you and-”

“And you have exactly the same position at QC last time I checked.”

“Oh, come on! We know it’s because of my last name. I don’t have the skills, I don’t have the knowledge, the experience, to legitimately hold that position,” he snorted, shaking his head. “I’m not good enough for you. I wasn’t before and I’m still not.”

Felicity paused, her arms hanging limply by her sides. What was that all about? She knew Oliver had some self-esteem issues, he had mentioned some things that had given her a few hints, but she had thought she had reassured him. She knew she was treading in dangerous waters and she took the time to collect her thoughts before speaking. “Oliver, we’ve talked about this before. You literally just got back from three years spent doing… stuff on a deserted island and then things in Russia. It’s going to take some time for you to get back on track. And I’m here for you, I’m here to help you. Please, let me help you.”

“I’m not used to this. I don’t know how to… Felicity you’re the one carrying me. And it’s… I’m not sure I can stomach this much longer. If it had been just dealing with my… issues, then fine. But it’s that and also work and even my relationship with Thea and it’s just… I’m not doing anything for you. At some point you have to wonder what do I bring you? What do I bring us? You don’t need me, for anything. But I need you in every single aspect of my life and I’m not sure I can really live with that.”

Felicity stared at him for a few seconds, seeing the pain in his eyes… as well as shame. Suddenly she understood how much that had been a struggle for Oliver. He had been raised to be a provider, and God knew they had had a few heated talks about that in the past. And he had a point that at the moment she was the one supporting him. It dawned on her suddenly that she had been so hell bent on trying to move past those three years, move past the pain, that she had kept quiet on many things. Things he didn’t know or didn’t realize.

“Come with me, Oliver,” she said softly, heading to the living room. She went straight to the secretary he had built for her, sensing him behind her. She didn’t turn around, bending to pick up a box in the bottom drawer. She motioned to a chair with her chin, silently asking him to sit down.

Pinching her lips, she stared at the box, her hands trembling above the lid. She hadn’t opened it ever since she had left Starling for New York.

“You think our relationship is one-sided, right?”

“... yes. In short, yes.”

“You’re wrong. It’s not.” Taking a deep breath, she opened the box, her throat feeling constricted for a reason she couldn’t really understand. He was right by her side, yet opening that box was like being thrown back a couple of years ago.

“Do you remember that battery that gave me so much trouble?”

“For the watch? Yeah. You gave up your project because you didn’t want to impose too much on your team since what they had worked on already met the board’s approval.”

She smiled, deeply touched that he remembered it so well. “When I found out you were gone, I stopped living. For days, I stayed here, inside. Dig visited me, and he took care of me, making sure I ate or even showered. Then there was this small ceremony for you at the mansion. He picked me up, we went there but I never made it out of the car. No one knew about us, you know? What we had… no one knew,” she said the last words in a small voice.

Oliver nodded, remaining silent as if he understood she needed to get everything out without interruption.

“I liked to think that the Oliver I knew, **my** Oliver, wasn’t the same man that the one they were grieving. Not that I was the only one to know you or love you, but I knew your social life took a hit after your dad passed away. You changed a lot and not many people were there to witness that as much as I did. They were mourning their friend, their partner in crime, their buddy, their wingman… you name it. Thea and your mother were mourning their son and brother, of course, but the majority of the people there, they had known you for most of your life yet… it’s almost like you were two different people, you know? They probably talked about your crazy days, all these adventures you had while all I could think about was that you were the man who helped me find my place and how alone I was now. How lonely my life was going to be. You built up my confidence, made me realize I could do more than just being an IT girl. I’m not even talking about our personal relationship, just our friendship and partnership. You always seemed so proud of my wits, something I’m pretty sure all your friends would have never believed,” she added with a laugh. “Oliver Queen, boasting about his assistant’s brain over her cleavage, that would have been a first.”

A small sheepish smile grew on his lips and she saw his shoulders relaxing slightly. Not much but… his face was more open at least. “I fell in love with your mind. How it works. It just… astounded me. It still does. You always take me by surprise. I never know what to expect from you.”

“I know. You always complimented me on that and whenever I was feeling awkward or uncomfortable about it, you were always there. When I finally accepted you were gone for good… I remembered what you had told me. That I should never hide what my brain could do. So I didn’t. I told you I buried myself in my work, didn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“I really meant it. My team kept on working on their prototype. I worked on mine, based on the battery I had designed, the one you had inspired that day when we went to eat ice-cream. I was the first one at the office, the last one to leave. I worked until I literally passed out from exhaustion. I wanted to make you proud,” she explained in a small voice, her hand finding a small watch inside the box. It was the first model that had been made. Standing up, she went to grab her small toolbox by the computer, fishing out a tiny screwdriver. She sat back down, slowly and delicately unscrewing the back of the watch.

“Eventually, my prototype was performing so well that Ray honestly didn’t even know what to do with it. Literally. It allowed for so many more applications that he didn’t really know how to market it. So we released the watch my team had worked on, for a normal, traditional market. And we also released mine for a much more demanding market. The price was much higher but the possibilities were almost limitless. Turns out it was a huge success. We started to develop the model of my battery for other uses and everything just… snowballed from there. I won several prizes for scientific innovations. One of those was actually given in Vegas, which made my mother so proud she invited her bingo club to celebrate,” Felicity huffed out a small laugh at the memory. “By then, I had moved to New York because… I needed to be somewhere else, somewhere where I didn’t have so many memories of you. I started to represent PT in fairs, business meetings and conventions and slowly but surely, I was Ray’s eyes on the East Coast. We always got on very well and our work partnership is honestly ideal. He’s a bit of a dreamer, you see. I ground him. Then Anna, his wife, passed away. He had been so understanding and patient when I lost you, I tried to help him as much as I could. He trusted me and I started to shoulder more and more responsibilities until I was asked to supervise our branch in New York. Last year, he offered me the job of VP. Just around the time when I was going to ask to come back to Starling. I think he must have sensed I was ready to come home and wanted to make sure I got the right nudge.” She smiled, finally working out all the tiny screws of the watch. Carefully, she opened the lid, sensing Oliver’s quizzical eyes on her.

It was time to open up and show him exactly how much he had changed her life.

 

***

Oliver sat in silence, listening to her words patiently. He could sense it wasn’t easy for her, her voice trembling on certain words. He wasn’t really sure where she was heading but cowardly couldn’t help but enjoy not being the topic of the conversation. She was fiddling with a watch and a screwdriver, probably to keep her hands busy he had thought. But she pushed it in front of him, a small ray of light directly on the back of it.

“There,” she explained quietly, her finger pointing at the bottom right corner.

Frowning, he dipped his head close enough to make out a small engraved inscription.

OJQ.

His heart missed a beat when he realized those were his initials.

“Are those my…” he trailed off, his eyes still fixed on the three tiny letters.

“Yes. No one knows, even though I think some of my engineers have suspicions. Ray probably guessed it because he knew about our relationship. It’s the trademark. Every single battery has them. It’s inside all of our watches and dozens of other small devices we have built ever since. I wanted… I wanted to make sure there was still a small piece of my Oliver in the world.”

“But… why?”

“It felt right. And now, I’m glad I did it. Oliver, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you. You are the one who made me confident enough to talk with Ray at that reception at the mansion. You’re the one who credited me for my ideas, giving me the assurance that they were not just crazy thinking but actually potential smart business decisions. You’re the one who believed in me, and trusted me. You’re the one who told me to never downplay my intelligence. It’s because of you that I’m Vice-President. Oliver, our relationship isn’t one-sided. Sometimes you’re pushing me forward, and sometimes it’s the other way around. I love my job. I love it so much, it gives me purpose and I feel so proud of what I do every day. That is all thanks to you. You believed in me from the start.”

“But Ray…” he tried to interfere, only earning a frustrated head shake from her.

“I would have never talked to Ray, or even met him if it wasn’t for you. Do you think I was used to talking to random CEOs about new technologies? You put me in that position, Oliver. You. No one else. And yes, Ray saw right away that we were very compatible but it doesn’t change the fact that the one who made me feel good enough was you. You were with me every step of the way.”

Oliver nodded, his eyes fixed on the small watch he was still holding. Her words were starting to sink in and all the doubt he had been feeling ever since he got back home, ever since he took that job at QC, slowly started to ease. “When I learned about your promotion, I was so fucking proud,” he eventually grinned.

“You know I never dated a lot. I had a few boyfriends, a few blind dates but… nothing much. Well, nothing like you,” she added with a teasing smile. “But the thing is… one was with me to use me and my high school boyfriend was really sweet but I know he was with me despite my brains, you know what I mean? He dealt with it like you deal with a charming, yet slightly annoying habit. You’re the only man, the only one really who loved me because of that. I never had that before. My dad left us when I was so young and you’ve met my mom, it’s not exactly something we can share or even really talk about. She doesn’t understand why I work so hard, why I get consumed by what I do. But you do. You always did. You never felt threatened by it, you never felt like I was abnormal and I never really had that before. I needed you to push me forward, Oliver because I had spent my life hiding that part of me as best as I could. You wanted me to show it to everyone. It’s my time now. It’s my turn to push you forward and help you find your place too. Do you understand?”

Her soft hand reached out, slowly stroking his jaw and he raised his head, meeting her eyes. He could see the unshed tears, no doubt a result of her trip down memory lane. His own eyes burning, he realized it had been just as emotional for him. “I can’t believe you did that. It’s… I bought that watch last year. I still have it at home, I hid it. Never worn it. I just saw it and recognized the Palmer Tech label and I bought it, hoping it was the project you were working on. I never knew… I never knew about my initials.”

“Every time I saw that watch around someone’s wrist, it was like seeing a little piece of you. It was a bit awkward when it was a man hitting on me,” she snorted, squeezing his hand. “How exactly do you tell the guy who wants to get you a drink that he’s carrying a little piece of your heart around his wrist, and that piece will always be bigger than anything else I’ll ever be able to give?”

“Why didn’t you tell me? We’ve talked about your work several times but…” he trailed off, his eyes seeking hers. There was pain in there, there had been pain in her eyes ever since he had come back home. He knew it would take time before she could really get rid of it for good. He had never doubted his love for her, not once. He also knew she loved him too. But Felicity had always been so guarded with her feelings, something he was only really starting to understand now. He had always thought he loved her more than she did and had accepted it. Hell, he would take her anyway he could and if that meant being the one pining, he’d gladly do it. God knew he had very little pride when it came to her. But now… he wasn’t so sure anymore. Everything she had told him showed him that their love, their relationship, was actually much more balanced than he thought.

“I’ve told you before. Those three years? They were hell, Oliver. I never felt that kind of pain and I pray I never feel it again because I am not sure I’ll be able to live it through twice. I didn’t want to overwhelm you with that, or make you feel guilty. You tend to shoulder everything, you know. It’s part of who you are. You were raised that way, and I think it’s written in your DNA. Pursue, provide, protect. We were already struggling in the present, I didn’t want to add anything else to it. And I don’t think I was really ready to tell you. It’s kind of a big thing to drop.”

Oliver frowned, confused. Big thing? “What do you mean, big thing?”

“Well… I didn’t want you to feel pressured. I quite literally made sure millions of people carry your initials everyday, it’s kinda creepy when you think of it,” she winced. “I didn’t want you to freak out.”

“You thought I might run for the hills?”

“I thought it was a too much pressure to show you how deeply I loved you even when you had been gone for years. I don’t want you to feel obligated. And then you talked about getting your own place, then Laurel stopped by and honestly to me it felt like too many things dropping on you, I didn’t want to add my undying love on top of everything. I mean who hangs onto someone for three years when they only dated one week?”

There was a lack of confidence and a fragility in Felicity’s voice that made his chest burn. It was almost as if she was ashamed of having not been able to move on. He swallowed several times, trying to get words through his throat. “You and me, I guess.”

She looked up at him in surprise and he felt his heart swell. How did he even deserve her?

“There has been no one apart from you, baby.”

“But you were in Moscow and-”

“I guess you understand that it was hard to date on a deserted island,” he tilted his head, huffing a small laugh. “In Moscow, my first goal was to survive so I could come back to you. Being with someone else would have been cheating, in my heart. Then when things changed and I felt like I would never be able to make it back home, I was already so damaged that… I couldn’t let anyone close to me. When I came back from Starling after seeing you with Palmer, I wanted to move on. I really did. But it didn’t feel right. I figured I might at some point but… it was hard to trust anyone there and that includes women. Not to mention…”

He stopped there, because it was a territory he wasn’t sure he should share with her.

“No to mention?” she gently nudged him.

“It’s hard to know if the women around you are there willingly, Felicity. They might seem willing but… I know what they did and that was something I just couldn’t do. And I didn’t want to attract the brotherhood’s attention on a girl outside that circle.”

“Oh. Oh, God. I… was there some sex trafficking involved?”

“Yes,” he answered curtly. “I told you I never took any advantage of that but I didn’t exactly have a choice either. I made sure that everyone on my watch was treated respectfully, or as respectfully as can be in those circumstances. I helped two girls escape too. Got beaten pretty bad afterwards. They thought I messed up, you know. Although I’m pretty sure Anatoli knew I had done it on purpose.”

Her hand tightened around his. “You didn’t have a choice Oliver. You did the best you could under the circumstances.”

“I thought of you every single day. Anatoli called you my Juliet,” he added with a little smile. “Used to call you in my sleep on the island, that’s how he knew about you. I was just as unable to let go during those three years, Felicity. We only had one week but it felt so much longer to me. I’ve been in love with you since our business trip even if I only realized it the day Tommy threw his birthday party. He had to tell me, actually.”

“Tell you what?”

“That I was in love with you. I hadn’t figured it out,” he snorted, shrugging. “I needed someone to spell it out for me because what you made me feel was nothing like I had ever felt.”

Her giggle warmed his heart, relief swarming through him. The shadows in her eyes faded a little bit more.

“I can’t believe you and Tommy talked about your feelings the night he was supposed to kiss as many girls as possible.”

“I guess we were finally growing up,” he said softly while pressing a kiss on the back of her hand.

“Well you for sure. Jury’s still out for Tommy,” she chuckled.

They talked more, about things they had missed, things they had never had the occasion to tell each other. The hours were passing by, the tension in his body slowly leaving him. He couldn’t forget what had made them wake up in the middle of the night but he was too much of a coward to broach the subject again. He opened up about the Bratva and his peculiar friendship with Anatoli. He still couldn’t tell her about the island, or about Amanda Waller, but at least a big part of his time away had been shared. She stroked the tattoo on his chest when he explained the meaning, making him laugh when she blurted out that she had, literally, been in bed with the mob. She now understood how the choice had been to either be killed right away because he knew too much, or join the brotherhood. She didn’t judge him and tried to keep her face as impassive as possible, but he wasn’t fooled. He had dropped some heavy stuff on her and she would probably need a bit of time to process.

So would he, actually.

“I’m going to sleep on the couch from now on, babe,” he said when they finally got up, dawn breaking through the curtains.

“Oliver, maybe-”

“Shhh,” he pressed a finger against her lips. “I either sleep on the couch or crash at Dig’s. Your choice.”

He didn’t want to be on the other side of the city in case something happened. From Dig’s, he could be in her apartment in less than a minute and she had a solid alarm system. Not to mention, enough tasers to open a shop.

“He’s also going to teach you how to handle a gun.” Her shoulder had healed enough for her to at least start a few lessons and he would be much more comfortable if she knew how to handle a firearm.

“Why him? You don’t want to teach me?” she asked, deep confusion written over her face.

“No. He’ll be the best teacher for you, honey.” He and Dig had talked about it and he knew his friend was the most experienced one and had the most extensive knowledge. He wanted the best for Felicity, even if that meant he had to step aside.

He knew he was putting a small barrier between them but he couldn’t help himself. He was still rattled by what had happened, knowing how close the call had been. Seeing the bruises on her neck, hearing her throaty voice was like a punch in the gut.

He had hurt his girl. He had physically harmed her and he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to get past that.

 

***

 

When the clock read 7AM, Oliver went to take a shower. They had shared a small breakfast, both of them mostly silent, processing everything they had learned about each other. Felicity had finally opened up to him and even if it had been painful, it was also a relief to have it all in the open. He knew now. The place he had taken in her life, a place no one had been able to fill.

Absently, she passed a hand across her neck, wincing at the soreness. She knew Oliver hadn’t forgiven himself. She already had. It wasn’t his fault, he hadn’t even been conscious when he had done it. Yet, she could sense he was taking a few steps back. Not pulling away from her completely, because she was positive he knew she wouldn’t let him anyway, but putting some space between them nonetheless. She wasn’t sure how to react. Should she grab onto him or give him space? Reassure him or give him the chance to work it out on his own? He had carefully rubbed arnica into her skin, and made her drink tea with honey and lemon to soothe her throat, his eyes hooded.

She felt so conflicted. She couldn’t deny there was a fear growing inside her and was aware that he was probably right: sharing a bed might not be a good idea. But it was in his arms that she felt the safest.

Sighing, she grabbed her mug of tea and went to sit down on the couch, turning on the television. She wasn’t expected at work until at least 9AM, so she could take a little bit of time to watch a few cartoons. She had barely slept but her mind was so full of thoughts that she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep anyway.

Oliver walked back in the living room barely ten minutes later, his hair still damp as he put on his jacket - no tie today, apparently.

“It’s still early,” she frowned, glancing at the clock.

“Yeah but… I’ll go to Dig’s. Call him if you need anything.”

Call him.

Call **him**.

Not “me”.

Him.

Her face fell at his words and she briefly closed her eyes when his gaze shifted to her neck.

“Oliver…” she breathed, straightening on the couch.

“No. Felicity, I need to sort this out and I can’t… I’m terrified of hurting you. I’m going to talk to him, see if he can help with… my issues. Will you still be able to analyze the samples we got?”

It took a few seconds for her brain to connect the dots. She had almost completely forgotten about their mission last night. “Of course. I’ll stay later at the office.”

“Keep your bodyguard around, call Dig when you’re done, OK?”

“Will you be home?”

“I’ll be at Dig’s probably,” he nodded reluctantly.

“OK,” she murmured, biting her lip.

Oliver hesitated, shifting on his feet, then eventually made his way to the door, asking her to lock after him.

Her throat tight, and this time it had nothing to do with what had happened during the night, she padded across the room, making sure the door was properly locked.

He hadn’t kissed her goodbye.

Sniffling, she tried to blink back the tears, taking a careful sip of tea. She felt so lost at the moment. Usually when she was lost, she sought Oliver. But it wasn’t possible at the moment. She didn’t even know when it would be possible again, actually.

Sighing, she put the mug on the coffee table, cursing when she bumped it against the remote, hot liquid spilling on the table cloth.

“Damn it.”

Standing up, she took her mug to the kitchen and grabbed some paper towels, deciding that today definitely wasn’t her day.

Grabbing the remotes as well as the few pens and notebooks that were littering the table, she bundled the table cloth, knowing it was time to wash it anyway, and tossed it aside.

“What…”

She hadn’t touched the puzzle in months. She changed the table cloth once a month, even though she had probably forgotten to do it last time. Sitting down on the floor, she let her hands graze the plastic square, her eyes roaming over the picture of the Bellagio fountains.

Oliver had kept his promise. He had finished it.

An ugly sob tore through her throat as her fingers traced the frame delicately. He had probably done that during the nights because she had never even seen him try to even take a peek. She had known that she would have to show it to him at some point but their emotional talk of the night had left her so drained, she hadn’t felt the strength to tackle that particular beast on top of everything else.

They had been so happy that weekend. Blissfully content as they had finally taken a step forward in their relationship, making love more times than she could remember. She had never felt more in love than when they had stayed the weekend at her place, their relationship so easy, so comfortable that it almost felt as if they had been together for years instead of mere hours.

Her eyes were so blurry that it took her several minutes before she could finally calm down long enough to stop the tears and get a good look at the picture before her. Only then did she notice that one piece was missing. Was it the reason why Oliver hadn’t mentioned it?

She couldn’t know for sure and a part of her didn’t really care. Oliver had probably needed to do this alone, for a reason she couldn’t comprehend at the moment, not when her brain was lacking so much sleep and her emotions were all over the place. But she knew, without a doubt, that this wasn’t just a puzzle. It meant so much more.

  
It meant he was trying.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok this might turn into one of my novel-length author note, fair warning XD
> 
> First of all, I had always planned to have a big confrontation like that. Not so much a big fight, even though we really walked the line there. RIP, Felicity's alarm clock. (By the way, in no way do I approve of violence, in whatever form, within a couple. But Felicity just woke up brutally from a nightmare, nerves are all over the place, she is frightened (who wouldn't be??), confused, mad, frustrated. We all lash out during those times. She threw something at the wall more than at Oliver, btw. Keep in mind she didn't have her glasses on XD). Oliver's natural instinct is to keep secrets - borrowed from canon. Felicity is to close off emotionally. So yeah I had to wait for things to simmer before they were being literally forced to face that head on. Oliver had to share, Felicity had to open up. They both did. Not everything is out there, because let's give them a break and also the chapter was getting long lol. 
> 
> I said, before or right when I started STAMTB, how much it would mirror HGW. I think this chapter shows that. Oliver in HGW was the boss. Like... the boss. Confident, self assured, he knew his place, had it firmly. Felicity was the one fighting her way through life, starting over, feeling less. And now? Mirror. It's the exact opposite way. Why? Because it's fun for me to write that way, and one of the mainreasons I went through with that sequel. Would they still have ended up in love if things had been the other way around? Well the answer is yes. Because it's together that they shine. Together that they make the other shine. So three years ago, Oliver found a rough diamond in Felicity, saw her value, polished it, help her shine. Now? It's Felicity's turn to do the same for him. And it's OK. That's healthy and balanced. It's when one is weak that the other is strong for the both of them. That, *that* is why their story is so epic and their love is so strong. Oliver is leaning on Felicity, like Felicity did before. You'll see we're far from done with them about that. At some point, things will reverse again, then again, then they'll be in a place where they're just... good. The two of them. Together and separately, they'll be in a very good place, a healthy one that isn't co-dependent but that they couldn't have reached without the support of the other.
> 
> *insert gif of HIMYM "that's love, bitch"*
> 
> We found out much more about Russia. I won't dig too deep into those three years apart from explaining what and why. I don't want to lose time over that when so much is happening in the present but yeah you'll get more explanation in future chapters too concerning Amanda Waller or Slade for instance. My goal is that at the end of the story you get a clear picture of Oliver's experience in those three years, but not a fully detailed story.
> 
> Oh and don't worry... boy is so not gonna spend even one night away from her apartment XD Yoda Diggle is going to spread his wisdom. But notice how Oliver knows he has to work on those issues, and that Dig is the best to help him. He is seeking help :)
> 
> Oh btw... can you guys give me one good, very sexy song? For a very smutty chapter? I already have several in mind, just trying to check if I'm not missing one (I already have sex on fire, talking bodies, naughty girl, insatiable. If you know another one, hit me in the comments ;))
> 
> Until next time, don't hesitate to tell me how you felt about this chapter :)
> 
> xoxo


	28. Work Song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> I still have a few comments to reply to, but I'm getting there XD  
> Anyway, as usual, thank you for your support and wow your reaction to the last chapter were amazing!!! I am so, so happy it got this kind of feedback because it ws very cathartic to write, expose raw emotions like that... and that is what I actually consider "adult conversation" XD (you also have the "very adult conversation" but usually these come with a warning O_O).
> 
> So this chapter is long... stuff happen (no, not that kind of stuff...) and more things are now out in the open ;)
> 
> Special thanks, as usual to Pidanka who still delta's (when she isn't drowning in Dramione feels) and mysticaldetectivepanda, who still beta's and occasionally spoils me rotten with American goodies <3
> 
> Song: Work Song - Hozier

**"Work Song"**   
  


Boys workin' on empty  
Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat?  
I just think about my baby  
I'm so full of love I could barely eat  
There's nothing sweeter than my baby  
I'd never want once from the cherry tree  
Cause my baby's sweet as can be  
She'd give me toothaches just from kissin' me

When my time comes around  
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth  
No grave can hold my body down  
I'll crawl home to her

Boys, when my baby found me  
I was three days on a drunken sin  
I woke with her walls around me  
Nothin' in her room but an empty crib  
And I was burnin' up a fever  
I didn't care much how long I lived  
But I swear I thought I dreamed her  
She never asked me once about the wrong I did

When my time comes around  
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth  
No grave can hold my body down  
I'll crawl home to her

When my time comes around  
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth  
No grave can hold my body down  
I'll crawl home to her

My babe would never fret none  
About what my hands and my body done  
If the Lord don't forgive me  
I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me  
When I was kissin' on my baby  
And she put her love down soft and sweet  
In the low lamp light I was free  
Heaven and hell were words to me

When my time comes around  
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth  
No grave can hold my body down  
I'll crawl home to her

When my time comes around  
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth  
No grave can hold my body down  
I'll crawl home to her

 

 

Oliver closed the door, his eyes dropping as his hand lingered a bit too long on the handle. He didn’t like leaving that way. He didn’t like the distance that was growing between them. A distance he had built himself. They had talked most of the night and his mind was still overwhelmed with everything Felicity had told him about their time apart. He needed a clear head, therefore he needed a bit of distance.

Yet, leaving her without his usual goodbye kiss had been harder than he thought. He just didn’t trust himself at the moment, still rattled by what had happened during the night.

But Felicity’s words had reached him. He just had to battle his way through.

With a deep sigh, he quietly walked up the stairs leading to Dig’s apartment. It was still early, but he knew his friend would already be up. He was an early bird, always had been ever since the army.

There was a flash of surprise in Dig’s eyes when he opened the door.

“Oliver? Everything alright?”

Oliver winced, shifting on his feet. “No. Not really. May I come in?”

They sat down at Dig’s dining table, cups of coffee in front of them. Oliver proceeded to tell him everything that had happened in the last few hours, forcing the words out despite his shame. Dig listened, not interrupting him once, until he had laid it all out.

“Is Felicity alright?” he eventually asked as Oliver finally took his first sip of coffee.

“Yes. She seems to be, at least. But she is so adamant about being strong and supportive, I’m not sure she’s not downplaying it.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Dig nodded. “I’m going to get straight to the point. What happened wasn’t OK. It could have ended really, really badly.”

Oliver snorted humorlessly. “You think I don’t know that? It’s all I have on my mind. It replays over and over again in my head. I wake up in the morning, and she is lying there, not moving, those purple marks around her neck and-”

“Stop it. That won’t lead you anywhere. It happened. It could have been way, way worse. But Oliver this… isn’t uncommon. It isn’t, at all.”

“It doesn’t-”

Dig cut him off with a short shake of his head. “I’ve been there. I know a lot of brothers who’ve been there too. You can work on this. Get it under control. Now there is something that caught my attention right away, and I hope you made that connection too. This happened to you twice. And twice it was linked to Russia. You were pulled back into very specific circumstances where everything was a potential threat to you. You reacted instinctively.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that Felicity is stubborn as hell and doesn’t understand she’d be better off alone,” Oliver snapped.

“Felicity Smoak, stubborn? And you’ve only figured that one out now?” Dig snorted, eyebrow lifting mockingly.

“This is not funny.”

“No, it’s not. But there are a couple of things you need to be reminded of. Since I’m older and wiser, I’m going to volunteer. One, you and I both know that you’d never willingly touch a hair on that girl's head. Two, she is not going to let you pull away. Three, there is no way in hell you’ll be able to stand up against her. Because deep down, you don’t want to. But you have to be careful, you’re right. I’d advise sleeping separately when something stressful of this kind happens again. Ask Felicity to have a taser under her pillow or on the night stand, if it makes you feel safer. There are demons inside of you and they need to get out and be put to rest, Oliver. It won’t happen in a matter of weeks, or even months. That’s something you have to accept. It’s not you and eventually they will go away.”

“You had that too?”

“Yeah. It cost me my marriage because my first instinct was just like yours. Thinking I was too damaged, too different. I wasn’t in a place where I could accept PTSD for what it was. I didn’t understand it. I thought I had been changed irrevocably, and not for the best. It turns out I was wrong but I realized that way too late. You need to find coping mechanisms, healthy ones. You need to start identifying what causes you to snap. That’s a job only you can do. But you’re not alone. You have Felicity right at your side. You have a friend who knows what kind of mess is in your head right now. This is not hopeless, man. Far from it.”

  
  


***

  
  
  


“Are you sure you don’t need me?” Daniela asked, popping her head in the doorframe.

“No, thanks. I’m good. Just need to wrap up a few things,” Felicity reassured her with a small smile. She knew she probably didn’t sound very convincing, her head haven’t been exactly in the game all day.

Being attacked by your boyfriend in the middle of the night did that to you, apparently. Spending the rest of the night sharing some of your most painful memories also didn’t help.

But Felicity had a mission, and the few samples she had safely tucked inside her drawer were the proof of that. She waited a couple more hours, reviewing several memos and reports from the departments she was in charge of. By the time she was sure everyone had gone home, apart from the few members of security that is, she made her way to the secondary building that was accessible through a long underground hallway. Their research division had been built separately from the other offices, just in case any accident would happen. At first she had assumed Ray was joking but… he wasn’t. Within the last year only one small explosion had happened though, one of their chemical engineers having miscalculated the amount of oxygen needed for his experiment.

She was waiting for the results, her shoe dangling from her foot as she swayed on the rolling chair, when her phone beeped. She made a small prayer, hoping it was Oliver - he hadn’t been in touch all day. No matter how much she wanted to check up on him, she was completely aware that he probably needed a bit of space. And to be totally honest, so did she.

“Hi,” she answered in a small breath, wondering in what kind of mood he was.

“Hi, baby.”

His voice was soft, warm like melted chocolate, and she closed her eyes, her shoulders relaxing instantly.

“Are you at the office?”

“Yes. Running the analyses right now. It’s going to take about an hour before they’re all done. Then I’ll run a scan at the foundry and check the SCPD database to see if there's any other connection.”

“Great. Dig will be waiting for you at the usual spot.”

“Good,” she murmured. “How are you?”

“I… I’m OK. You?”

“Peachy.”

There was an awkward pause between them, something she wasn’t really used to but before she could open her mouth, Oliver was taking a deep breath.

“Listen, honey… I talked to Dig about… about what happened last night.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“I know, Oliver. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I hurt you nonetheless and I scared you and that is so, so wrong.”

“I’m not exactly looking forward to this kind of thing happening again but I also know it was the opposite of your usual behavior with me.”

“Dig told me about PTSD and… he thinks I can learn how to control it. Identify the triggers and so on.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” She also made a mental note to research about triggers because it wasn’t an area she knew very well.

“So in the meanwhile, I think it’s best if I sleep on the couch. Especially if something makes me stressed or anxious.”

“Sounds fair enough,” Felicity smiled. She had reached the same conclusion herself. She didn’t want him to spend the night anywhere else but… she couldn’t lie to herself. She had been terrified when she had woken up. She also needed a bit of time.

“And also you should keep a taser or two near your bed.”

Felicity pinched her lips, forcing herself to count to ten. Not to calm her down but to have the time to think rationally and not emotionally. “If it makes you feel better… I’ll do it.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.”

Oliver kept her company on the phone until the tests were done. He asked her how she was doing and she didn’t want to lie to him. Her throat was sore, and she had been forced to wear a turtleneck. Talking to him about it made her feel better though, helped her compartmentalize the Oliver who had woken her up so brutally and her Oliver, the one whose voice was enough to turn her into a big puddle of goo. There was a fragility between them now, one she wasn’t willing to let grow, but one that was there nonetheless.

When the small beep from the mass spectrometer broke their conversation, Oliver told her Dig was already on his way. She copied all the data onto a USB stick, collected what was left of the samples and made sure to clean up after herself then made her way to the garage level.

Sighing, she slipped on the front seat, her head dropping, the exhaustion of the last 24 hours catching up with her.

“You had dinner?”

“Does a granola bar count?”

“Nope,” Dig answered with a smile in his voice.

She closed her eyes, not paying attention to where Dig was heading until the car stopped.

“Big Belly?” she asked in surprise once she saw the big sign on the other side of the road.

“After what Oliver told me, I figured you needed the big guns. That means your cheeseburger and a vanilla shake.”

“You know me well,” she grinned as they made their way to the door.

Felicity was half done with her burger when Dig finally asked the question that had obviously been nagging him. “So… how are you?”

Shrugging, Felicity snatched one of his onion rings. “Oliver told you. I’m OK, I guess.”

“You do know it wasn’t really him, right?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry, I know. I mean… I’m not going to lie, I’m kinda relieved he’s sleeping on the couch and… oh my God, I sound so horrible saying that,” she breathed, dropping her burger on her plate. She was relieved that Oliver wasn’t going to sleep next to her.

“No you don’t. I’d be worried if you weren’t,” Dig frowned, slowly shaking his head. “This could have had a very different outcome. It’s not his fault. But it’s even less yours. If you want to move past that-”

“Of course I do. I love him.”

“Then you’re doing the right thing. Take a step back. Rebuild the trust. It’s going to take some time, so the two of you are gonna have to be patient. It’s not gonna happen in a matter of weeks, but you’ll get there. One step at a time.”

Felicity took a long sip of vanilla shake, letting the creamy texture sweeten her taste buds. “I’ve thought about it a lot and… we’ve had it easy. I mean not the three years apart, but since we started dating again. If I can call it dating, actually.” She frowned, scrunching her nose. “Can you believe that? We still haven’t even been on a date. Like… ever.” With a small shake of her head, she forced herself to focus. “Anyway, what I mean is that… you’ve warned us something like that could happen. It has. Now we’re gonna have to deal with it.”

 

 

Honoring the name of the restaurant they had left, Felicity’s belly was big when she opened the door of her apartment. Oliver was doing the dishes in the kitchen, the distinct smell of dark chocolate lingering in the room.

He welcomed her with a smile and a soft, almost hesitant kiss on her lips.

“Have you been baking?” she asked in surprise. It was almost 10PM.

“Granola bars. Much better than those you buy at the vending machine at work. I’ll wrap them when they’re cold, you can take them tomorrow morning. I put everything you like in them. Chocolate, apricots, almonds.”

Oliver dried his hands on a towel before dropping it on the counter, licking his lower lip nervously.

“Everything good? John told me he was going to feed you.”

“He did. All we’ll have to do tomorrow is run a few scans on the computer at the foundry. I’ll get out of work early, Dig will drive me.”

Oliver nodded and with one last look, she went to take a shower. She took her time underneath the hot water, letting it relax her muscles, and made sure to spread arnica over her neck afterwards. She picked her most comfy pajamas, braided her hair and moisturized before brushing her teeth.

 

By the time she finally walked back inside the kitchen, Oliver was finishing wrapping up the granola bars, stocking some in a cookie jar and the rest in a Ziploc bag that he left on the counter.

“There you go. I added extra so you can give some to Daniela. They’ll be good until the end of-” Oliver glanced at her, stopping himself mid-sentence. He visibly gulped, his eyes drifting over the top her chest.

Self-consciously, Felicity’s hand covered her throat that wasn’t hidden by a turtleneck anymore. The marks had turned from an angry red last night to a dark purple, offering a stark and sobering contrast with the natural paleness of her skin. After a few seconds, Oliver sagged back against the counter, pressing his palms against his face.

“I’m so so-”

“Stop,” Felicity cut him off. “You already apologized. Your excuses are not what I need from you, Oliver.”

He eventually lowered his hands, gripping the counter behind him. “I don’t know what to do to make things better.”

“Right now, I need you to remind me that these hands,” Felicity explained softly, gently forcing him to let go of the counter, “can be the softest hands. That they make me feel safe. And warm. Can you do that?”

His eyes dove into hers and she wasn’t surprised to see his were brighter than usual. Eventually he nodded his head, pulling her into his arms until she could nestle her face in his neck. His large palms rubbed soothing circles across her back while all she could do was breathe him in. He had taken a shower earlier, the smell of his soap still clinging to his skin.

“We’re gonna be OK,” she murmured against his throat. He hummed in response, his chin rubbing against her forehead. Pulling away, she put a little distance between their bodies, meeting his eyes. “I mean it.”

“Yeah?” he asked in a whisper.

“Yeah.”

With gentle hands, Oliver tipped her head back, offering her neck to his stare. His fingers stroked the tender skin delicately before his lips brushed a small trail of kisses over what she knew were the marks left by his fingers. “Did you put some arnica?”

“Yeah. Several times today. They’ll fade soon enough.”

“It feels so wrong, Felicity. It feels so wrong to see this on your neck. To know I left these bruises. So, so, so utterly wrong.”

“We’ll do everything we can so it doesn’t happen again.”

He cradled her face, his thumbs stroking the corner of her lips. “I intend to.”

“Good. Now that is settled, gimme a kiss,” Felicity grinned, fisting the sides of his T-shirt.

What started in a soft peck, barely a brush of his lips against hers, slowly turned into a deep, wet kiss. Oliver took his time, building up the heat until her toes were literally curling on the cold tiles of her kitchen.

“That should last us all night,” he eventually said against her lips. Her eyes were still closed, too busy enjoying the butterflies in her belly to do anything else than hum in contentment. She heard his chuckle at her lack of reaction, then his hands were on her butt, lifting her. Instinctively, she circled his hips with her legs, her arms around his shoulders and her face nuzzling the size of his neck as they moved across the apartment.

She kept her eyes shut all the way to her bed, trusting Oliver to switch off the lights and tuck her in.

And he did, with one last kiss on her forehead.

  
  
  


Chemistry had never been Felicity’s forte. Not that she didn’t have basic knowledge or interest, but clearly she had never been an expert. Which was probably the reason why she didn’t realize something was off with the analysis of the mass spectrometer. It only took a scan of the SCPD criminal files to finally see what was unusual.

Drugs.

There were traces of drugs. Or actually components used in drugs, to be specific. Which was directly linked to a meth lab that had been raided months ago. Now, Felicity knew that whoever they were dealing with were not exactly choirboys.

But drugs? That hadn’t been part of the equation. At all.

Something was nagging her, something she could sense was forming in her brain but there were still too many missing pieces. She couldn’t get a clear picture. Not yet at least.

“Think, Felicity. Think. A project. Explosions and attacks. Trying to clean up the city, whatever way they can. Some kind of purge. Police captain and prison warden involved. Ex-convicts. With a clear change of behavior, by the way. No interest in taking easy money or jewels. Drugs. Malcolm Butthole Merlyn.”

Biting her nails, she started pacing in the empty foundry. Dig had dropped her off a few hours ago, heading back to QC after she had locked every entrance.

Her cellphone buzzed on the desk and she grabbed it, her mind still trying to piece everything together. One single text showed and instantly, all her theories were forgotten.

**Dig 6:16PM** \- Got ambushed. We’re good but Oliver needs to be patched up. Get the med table ready, be there soon.

“What the hell?!” she yelled at her phone. Quickly typing an OK in response, she went to grab the first aid kit and made sure the table was clean. Why oh why they thought the hospital wasn’t a better idea, she didn’t know but she sure was going to ask them.

In her loud voice.

A few calming breaths later, she had cooled down enough to realize that if Oliver’s injuries had indeed been serious, they would have headed straight to the hospital. Also they had been at QC so it couldn’t have been anything really big or life-threatening. It would have been impossible to sneak out of there.

A few minutes later, the door opened with a clank and Oliver started to walk down the stairs, followed by Dig.

“What’s going on?” Felicity asked instantly, helping him to the med table while Dig went to wash his hands. She saw a few bruises on Oliver’s face but he didn’t seem to have any serious injuries.

“He got stabbed, but it’s just a flesh wound,” Dig answered as he slipped on his gloves. “And there’s also-”

“Treat the wound first, Dig,” Oliver gritted through his teeth. “I probably have a few bruised ribs as well but I’ll live.”

Felicity stepped aside, letting Dig cut Oliver’s clothes and patch him up. She took care of the small traces of blood he had on his face and arms then went to fetch him clean clothes.

“Felicity?” Oliver called her, his voice sounding awfully hoarse.

“Yes?” she handed him a clean t-shirt, but his eyes were tightly closed.

“Dig has a syringe. They tried to inject me with something and… I actually think they succeeded. You’re gonna need to… to…” Oliver struggled with the last words.

“Oliver, you OK man?” Dig asked, sharing a look with her.

“Herbs. I need herbs.”

“... herbs?” Felicity asked, her eyes shifting in confusion. “I... I have some basil and sage in my freezer but...”  _How exactly is that going to help? Did he get hit on the head?_

Oliver shook his head, his jaw tight and something suddenly clicked in her mind. “Ooooh, you mean the ones you told me about, the ones that are almost mag-”

Her jaw dropped mid-sentence when Oliver launched at Dig with a roar of rage. She stood, shocked to the bone at the wrath that was on his face, so unlike anything she had ever seen from him - and that included what had happened two nights ago.

“Oliver!” she yelped, throwing the clothes aside. “Oliver, it’s Dig! You’re fine, you’re safe!”

Dig pushed him back, Oliver landing against the med table with a loud thud. “Oliver man, you have to calm down!”

Horrified, Felicity watched as Oliver stood up, shrugging as if he hadn’t been shoved several feet behind and backed Dig against a wall, his forearm pressing against his throat.

“Oh no. Oh God, no.” Felicity hurried to her desk, her hands shaking so hard she barely could open her purse. Whatever was happening with Oliver wasn’t normal. And that included PTSD not normal kind of things. Unlocking the safety on her taser, she let out a sob when she pressed it in his back, holding the button two seconds, long enough for him to let go of Dig, not long enough to cause too much harm. It was enough for Dig to grab his wrist and cuff it to the stairs. By the time Oliver had cleared his head, a second pair of handcuffs was secured around the other wrist and his ankles were tied with duct tape.

“What… Dig what the hell…”

“I don’t know, Felicity,” he answered, panting. “We found a syringe on the floor, half full. We weren’t sure if he had been injected or not but… I think we can safely assume he was. That is not Oliver.”

Felicity’s eyes were glued to her boyfriend, who was struggling against the staircase, his eyes full of hate and darkness jumping from Dig to her. His forehead was sweaty, his eyes shiny and red and the stitches Dig had carefully placed on his arm had popped. It was obvious Oliver didn’t even notice the pain he must have been feeling in his ribs by the way he was thrashing everywhere.

“Herbs!” she gasped suddenly. “He said to get him the herbs!”

“The trunk,” Dig nodded, pointing to the back of the room. “Go get them Felicity, I have to keep eyes on him.”

Nodding, she ran to the back of the room, finding the big, old trunk against the wall. Opening it, she saw random objects and weapons, throwing most of them on the floor until she could find a small bag of herbs.

“I have no idea how much we’re supposed to use or anything,” she babbled as she joined Dig. “And how are we going to give them to him? There is no way he is going to let us close!”

“I’ll zap him again,” Dig gritted through his teeth. “As soon as he dozes off, I shove a teaspoon in his mouth and force it down his throat.”

Swallowing the giant lump in her throat, Felicity nodded, knowing they didn’t have a choice. She still winced, her eyes watering when Dig had to taser Oliver again.

They watched him carefully as he started to gain consciousness again a few minutes later, this time seemingly less aggressive. They shared a hopeful look as Oliver’s head sagged down, his breathing heavy.

“Oliver?” Felicity asked softly.

His eyes blinked as if he couldn’t see her. “Felicity?” he said in a slur, unable to focus on her.

“We can’t leave him there, Dig,” Felicity whispered. “He has bruised ribs, or worse.”

“I know but we can’t take any risks either,” Dig hissed, pressing a tissue against his lower lip. Oliver, are you OK?” Dig asked in a louder voice.

“Felicity?”

“He seems out of it, Dig.”

Carefully, Dig approached him but Oliver didn’t react. Instructing Felicity to take a hold of the taser just in case, Dig opened the cuffs then threw Oliver over his shoulders, carrying him to the med table - where he cuffed him back. Better safe than sorry.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” Oliver’s voice was barely a whisper.

“It’s OK. It’s OK,” Felicity said softly, her hand stroking his forehead, her stomach tying in knots when she realized how hot he was.

“I should have never gotten on that boat. I should have stayed with you. Should have kept my promise. Finished that damn puzzle and taken you out on a date. Italian. You like Italian, right?”

Her hand freezing over his heated skin, Felicity glanced at Dig who was busy patching Oliver’s bicep again.

“It’s alright. You came back to me, Oliver.”

“I tried to. I… I wanted to. God, I wanted to come back to you so much. Never wanted anything more in my life."

“Do you think we should give him more herbs?” Felicity asked in a low voice. “He has a temperature. Whatever they injected him with is fighting its way out of his system.”

“Ask him,” Dig nudged her.

“Oliver? Those herbs Mister Yao Fei gave you… how much do you need of them?"

“One mouthful for infection. Two for severe wounds. Three if I’m about to die. Four is probably gonna kill me,” Oliver repeated in a monotonous voice, as if it had been a lesson he had had to learn.

“I say another one won’t hurt,” Dig stated calmly before forcing his mouth open and dropping another pinch of herbs in Oliver’s mouth.

Oliver had barely swallowed that he suddenly let out a gasp and… stopped moving.

Felicity couldn’t hold back her scream when she saw his body going limp, his eyes open... and empty.

  
  


***

 

“We must be getting close if they feel threatened enough to try a move here at QC again,” Dig said as he typed a text to Felicity, warning her they were on their way.

Oliver winced as he nodded his head. He had walked out of the elevator, Dig already waiting in the car, when two men had jumped him. He had fought back, managing to hold them back even with the knife slashing his arm. Dig had arrived and the men had run away, Oliver taking off after them but Dig had stopped him when they had heard a car arriving. It was only then that he had noticed the syringe on the floor. Truth be told, with the adrenaline of the fight, he had no idea if he had been injected with anything or not. But they had taken the syringe with them, knowing Felicity could probably identify its components. Oliver needed a few stitches and a vicious kick in the chest was hurting him like a bitch. But he’d live. No need to go to the hospital and sign a report.

He hadn’t felt weird at all until he had seen Felicity waiting for them down the stairs. Something had crept up then, a weird, tingling sensation in his hands. Then he had blacked out, coming to himself only to feel something hard and cold underneath him, Felicity’s sweet voice in his ears, her gentle hands caressing his forehead. Something was wrong with him. His heart was beating too fast, his skin was too hot.

Then… then nothing. He couldn’t hear her voice anymore, couldn’t feel her hands anymore. It was dark. It was lonely. It was empty. He searched for her, but no sound would come out of his mouth. It seemed like it lasted hours, hours where he thought this time… he really had lost her. She was gone.

A shrilling sound in his ears finally reached him and then her voice from afar. Small, fragile. Repeating his name, over and over again.

He wanted to get to her, crawl to her but it was like his body wasn’t responding to him anymore.

_I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry._

  
  


***

 

“Oliver!” Felicity screamed, her hands slapping his cheeks. “Oliver, wake up!”

“Felicity, move,” Dig ordered, a defibrillator in hands. “Felicity! Move!” he yelled when she stayed in her spot.

Shaking off her trance, she took a step back, an ugly sob tearing from her throat. It couldn’t end that way. After everything, after coming back to her against all odds… it couldn’t end that way, in a damp basement in the Glades. They couldn’t win. There was a dull, buzzing sound in her ears as she stood limply by the table, unable to do anything but stare desperately as the love of her life had seemingly taken his last breath.

_Protect yourself, Felicity._

One brick at a time, she was building a wall. Blocking everything around her. Detaching herself from the scene in front of her. She hated to admit it but right now, all she wanted to do was run. Run far, far away from that monster that was already creeping up on her. The darkness. She couldn’t lose him again. She knew that would destroy her.

“I have a pulse,” Dig finally managed to break through to her. “He’s breathing, Felicity.”

Oliver’s chest was rising, slowly. He was breathing. He wasn’t gone.

Her own breath almost burnt her lungs and she realized she had held it back, as if her body was refusing to function if Oliver wasn’t by her side.

Her hands immediately went to his neck, searching for the proof of life and the small little thump almost had her crumbling to the floor with relief.

Dig gently pushed her on a chair, but she left her hand in his hair, her cheek resting on his shoulder. She didn’t let him out of his sight for one second, staring at his face, feeling each breath he was taking, savoring them as if they were her own.

“Damn, I need a drink,” Dig said as he leaned against the table, his head hanging low.

Felicity hummed, her fingers stroking Oliver’s hair, her thumb grazing his eyebrow every now and then.

She barely paid attention to what Dig did afterwards, checking Oliver’s pupils, his pulse and probably a whole bunch of other things essential to his health recovery. She’d have to ask him later, though, because whatever it was, it was probably important. She covered Oliver with two thick blankets, sending Dig to rest. If something else happened, she needed him alert.

She didn’t move from her spot, her head still cushioned on Oliver’s chest and ignoring the kinks in her neck until Dig came back. He told her it was past 2 in the morning, then checked Oliver again before telling her to take a break. It seemed as if Oliver’s fever was almost under control, and he had stopped shivering at least an hour ago.

Felicity didn’t want to move but she also really, really needed to pee so she rushed to the bathroom and took care of her business. She freshened her face, her make up being a mess, her hair even worse. As she headed back to Oliver, she remembered the trunk she had all but trashed and felt a sense of remorse. Those were precious possessions of Oliver's. She knew he wouldn’t blame her for her frantic behavior - after all it had been a life or death situation - but still. It didn’t feel right. Seeing Dig was keeping guard by Oliver’s side, she walked to the back of the foundry, carefully replacing the few items inside the trunk. Some stones, more herbs, even a few arrows. She also found a notebook, which made her pause.

She bit her lips nervously, rolling it between her hands before opening it. If it really was something private she’d close it and put it back where it belonged. But right now, after seeing Oliver literally dying in front of her, she needed to feel close to him. And for some reason, there was a little voice inside her that was telling her that this was how she would feel that connection. Her hand shaking, she opened the book to the first page and her heart skipped a beat when she saw her name was the first word he had written.

 

_Felicity,_

_I’m sorry. I’m sorry I might not come back to you._

 

Her face scrunching, she bit her lip as fresh tears invaded her eyes. Taking a few shaking breaths, she blinked until she could read the rest of his words.

 

_Back on the boat, Andrew told me about his wife, about how he had lost her all these years ago and all I could think of was that I couldn’t even envision a life without you. And now, I’m far away from you and the truth is, the idea that I’m gone might be crossing your mind right now. I wish I could promise you that I’ll come home but I’m not sure I will. I love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. That week we had was the most perfect time of my life. If I could turn around and change everything, I would. I’d never get on that damn boat, I would stay with you and I would hold you in my arms and never let you go. There are so many things I still haven't told you. How you make the cutest little sound just before you wake up every morning. I always kiss your forehead when I wake up before you. It's like a little secret, between your skin and me._

 

She had no idea. She had no idea Oliver had that habit and it made her feel so warm inside that even when she was asleep, he had this little gesture for her.

She dried her face against her sleeve, scrolling down through the pages. Oliver’s handwriting was small, much smaller than usual and she knew he was probably saving ink and paper. All the pages he had filled… he had filled them with thoughts of her. Only her. Words of love and dreams and hopes.

 

_… Anatoli and Slade keep nagging me about my Juliet. They know your name - apparently I talk to you in my sleep. They’re mocking me a little. They know we haven’t been together for long. They don’t know you are already in my soul. They don’t know the man I was before I met you. Someone I’m not proud of._

 

_… Yao Fei made me kill a bird. I apologized to it. I know you love chicken, but when I get home I don’t think I’ll be able to eat any. He is teaching me how to shoot with a bow. I seem to remember Robin Hood was your favorite Disney movie but baby I’m telling you, there is no way I’m wearing green tights. Slade is teaching me kick boxing. I’d rather he taught me how to fish, since we’re on an island but at least it’s keeping me busy._

 

_… Three. That’s the number of kids I want. But I’m willing to negotiate. Four is good too. And I’m counting on you to do whatever you have to do, but honey you have to give me a baby girl._

 

Felicity sniffled, holding back a wet laugh. _Jeez, Oliver… four!_

 

_… It’s been weeks now, apparently. The other ones… I didn’t want to tell you before, but they’ve been here for a long time. So I don’t know when I’ll come home to you. Whenever I do though, we’re getting married. I love you. You love me. I don’t want to wait. You’re all I want and all I need and the sooner we’re married, the sooner we can work on those five kids - yes, I decided four isn’t enough. I know it sounds rushed but… it took me a long time to find you. It took me a long time to even understand something was missing. You were missing and when you walked into my life, it’s like things started to fall into place. I miss you. I miss you so damn much. There is this ache, in my chest. It’s always there. It’s where you are._

 

As the pages went on, Felicity realized that Oliver slowly started to accept the possibility he might not come back and what had been love letters turned into goodbyes.

 

_… It’s been so long now. I have a beard. My hair is long. Anatoli is ill and we don’t know if he’s gonna make it. I know there is also a chance I might not make it either. And it’s so fucking unfair. I haven’t had enough time to love you._

 

And finally, the last line, where the ink had run out so much she could barely read the words.

 

_… I love you. You’ve been the brightest part of my life._

 

Her fingers traced the last line over and over again, closing her eyes and feeling the connection deep inside her soul.

He was the brightest part of her life too.

 

***

 

Pain.

That’s the first thing that broke through the clouds in his brain. His body was aching. Everywhere. Breathing was even painful. There were just two spots that weren’t hurting. Something warm was leaning on his shoulder, right above his heart, and there was a light stroking over his forehead. It felt good.

He wanted to open his eyes but his body still refused to obey him. The smell of green apples reached him and he almost groaned. Felicity. She was near him. He had to get to her, hold her close.

Only she could take the pain away.

He heard her murmuring his name and there was nothing more he wanted than to answer but as he tried to gather enough strength, blackness invaded him once more.

Her voice was clearer when he regained consciousness. It still felt like his body was weighing a ton, but his mind seemed clearer even if his head was literally pounding. He dozed off and on again, but every time he could feel her presence near him until he finally managed to speak.

“Felicity.”

The reassuring weight on his shoulder lifted suddenly as he blinked his eyes open, battling against the light.

“Oliver?” she asked in a small voice, her face appearing directly in front of him, shielding him from the lamp above him.

His tongue peeked out, dampening his dry lips and he suddenly realized how thirsty he was. “What happened?” he managed to ask in a hoarse voice. He tried to push back a strand of Felicity’s hair, only to realize his hands were literally handcuffed, tied down to the table underneath him. “What the-”

“Hold on,” Dig said a few seconds before a metallic sound reached him, his wrists suddenly free.

God he felt weak.

“Here,” Felicity said, pushing a straw between his lips, holding up his head. He groaned as the cool liquid soothed his throat, forcing himself to drink slowly. “It’s one of those drinks with mineral salts. You’re probably dehydrated.”

He eventually sat down after a few minutes, his head dizzy, his memory more than blurry. “What happened?”

“Remember the ambush? That syringe… you were drugged. We used those herbs on you but you still went into cardiac arrest. We brought you back. You had a fever. Glad to have you back,” Dig explained, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Why the handcuffs?”

“You… went into some kind of a Hulk rage,” Felicity said hesitantly, nibbling on her lip nervously. “Without the green skin and the strip tease, I mean. I had to taser you. Again. And Dig handcuffed you because we weren’t sure you would be back to yourself.”

Oliver frowned, searching his memory. He came up with nothing. “You guys OK?”

“Nothing that an ice pack couldn’t take care of,” Dig reassured him with a smile. “You’re much easier to patch up when you’re unconscious, by the way.”

“I’ll try to remember that for next time,” Oliver breathed as he slowly got off the table.

“Hey, slowly,” Felicity warned him, jumping from her chair.

“I need to go to the bathroom, Felicity,” he hissed. He didn’t add that her insistence to add a small bathroom downstairs was probably one of her smartest ideas. He honestly didn’t think he could make it up the stairs right now.

Dig shoved one of his massive shoulders under his arm, helping him walk over to the back of the room. After splashing some cold water on his face, he felt a bit better and managed to walk back alone - slowly, but alone. He fell more than sat down on the comfy chair by Felicity’s desk, letting her fuss over him with a hoodie that she forced him to wear.

“It’s the morning right?” he asked eventually.

“Yes. Don’t worry, I called Debbie, your assistant. She is covering for you and promised she’d get ahead of work for you too. You should consider a bonus for her at the end of the year, you know.” Felicity offered him a small smile, her hand resting on his thigh.

“She already got a car. Don’t think I can top that.”

“Never underestimate the power of a spa trip.”

Dig came back with another drink for him and he took several gulps, noticing the pounding in his head had already started to fade. His hands were steadier too. It took another hour for him to regain enough strength, his stomach refusing the idea to eat the cracker Felicity offered him. He listened to Felicity and Dig, trying to focus on their words but he was too busy trying to remember every little detail stocked in his memory. Rationally speaking, he knew he needed rest. Rest and a lot of water to get rid of whatever was left of the drugs in his system. But it was hard for him to accept his vulnerability, as well as his helplessness.

Despite that, he didn’t protest when Dig dropped them at Felicity’s place in the morning. As soon as they had closed the door behind them, Felicity made him sit down at the dining table with yet another drink while she rushed to the bathroom. He heard the water running and she came back to him half naked, wearing one of his t-shirts. Wordlessly, she gripped his hand and he followed her lead, letting her push him against the bathroom sink while she made a quick job of undressing him. In any other circumstances, seeing her on her knees, wearing only his t-shirt and unzipping his pants would have ended up with her being bent over the counter and despite his utter exhaustion, he still felt a flash of heat in his lower abdomen.

Unfortunately it was miles away from what she had in mind and she quickly got back to her feet as soon as he was naked.

He was tired, dead bone tired but he also felt icky, and the bath she had running was looking damn tempting. His muscles were sore too and he knew the hot water would only help him relax. He had barely sat down before Felicity got rid of his t-shirt, throwing it carelessly into the hamper before nudging him forward and slipping behind him.

“Oliver, we’ve been through this before. You can lean on me,” she murmured with an amused voice, pressing his shoulders down when he stiffened.

“I’m heavy.”

“I know. I like it. It’s all good.”

Felicity grabbed a washcloth, slowly rubbing his shoulders and chest and despite himself, he relaxed in her embrace. She eventually washed his hair, taking her time to work the shampoo, her nails scratching his scalp just like he loved it.

“You scared me, you know,” she whispered quietly as his head rested against her shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I’ll try not to get drugged against my will next time.”

“You do that.”

She rinsed his hair, then resumed her slow movements, carefully avoiding the bandage over his arm. Oliver couldn’t deny that it felt good, really good, his body slowly returning back to life. And Felicity’s naked skin surrounding him was also a very nice bonus. He let his hand rest against her thigh, just above her knee, his thumb stroking small circles.

“We need to find out what was in those drugs and why they injected me with it.”

“I know. I’ll get on that tomorrow, I promise. Today I’m taking care of you, though. What I know is that whatever they gave you robbed you of your free will. I don’t think you would ever attack Dig or me. Why would they want that though… that’s another story.”

Oliver frowned, her words waking up a small memory in his head but before he could unveil it, it fell back into the darkness. Knowing it was a lost battle for now, he selfishly let Felicity take care of him.

“I could get used to this, you know.”

“I hope you’re talking about the bath part and not the twelve hours or so in something close to a coma,” Felicity said dryly, lightly biting the lobe of his ear.

He huffed out a laugh, coughing at the pain in his ribs. Damn. In the hot water, with the pain killers Felicity had all but forced him to take, he had almost forgotten about his bruised ribs. “I did mean the bath.”

“When everything settles down…”

“I’m taking you away for a few days. Just you, me, and maybe that little rubber duck if you still have it,” he smiled, his eyes still closed.

“I kept it but it doesn’t work anymore.”

“Damn.”

“I bought another one, though.”

A slow, sly grin stretched his lips as he shifted around to meet her eyes. They were twinkling with mischief, even if her cheeks were sporting a small blush.

“I can’t believe you’re thinking about sex right now,” she laughed.

“Baby you’re all wet and naked against me. How on earth do you expect me **not** to think about sex right now?” he asked in mock outrage.

"Well maybe your ribs, and your arm, and those bruises on your face oh and that drug probably still in your system should be enough to take your mind off it?”

“Didn’t you hear the part mentioning you naked and wet?”

“No sex until you’re healed though. God. First my shoulder, now this. And soon I’m gonna have my period so we’re in for a couple of weeks of celibacy. Again.”

“We can be inventive, hon’. It’s not like we can’t have fun.”

“I can’t get on top, chances are I’ll press against your chest.”

“Then you’ll sit on my face. There’s no need for you to be frustrated,” he shrugged.

Felicity froze behind him. “Wh-what?”

“We still haven’t done that, we should jump on the occasion.”

“I… I… oh my God I can’t… I…” Felicity stuttered and one quick glance at her confirmed the small blush on her cheeks had turned into a deep red invading her face and her neck.

“Now you really make me wanna try that,” he winked at her before dropping a small peck on her lips. “I wonder if you’ll get as red and how far that blush will spread.”

Felicity opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water before narrowing her eyes. “I see you are already doing much better.”

“I wouldn’t say that, but I think some Felicity Smoak is the best kind of antidote.”

Rolling her eyes, she pushed on his back before standing up and getting out of the tub. He barely had the time to enjoy the view of her magnificent behind before she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel.

“I’m going to reheat some soup. You left a container in the freezer. Do you feel like eating a bit now?”

Oliver frowned, mentally checking his stomach. The thought of food didn’t make him gag so he assumed it was a good sign. “Yeah. Soup should be good.”

Dropping a kiss on his forehead, she padded her way out of the bathroom. Oliver heard the sound of the microwave as he relaxed back against the tub. He allowed himself a few more minutes before stepping out as well, wincing when his muscles protested. He had just put on some underwear when Felicity walked inside the room with a tray. She made him lay down on the bed, disregarding his protests, and he realized he was much more hungry than he had thought. He finished the bowl of chicken soup and two packages of crackers, as well as the apple Felicity had cut for him. She was sitting, cross legged, beside him on the bed, nibbling on her own meal - a turkey sandwich and some doritos. By the time Felicity had gone back to the kitchen after they ate, he was already asleep.

 

 

 

“Oh wow. You look… awful,” Debbie welcomed him with a grimace the next morning. “Are you sure you shouldn’t have stayed home one more day?”

“No. I know I don’t look like it but I actually feel much better,” Oliver reassured her with a smile. It wasn’t exactly a lie either. He felt much, much better than twenty four hours earlier, even if his skin was still pale. His ribs were still hurting, but there hadn’t been any real damage. It was the drugs' side effects that had him looking like death warmed over.

As he knew, Debbie had handled everything perfectly and even if it took him more time to do the usual tasks, he managed to get through the day with her help. He checked in with Felicity several times, making sure she was alright. This time, she had kicked a team out of the lab she needed to analyze the components of the drug, none of them comfortable in waiting any longer than necessary. Fortunately, Felicity was known in the company as a wild spirit, one who’d come up with random theories that she needed to test herself so no one was too surprised, even though she had never needed any chemical device before.

By the time she was done, Oliver and Dig were already heading to PT to pick her up. They briefly stopped to get some take-out for dinner and headed to the foundry, where Felicity had left all her data. There was a deep frown on her face and she was nervously chewing on her lower lip, a clear sign that she was preoccupied. Oliver knew her enough to understand she was processing something and she would share whenever she’d have found whatever she was looking for.

Which didn’t take long. They had barely walked down the stairs when she rushed to her desk, started her computer while Dig opened his container of sushi.

“Yes… mmhmmh,” Felicity nodded, her eyes travelling on the computer screen, seeing things that didn’t make any sense to him.

He shared a look with Dig, who just shrugged and wolfed down a california roll.

“The drug they gave you, Oliver,” Felicity finally said. “I found some common components with the samples we collected.”

“So it’s linked?”

“Yes. I mean what makes me so sure is that the proportions are very unique. But that’s not the most interesting.”

“.... what is the most interesting?” Dig asked after a few seconds of silence.

“What they used on you Oliver is a very weird combination of something that we know as a truth serum, as well as a very strong psychotic.”

“Ugh?”

“I was intrigued by that at the office, so I already looked everything up. There were some studies made like a decade ago. This kind of combination can make someone very compliant. Influenceable.” 

“You mean… it would be a drug used to mind-control someone?” Oliver asked.

“Yes. Do you remember if-”

Oliver’s mind suddenly clicked. Something had been nagging him ever since the day before, something he knew he was supposed to remember. “One of the men told me something that didn’t make sense. He told me I was going to get rid of my team. I… That’s what I was trying to remember, but it made no sense when he said that. Now…”

It explained why he apparently had made it back normally to the lair, only snapping when he had seen Felicity. That’s when his “team” had been complete.

“Now it does make sense. Oh God I can’t believe we have to deal with mind control drugs now. What has my life become? I left Vegas because it was too crazy!”

Oliver let his eyes travel across the room, trying to take in every element they had found out. There was a panel full of pictures and diagrams that Felicity had collected and he suddenly had a much, much clearer picture in his head. “Do you remember how you said that one of the gunmen from the attack at QC used to be a lone wolf?”

“Yeah and… he became part of a gang which didn’t make sense with his MO…” Felicity trailed off. “Oh wow. Yes that’s it! He didn’t change his MO, he was probably drugged!”

“So the judge and the prison warden pick the candidates. Probably lone wolves, men that no one will notice if they go missing. They get drugged to do the dirty jobs. They won’t remember a thing afterwards if they survive anyway,” Oliver nodded. “It’s like they’re creating a small army of medically brain-washed terrorists.”

“We need to find out where that drug is produced. I found a meth lab that was destroyed a while ago, it had the same components. From there maybe we can find a trail leading us to whoever creates it and also whoever finances it. Although we probably know the answer to that question.”

“The only thing we need now is a proof linking those attacks or that drug to Malcolm, or whoever else is in that project. That will be enough to bring to the media,” Dig concluded.

“On it!” Felicity exclaimed, her fingers so fast on the keyboard, Oliver could barely see them. “I’m going to set up scans everywhere I can think of. Which, in all modesty, should cover about half of the planet.”

Oliver shared a look with Dig, knowing Felicity wouldn’t rest until her precious algorithm was set up.

“I don’t think you’re going to need me, tonight,” Dig said quietly as he patted his back. “Think about what I’ve told you.”

Oliver nodded, crossing his arms on his chest as he watched his friend climbing up the stairs, Felicity not even realizing he was leaving.

“Honey?”

“Just a minute,” Felicity murmured. “You have a good processor, I mean I picked it, but it’s still going to take some time before it comes up with results. Also, have you thought about-”

“I talked to Walter today. Asked him about some trustworthy journalists. Local and national.”

“Oh that’s a good idea! I was wondering who we should go to with whatever we find.”

“Yeah… my father told me in his letter that I could trust Walter. I figured he was the best person to ask.”

Felicity stiffened on her chair at his words, but before he could ask anything, she went back to her furious typing. Knowing it was pointless, and even counter productive to interrupt her, he leaned back against the med table. He had talked some more with Dig earlier that day and with his advice, knew he needed to spend some time alone with Felicity. Sure they were making amazing progress with their search but their relationship was important to him. It actually was more than important, and he wanted to make sure she knew he would always put her first. Actions always spoke louder than words, and he wanted to prove that to her. He had a little surprise set up for her and had planned an evening for just the two of them.

“Do you think we have the time to head out, for a little while?” he eventually asked.

“Hum… yeah, I guess so. Why? Where?” she turned around in her chair, looking at him quizzically.

“I have a surprise to show you.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Last time a guy said that to me, he ended up arrested for public exposure.”

Oliver laughed, shaking his head. “Nothing illegal planned, I promise. At least… not in this country.”

“Alright, then. My algorithm is set up. Not much we can do in the meanwhile so… entertain me.”

With a smile, he helped her put back her coat on. “We’re gonna have to use your car. Seems like I sent my driver away.”

  
  
  


***

 

“OK, seriously, is this even necessary?” Felicity asked, huffing.

“Yes, it is.”

“I didn’t mean to peek, I swear!”

“You still did,” Oliver answered and she could swear she heard the smile in his voice. “I said it was a surprise and since you can’t be trusted, you end up with a blindfold.”

“You know, I’ve pictured you using your tie on me but for some reason it was much kinkier than me sitting quietly in the front of my car.”

She heard Oliver choking, felt the car swing a little before he coughed. “You… are **definitely** gonna have to tell me about this.”

“Not when you’re driving, though.”

“Yeah, it’s probably safer that way.”

She felt his hand, so strong and warm, squeezing her thigh and he didn’t let go until the car eventually slowed down. She had let him drive since it was his surprise and she had no idea where they were supposed to head to. A part of her felt like a teenager - they both had responsibilities after all, as well as a potential imminent threat going on in Starling but for tonight, just for tonight, she just wanted to be with him.

Oliver guided her from what seemed like a parking garage to an elevator and she even wondered if they weren’t at QC. Maybe he wanted to christen that conference table or get his share of fun in the archive room? She’d be down with any of those possibilities, to be honest. He finally stopped, and she could sense they were inside, a hard floor underneath her feet. By the sound her steps had made she had guessed it was wood. Probably a hallway. Oliver shuffled next to her, then the small click of a key being turned into a keyhole and he was gently nudging her forward. More steps, then she saw light reaching from around the blindfold.

“Ready?” Oliver asked in a low voice.

“Yes,” she whispered, noticing how their words were echoing. Wherever they were, it was an empty space. She suddenly felt very connected to the man right behind her, her body already shivering even before he reached out to untie the blindfold. Her breath hitched when he pressed his soft lips in the curve of her neck, then suddenly she could see.

Blinking to adjust to the light, she looked around her. “Oh,” she let out in a small voice before turning around to face Oliver. “You told me you weren’t sure…”

“OK, technically, I kinda lied but it was only because I wanted to surprise you,” he winced, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I signed the lease, got the keys a couple of days ago.”

“Wow. It’s… it’s spacious and… it’s beautiful, Oliver,” she said in awe as she took a good look around her. The big windows had thick curtains that only needed to be pulled, offering a gorgeous view over the city and the harbour in the back. She could see it was an open space, with a big modern kitchen. There was a counter and four high stools, but other than that, the whole place was bare.

“I still haven’t picked out furniture or anything, I wanted your input. The painting has been done though, I wanted neutral tones.”

“Are you sure about this? You’re really leaving the mansion?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure. I think I’ll like it here and I hope you’ll like it too.” Oliver suddenly blushed, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. “I mean I hope you’ll spend a lot of time here, too.”

“I’d have to be really picky to not like it,” she smiled reassuringly. “Is that a fireplace?”

“Yes. Functional. I knew you’d like that,” he grinned proudly. “I thought we could have a small desk area over there, so you can work while I cook. There is an office upstairs too, but…”

“It’s perfect,” Felicity smiled. “And I have to admit I am very, very touched that you thought about me when you picked it.”

“I feel so at home at your place. I want to give it back somehow. The bathroom also has a big tub and one of those giant showers, it’s actually very similar to mine at the mansion. Smaller, more modern but-”

“Mmhhh mmmhh,” Felicity nodded absentmindedly while dropping her coat on the floor.

“Felicity?”

“You picked this place thinking about me inside, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” he admitted.

“That’s very…”

“Sweet? Considerate?” he offered.

“Hot,” she finished, biting her lower lip. “Take off your jacket, Oliver. I want to christen your new apartment.”

“... Wow. I thought I’d have to show you the bathtub before we reached that conclusion,” he grinned, his fingers already unbuttoning his shirt.

“You had me at the work area.”

“I should have known,” he breathed, a second before crashing his lips against hers.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK before you say anything... NO I do not consider this as a cliffhanger O_O Because you know what's going to happen :p
> 
> Fun Fact: the next title is still currently "The One Where Felicity Ends Up With A Limp" because the list of songs you guys gave me is SO big I'm actually swimming in sexy tunes all day long and choices are hard... choices are hard!!!  
> (oh and she ends up with a limp because of all the sex)
> 
> ALso, let's all celebrate the fact that the two canadian paps apparently are going to hate 520 and barf during it... *wiggles eyebrows*
> 
> Xoxo


	29. For Your Entertainment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So as you probably guessed, this chapter is NSFW. NSFC (not safe for Church). NSAF (not safe around family) and so on.
> 
> There is a LOT of smut, so those who don't really like that, I'm sorry but there is a bit of scrolling to do. 
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, as usual, and also to musichowler for her suggestion. Actually, thanks to ALL of you who took the time to drop a song in the comments. I checked them all (I think at least) and some are actually written down for potential future chapters. This one, and another one that will also get a chapter because it just inspired me btw, was just very very spot on seeing as this chapter is... well... let's say Oliver gets to keep a promise he made to himself a while ago ;) Felicity is going to be thoroughly entertained by the end of the chapter, that's for sure.
> 
> Also, a gazillion thank yous because guess what??? We broke the 2000kudos on STAMTB!!! *sends kisses everywhere*
> 
> Song: For Your Entertainment - Adam Lambert

**"For Your Entertainment"**  


 

So hot  
Out the box  
Can you pick up the pace?  
Turn it up,  
Heat it up  
I need to be entertained  
Push the limit  
Are you with it?  
Baby, don't be afraid  
I'm a hurt 'ya real good, baby

Let's go  
It's my show  
Baby, do what I say  
Don't trip off the glitz  
That I'm gonna display  
I told ya  
I'm a hold ya down until you're amazed  
Give it to ya 'til you're screaming my name

No escaping when I start  
Once I'm in I own your heart  
There's no way you'll ring the alarm  
So hold on until it's over

Oh, do you know what you got into?  
Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?  
'Cause it's about to get rough for you  
I'm here for your entertainment

Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet  
'Ya thought an angel swept you off ya feet  
But I'm about to turn up the heat  
I'm here for your entertainment

It's alright  
You'll be fine  
Baby, I'm in control  
Take the pain  
Take the pleasure  
I'm the master of both  
Close your eyes  
Not your mind  
Let me into your soul  
I'm a work it 'til you're totally blown

No escaping when I start  
Once I'm in I own your heart  
There's no way you'll ring the alarm  
So hold on until it's over

Oh, do you know what you got into?  
Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?  
'Cause it's about to get rough for you  
I'm here for your entertainment

Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet  
'Ya thought an angel swept ya off your feet  
Well I'm about to turn up the heat  
I'm here for your entertainment

Oh oh...  
Oh oh...  
Entertainment...  
Oh oh... Oh entertainment...  
I'm here for your entertainment...

Oooohhh...  
Do you like what you see?  
Wooooaaaahhhh...  
Let me entertain 'ya till you screeaaam

Oh, do you know what you got into?  
Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?  
'Cause it's about to get rough for you  
I'm here for your entertainment

Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet (bet ya thought)  
'Ya thought an angel swept ya off your feet  
Well I'm about to turn up the heat (turn up the heat)  
I'm here for your entertainment

 

 

 

She was almost embarrassed by the needy moan that escaped her when she finally felt Oliver’s lips against hers.

Almost.

Then the feeling quickly got lost in the sea of utter need that swarmed up her body. She wanted his lips everywhere.

Oliver’s hands framed her face, his fingers digging into her hair and messing up her ponytail as he slowly started to back her up against a wall. His tongue traced her lower lip and she welcomed him inside her mouth with a sigh of contentment. He tasted like coffee… and Oliver. Something rich, smooth and utterly addictive. Instinctively, her fingers burrowed in his hair, pulling at it, pressing him closer to her. She had almost lost him barely a day ago and now she couldn’t get enough of him. The slightest taste of him and she was gone, forgetting about how Oliver was probably still recovering, her mind now only able to focus on how desperately she wanted him. As they caught their breath, she nibbled on his lip, savoring the groan that reverberated through his chest as one of his hands fell to her thigh, pushing her skirt upwards until his palm was resting against her skin.

“No garterbelt this time?” he asked in a rough, teasing voice.

“I wouldn’t want to spoil you.”

Not giving him time to reply, her mouth latched up on his again, thrusting her tongue between his lips and taking charge. Oliver pressed himself against her, his erection digging into her soft stomach and the sensation sent a deep, hot flash of desire to her abdomen. His mouth hardened against hers, their kiss deepening into a battle of teeth and tongues until they were both completely breathless.

“Wait… Felicity, wait,” Oliver panted heavily, tearing his mouth off hers when she tried to chase it back.

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” she asked, her eyes travelling his body, searching for any sign of discomfort.

“No. Are you? Your shoulder?”

“Shoulder is fine. You?”

“I’m good. I feel no pain at all at the moment.”

“Then why are we still talking?” she all but whined.

Oliver’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Why, impatient, Miss Smoak?”

“I’m not the one trying to nest himself into my stomach with a certain part of his body,” she deadpanned, or at least hoped she did. It was hard to maintain a blank face when all she wanted to do was rip the clothes off his body and ride him like he was mechanical bull.

“Damn, I need a Stetson,” she blurted out, her mind already full of pictures of her riding him as if her life depended on it.

“A… what?”

“Nevermind. Get back to work, Mister Queen.”

Her hand tightening on his scalp, she forced his head low enough to pull his lower lip between her teeth. Oliver’s fingers tightened on her thigh, his thumb inching closer and closer to where the heat was building at a frightening speed. Their kiss was deep, wild and wet, their bodies pressed tightly together as Felicity raised her leg, letting the sole of her foot rest in the back of his knee. Their tongues were still battling when Oliver roughly pushed her up against his thigh and she let out a squeal when her clit rubbed against his leg.

Frantically, her hands reached between them until she could unbuckle his belt, her fingers shaking with need. Lowering his zipper, she sneaked a hand in his underwear, finding him hard and hot for her. Oliver froze against her for a small second before pushing his hips into her hand, encouraging her wordlessly. She gripped his length, freeing him of his clothes, and earned herself a groan of relief from Oliver when she started to stroke him. Slowly, she reached up until her hand was covering the tip of his cock, massaging the sensitive flesh, her thumb pressing that little crest underneath it until a bead of pleasure escaped him.

“Fuck,” Oliver whispered harshly, her only warning before he grabbed her ass and pushed her up against the wall, nestling his hips between her open thighs. He pushed her underwear to the side, just enough so he could slide his erection between her folds. He didn’t press forward, gliding up and down between her lips, bumping against her clit over and over again until the pleasure became so overwhelming that she couldn’t keep her mouth on his, unable to focus on anything but the tension that was building. Snapping her head back, her skull hit the wall with a loud thud while her hands were still holding tight on Oliver’s hair. She knew she should do something, anything, to reciprocate the blinding pleasure Oliver was giving her but there was nothing she could do, except hold on and let him take her wherever he wanted to, in any way he wanted to.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she chanted every time Oliver would rub against the sensitive bud. She could feel her arousal coating him, making the friction smoother, slicker and even if a part of her desperately wanted him to push his hard length inside her, fill her in one rough thrust, it felt so, so good to have his hot flesh rubbing right where she needed him.

Felicity licked her lips, biting them to stifle her cries as she started to climb, each stroke of Oliver bringing her closer and closer. Lowering her eyes, she saw that Oliver’s head was bent, his gaze fixed between their bodies as heavy pants escaped him, his fingers squeezing the flesh of her ass so hard she knew she’d end up bruised but seeing his control slip was always a massive turn-on for her.

“Open your blouse,” he ordered her with a rough, commanding voice that left her no choice but to obey him.

As soon as her bra appeared, Oliver’s mouth laved on her covered breast, his teeth finding a hard nipple while his hips never slowed down, his hard length gliding easily, grinding and rubbing exactly at the right place. The pinch of pain that accompanied his biting was enough to bring her to the edge. Oliver started to circle his hips, keeping the tip of his cock pressed against her clitoris and rubbing it so thoroughly that her core started pulsing as the ache grew and grew until something deep inside her snapped. She came with his name on her lips, a breathless moan catching in her throat.

It took her a few seconds to open her eyes, staring at the ceiling as she tried to catch her breath. Oliver had taken the edge off for her but she could feel herself already tightening in need, the hunger for his body not quite satisfied. She hadn’t had her fill of him yet.

Oliver slowed down, breathing heavily against her throat, his body still stiff and hard against her while he put her feet down and unzipped her skirt, letting it fall on the floor.

Brushing his mouth against hers, he whispered, “do you have-”

“Purse,” she answered, remembering they still needed to use a condom.

Oliver slipped his forearms underneath her butt then lifted her off the wall before carrying her to the kitchen counter where he had dropped her handbag. The movement pressed her tightly against him and she found her hips rolling on their own will, already seeking a second release.

Oliver chuckled as he dropped her on the kitchen island, his lips still hovering over hers. “Not enough?”

“No,” she pouted before kissing him fully.

So lost in their kiss, she didn’t even realize Oliver had taken off her blouse until his mouth started to trail down her jaw, nibbling on her neck as his fingers deftly unclasped her bra. He palmed one of her breasts, his thumb rolling and pinching a hard nipple while his mouth was wreaking havoc on the other one. His tongue flicked the rosy bud before sucking it firmly, making Felicity arch her back with a strangled gasp as she literally saw stars. Her legs tightened around him, pressing him as close to her as possible, her hand pushing against the counter for leverage. This was too much, she thought. This fire, this need, the way Oliver was teasing her, the hunger she had for him despite a very, very satisfying orgasm… Every cell in her body was tingling.

Blindly, she reached for her purse, her mind clinging desperately to the last trace of sanity left in her.

Condom.

They needed a condom ASAP.

“Oliver,” she breathed, handing him a foil packet. She didn’t exactly trust herself to put it on him at the moment. Her orgasm had only lit the fire inside her, and she wanted him with an intensity that was probably abnormal.

He grabbed the condom she was handing him but dropped it on the counter next to her instead of opening it.

“Wha-”

“Shhh,” he soothed her, pressing a hand between her breasts and lowering her until her back hit the counter.

Oh. OK. She licked her dry lips nervously, her eyes staring at the light bulb above her as Oliver’s lips trailed down her stomach, his hands spreading and pushing up her legs until a deep blush invaded her cheeks, part arousal and part embarrassment. She still wasn’t really used to him doing that in such an open way. Especially not with a bright light right above them.

The embarrassment died as soon as he reached the apex of her thighs and pushed the fabric of her panties to the side.

Priorities.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t want a taste?” Oliver murmured as his lips traced the hyper sensitive skin between her mound and her inner thighs. “It was all I could think about when I felt how wet you were. So slick and warm against my dick. I want to feel you come against my tongue this time.”

_Damn._

Dirty Mouth Oliver. She could never resist Dirty Mouth Oliver.

If Felicity wasn’t already turned on beyond words before that… she sure as hell was now. Her hips shot off the counter, her hand pushing on his skull and trying to force him down, only to earn herself one of those heavy chuckles from him.

She couldn’t hold back her moan when Oliver licked a long trail from her entrance to her clit, teasing the little bundle of nerves with the tip of his tongue. He flicked at it then flattened his tongue to rub it up and down and she swore to God she was about to see stars when he pressed a finger inside her, curling it and instantly finding **that** spot.

“Oh God,” she cried out, pulling on his hair with both hands, her body arching so hard that only the back of her head and her ass were still touching the counter. His tongue was warm and wet, tearing whimpers out of her throat as he lazily circled her clit, keeping the pressure steady and exactly the way she liked it.

Oliver hummed against her heated flesh encouragingly, his finger thrusting and rubbing as he started to lap her pleasure. The pressure was building and building, and when Oliver added a second finger, she gasped, tilting over the edge, knowing she only needed the slightest nudge to fall head first.

Then Oliver closed his mouth over her clitoris, pulling it between his lips and letting his tongue stroke it… and she came. Loudly. Her legs kicked out, her feet ending up sliding past Oliver’s shoulders as the wave of her climax washed down on her, leaving her numb and sated.

At least for now, a little voice whispered in her head.

She was barely starting to recover when Oliver flipped her over, sliding her down the counter until her feet were touching the floor. Absently, she noted that for some reason she still had her heels on - and her panties, although they were probably completely ruined now.

She started to straighten up but Oliver roughly pushed her back down until her breasts crashed on the cold marble surface. It should have been uncomfortable, the cold against her heated skin, but the pinch of discomfort only made her more aware of her body… and just like that her arousal grew again. It was slow, and warm at first, her body still relaxed after her second orgasm while Oliver’s hands stroking the back of her thighs.

“You look so sexy right now,” he murmured in a harsh voice. “Heels. Lacy panties. Bent over the counter in my kitchen.”

He grabbed the back of her neck with a firm, yet gentle hand, forcing her to turn her head until her cheek rested on the counter before pushing her hair back from her face. One finger slowly trailed down her spine, goosebumps erupting on her skin as she squirmed, the warmth in her body burning wilder.

When Oliver finally reached the waistband of her delicate panties, she was almost panting with desire.

“Oliver, please.”

She yelped when his hand slapped her ass, bringing her nerve endings to life. How could he keep such a tight control over his body while all was left of hers was a pleading, begging mess?

“What?” Oliver asked softly. “What do you need, Felicity?”

Biting the inside of her cheek, she squeezed her eyes shut at his question. She knew what she needed, definitely. She also knew what he wanted from her. To be vocal. To let him know the burning desire she had for him. To let go of her insecurities, her shyness, her doubts. Being in her twenties, Felicity had read her fair share of romance books and dirty talk wasn’t a foreign concept to her. Even before Oliver and his crash course, words had the power to turn her on… even if those words were on paper. And right now, his question already had a few answers.

_I want you to fuck me until I forget my own name? I want to come with you inside of me? I want my cycle to be over so we can finally have sex without condoms? I want you to make me come with your cock?_

Dozens of words crossed her mind but not one went past her lips.

Oliver’s hand landed roughly on the other cheek of her behind. This time, she groaned, pushing her ass against him. He swore underneath his breath, shifting until he could grind down against her. Still, he didn’t relent.

“Do you want me?”

“Yes,” she breathed heavily. “God, yes.”

Oliver’s foot nudged her legs apart, his hard length finding its way between her thighs. “Like that? Do you want me to make you come that way again?” he taunted her, rocking against her backside, dragging his cock between her folds.

“No!” she whined in protest as she twisted her hips, sneakily trying to force him inside her.

“No? You mean you had enough with two orgasms?”

“God damn it, Oliver, shut up and fuck me already,” she snapped, closing her eyes as soon as she realized what words had escaped her. Oliver froze behind her, probably as caught off guard as she was and she felt her throat tightening in what seemed awfully close to shame. Why? Why did she still feel that way with him? He had never done or said anything to her except show her he wanted to explore everything with her, in every aspect of their relationship. Especially that one, if she was honest with herself. She could feel a tension taking over her body, and not the good, yummy kind of tension.

“Fuck me,” Oliver said harshly before he gripped her panties and in one sudden, almost brutal movement, he pulled on the delicate fabric, tearing it off her body. The side of her hip stung when the material dug into her flesh and she let out a surprised gasp that was swallowed by the sound of the undergarment being torn off.

_So much for Oliver being in control…_

And just like that, the dreadful feeling that had started to creep up on her vanished, replaced by smugness at the knowledge that she had made him snap. As Oliver’s heavy breathing reached her when he was putting the condom on, her arousal came back in a flash, the aching need to have him making her core throb almost painfully, clenching on emptiness.

Finally, Oliver grabbed her hips then slammed inside her with one hard thrust that made her slide up the counter, her feet slipping on the floor. Oliver took a deep breath once he was buried deep within as if he was trying to calm down, then pulled out and pushed back in. He was merciless, his thrusts hard and deep, stoking the fire inside her as he held her in place. Not that she wanted to move, anyway, her hands lying flat on the marble surface, small ragged breaths escaping her in a mix of moans and whimpers as she let him take care of her. Her lower abdomen was tightening at the feeling of his length pounding into her, hitting that special spot over and over again at the most perfect angle… Oliver knew exactly what that position did to her and he was clearly a man on a mission.

It was good, so, so good, to let the carnality take over. They had had a close call with Oliver and this, feeling so connected to him on such a primal level, was exactly what she needed at the moment.

Oliver was relentless, and even the sensation of his lower stomach pushing against her backside enhanced her arousal as she felt the coil of tension getting tighter and tighter deep inside her.

“Oliver,” she whispered in a plea as she tried to reach her peak, arching her lower back as much as she could.

“Let go, baby. Just let go,” he replied in a thick voice that had her moaning with need.

She was almost there, so close she could taste it, the release just within her grasp and she could feel her inner muscles already tightening and squeezing his cock. He felt it too because he groaned loudly, his hips snapping against her ass as his rhythm suddenly picked up. That was exactly what she needed, the little pinch of roughness that had him slip even farther and he was buried as far as he could when she finally let go, her body clamping down on him, his thickness deep inside her only heightening her pleasure.

“Oh God, yes,” she mewled, her hand slipping on the countertop as she tried to gain purchase, only managing to knock her purse down. “Yes, yes, yessss,” was all she could say as the orgasm crashed over her, her teeth digging in her lower lip in a futile effort to keep silent.

Oliver was still inside her when she finally came to her senses, thrusting almost lazily. She blinked when she realized he hadn’t come.

“You didn’t…?”

“Nope. Not done with you yet,” he teased her as he pressed a small kiss on her cheek. “Are you good?”

“Well, yes… didn’t you hear me seconds ago?”

“I sure did. Also, for the record, the place is sound proof. No need to muffle your screams.” he pressed his thumb against her lower lip, softly stroking the chapped skin.

She let out a trembling laugh, picturing Oliver asking the landlord about how loud he could make his girlfriend scream without disturbing his neighbors.

Oliver’s lips trailed from her cheek to her jaw, then slowly dipped down her neck and she sighed deeply, feeling her body relaxing into a very blissful post-coital glow.

“What do you mean you’re not done with me?” she eventually asked drunkenly, high on all the feel-good hormones Oliver had given her.

A low chuckle was the only answer she got, then Oliver rubbed his jaw against the back of her shoulder, her skin breaking out in goosebumps.

Damn. She loved his scruff. It felt heavenly against her skin.

“I’m gonna make you fly,” he whispered against her skin, so low, she thought she had misheard him.

“Hum… I think you just did. Like… three times,” she giggled. She sounded airheaded but truth be told… she probably was. She could still feel the aftershocks of her orgasm rippling through her core, her mind still fuzzy with pleasure.

Which is probably the reason why she yelped when Oliver pulled out of her abruptly. “Hey!”

He pulled her away from the counter, then carried her across the room until they were standing by the window. He then pressed her hands against the glass, tilting her hips backwards.

Felicity gulped nervously, glancing down. She had always been afraid of heights and even though she couldn’t see all the way to the ground, not to mention she was safely inside, she still felt slightly jittery.

“Relax. Look ahead,” Oliver murmured as he stroked her stomach.

Taking a deep breath, she tilted her head up, her mouth dropping open at the sight of the city that was spread out in front of her. It was nighttime, and the view was quite breathtaking. She could see the lights from other buildings shimmering in the distance and she froze. She was standing right in front of the window, naked as the day she was born, in Oliver’s apartment. With the lights on. She went on to grab the curtain that was hanging by her right side when Oliver’s hand stopped her.

“Babe, the glass is tinted. No one can see you. I checked myself,” Oliver laughed, reading her reaction perfectly. “I would never let anyone else see you like this.”

She met her eyes in the the window’s reflection, realizing that she could see him perfectly. He winked at her with a soft smile before nudging her backwards until her arms were stretched out.

Keeping his eyes on her, he pushed inside and she moaned when she saw the expression on his face. It was like they hadn’t made love in years, instead of mere minutes.

Their gazes locked as Oliver started a slow rhythm and she was surprised to feel her own body responding, her last orgasm already stirring back up to life.

_How does he do that?_

“It’s a gift,” Oliver answered with a snide grin.

She giggled when she realized she had talked out loud, but stopped abruptly when the sudden movement had her muscles tightening… down there.

“Oh, wow,” she breathed, then squeezed her muscles again.

Oliver winced then circled her waist with his arms, lifting her until she was resting on her toes, her weight now mostly supported by her out stretched arms and Oliver. He dropped a hand between her thighs, his fingers rubbing her clit in a smooth circular motion that had her whimpering and struggling to keep her eyes on him.

The feeling of his fingers, the way he was filling her deeply with each stroke, her own muscles clamping down on him on each thrust had her breathing quickening. Oliver’s face was almost a mask of pain, and she knew he was struggling to hold back, his muscles squeezing her tight against him as he pushed himself inside her. Despite herself, she dropped her gaze, watching where they were connected, how he was stretching her so deliciously, feeding the hunger like no other. The way his fingers were rubbing her, trying to coax another orgasm from her, and holy hell, it was working judging by the white heat that was currently growing between her legs.

“Oh God,” she let out in a shaky voice when the pleasure started to build strong enough to have her arms trembling.

“I got you, Felicity,” Oliver grunted behind her as he sped up, thrusting inside her almost furiously now. She could see herself in the window, the way her breasts were bouncing wildly, Oliver’s muscles banding around her waist, the way his jaw was locked as he stared at her hungrily.

She was close, so, so close now, that she couldn’t even feel the stretch in her legs anymore or the pain in her arms, her entire body focusing on that blissful relief that was just a few thrusts away.

“Felicity… you almost there?” Oliver gritted through his teeth as his fingers started to rub harder.

“Yes… yes,” she moaned, over and over again, meeting his eyes and holding them as they both tried to reach their climax.

She didn’t need much… she only needed the right thrust, the perfect…

Her mouth opened on a silent scream before a strangled wail escaped her throat as the heat inside her core finally exploded on a particularly hard thrust. Her eyes almost rolled to the back of her head, wandering over the darkened city before them and for a small second… it really felt like she was flying.

She ended up on the floor, Oliver chasing his own climax as she tried to catch her breath. Her upper body was on the floor and he was still holding her waist up when he came with a loud groan. By the time she was finally conscious enough to pay attention to what was happening around her, Oliver was stroking the last of his orgasm inside her, leaning on one arm above her, both of them almost lying completely flat on the floor. Absent-mindedly she noted that the curtain she had tried to pull was hanging limply, almost completely torn down from its hooks. And she had no idea how that had happened, her brain drawing a blank between the moment her - fourth! - orgasm had hit her and when she had come to her senses with Oliver finding his own release.

Eventually, the hand that was still supporting her left her stomach as Oliver stayed where he was, breathing heavily and arms out stretched supporting his weight, his legs between hers, their bodies still joined.

Felicity was seriously considering sleeping there when Oliver finally lifted his head.

“Four,” he panted before slipping out of her. He leaned down, pressing a small, if not sloppy, kiss on her forehead before dropping down on the floor next to her in a very un-Oliver movement.

“So that’s what it all was about? Four orgasms?” Felicity chuckled. “Damn it, Oliver, you almost killed me just so you could out-do big bad wolf?”

“I almost killed myself you mean. Also… how long until we can get rid of these suckers?” he grumbled as he got rid of the condom, leaving it next to the curtain.

“Not very long at all. I should have my period soon and then we’re good to go.”

“Thank God,” Oliver muttered as he pulled her in his arms. She snuggled against his chest, her ear against his heart as his hand lazily stroked her spine. He hissed when she slipped a leg between his, her high heel digging into his calf.

“Sorry,” she smiled, knowing she should - finally - get rid of her shoes, but unable to move at the moment. “It really is a nice place, you know.”

Oliver hummed as his nose nuzzled her hair. “Wait until you’ve seen the bedroom.”

“Not sure we’ll manage to make it there tonight.”

“We’re not sleeping on the floor,” Oliver snorted. “I still don’t have the bed yet, but the mattress is there at least.”

“As soon as my legs work, we’ll go.”

 

***

 

Oliver knew that if they didn’t move soon, they would end up falling asleep on the floor. With a deep sigh, he rolled Felicity on the side, shaking his head with a smile at the undignified snore she let out as she sprawled out on her back. He went to check that the door was locked and threw away the used condom before heading to the bedroom with Felicity’s purse in hand. He grabbed the taser that she always carried in her front pocket and slipped it underneath the pillow on her usual side. He desperately wanted to sleep with her in his arms tonight and felt so utterly at peace - not to mention exhausted to the bone - that he doubted anything bad could happen. But still. Better safe than sorry.

He had asked Debbie, his assistant, to make sure there was at least a mattress and sheets with pillows, as well as towels and the basic necessities in the bathroom. He had already picked most of his furniture but it wouldn’t be there for a few more days. As for the rest, he wanted Felicity’s input. He smirked when he saw that his first order had already been installed - right where he had asked, above the spot occupied by the mattress… and his future king size bed.

He knew that he shouldn’t have asked Debbie to run personal errands but he had been in such a bad shape this morning that she had volunteered to wait for the delivery men to do the work. To her credit she hadn’t even flinched when he had warned her what they would do with the giant mirror he had bought.

 

When he walked back inside the living room, Felicity was sitting up. He managed not to laugh when he saw her, with her messy ponytail and glasses askew but couldn’t keep the smile off his lips. Crouching, he undid her shoes, slipping them off her feet before leading her to the bathroom.

“Oh. Wow,” she said in awe, her feet already guiding her towards the bath tub. “That is one amazing tub. We’re gonna have such a good time in that tub, Oliver.”

“I definitely hope so but I think we should stick to the shower for tonight. I’m pretty beat.”

Felicity paled, her hand reaching out to stroke his jaw. “God, I almost forgot. Are you OK? Did we hurt your ribs?”

“No, babe,” he smiled as he dropped a kiss on the corner of her lips. “They don’t hurt that bad actually. I think the drug is harder to get over, to be honest.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. But I really meant it. I’m exhausted.”

With a nod, Felicity followed him into the shower, and even if there were some lingering hands, they still managed to finish quickly. They brushed their teeth together, each standing in front of a sink as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And it was, Oliver realized.

 

Oliver was almost on the edge of sleep when Felicity suddenly whispered in the dark.

“I read the notebook.”

Blinking, he raised his head. “The… what?”

“The notebook. The one you brought back with you. I didn’t mean to spy but I went looking for the herbs and threw everything out then when I went to put it back I saw it and… it was so out of place, I opened it and when I saw my name I just couldn’t resist. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have read it without your permission but you had almost… and when I saw your handwriting, I…”

Oliver’s arms squeezed her tightly against his chest. “Shhh. Those letters were for you anyway. I was going to show them to you eventually. It’s OK.”

With a deep sigh, Felicity turned around until they were face to face. “How did you end up with a notebook on an island?”

“I told you about my father’s letter, right? The notebook was with it.”

“Empty?”

“Yeah. Nothing written. I assume he had planned to use it at some point but didn’t have the time.”

“Ugh. Weird. I’m thankful it reached you, though.”

“... You’re not asking me about the pen?”

“I already know. It’s the red pen I got you in Vegas, right?”

“Yes. I had it in my pocket.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“No. Not at all,” he smiled as he pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. “As long as you didn’t snoop far enough to find my secret stash of Playboys, I’m good.”

Felicity paused. “Excuse me?!”

He laughed at the surprise and shock in her voice, his hand stroking her hair reassuringly. “I’m joking.”

“Well… good. I mean, Playboy is such Ollie-the-Douche.”

_Jeez… thanks, babe._

“It’s mostly because Playboy Russian edition wasn’t my cup of tea, to be fair. They severely lacked models with glasses and ponytails.”

Felicity slapped his bicep.

“What? I have a type, it’s not my fault!”

Felicity slapped his bicep twice, this time with an outraged gasp. “You better take that back!”

“Alright, alright. Don’t punch me,” he chuckled. “I only have one type and it’s the Felicity Smoak type. Better?”

“Yes. Tremendously. Just so you know, I’ll be watching you every time a girl with glasses enters your perimeter.”

“Good. I like having your eyes on me.”

He felt the smile on her lips when she leaned down to press a kiss on his chest.

Afterwards, all he could remember was falling asleep with her in his arms.

  
  
  


He woke up with the sun. It was barely dawn, but the slight shift of light had been enough for him. It always was. He opened his eyes, looking through the still dark room, and brushed away Felicity’s hair that had invaded his face while they were sleeping. Somehow, he had ended up on his back, Felicity splayed out on his chest and her face nestled in his neck. He made a note to adjust the thermostat because the room was way too warm for him, especially with his - naked - girlfriend blanketing him. He noticed Felicity had gotten rid of their duvet, probably suffering from the heat as well.

He was feeling… good. Relaxed. Very, thoroughly satisfied too. And smug as hell if he was honest. He could still feel the ache in his body from his fight and the drug but it was quickly fading away. Maybe Felicity really was onto something with that oxytocin thingy. He knew though, without a doubt, that he felt more at peace. The long talk they had had the night before, as well as his conversation with Dig had helped him put things into perspective. He wasn’t quite there yet but… he was on the right path. It was like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Felicity knew almost everything about him now, at least everything significant. She knew the darkest part of him… and she was still there. She still loved him. He felt lighter, now, thinking about the future, about their relationship. Like somehow he had found a piece of his old self back sometime in the past 48 hours.

And he had finally managed to give her four orgasms in a row. He felt like the King of the world.

Knowing they still had at the very least a few hours ahead of them, he closed his eyes, letting his hand travel from Felicity’s hair to her back… and before he knew it, he was massaging her ass, making her stir in her sleep.

“Baby…” he whispered in her ear, promising himself that if she didn’t reply, he’d let her sleep.

_Please, say something, please, say something, please-_

“‘M awake,” Felicity mumbled against his throat after a few seconds. “You OK?”

Oliver couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty. Here he was, happy his girlfriend was awake so they could have sex, while she had probably been worried he had had a nightmare.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he coughed, his voice still rough from sleep.

Felicity moaned, her lips tracing his jaw. “I like your sleepy voice.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmh mmh,” she nodded. “It’s very sexy.”

Oliver mentally high-fived himself. Gently, he rolled onto his side, bringing Felicity with him until he was on top of her.

“Are you ser-”

He cut her off with a kiss that shouldn’t have been as hungry as it was, seeing everything they had done the previous night. Yet, he couldn’t help himself, taking advantage of her surprised gasp to slip his tongue in her mouth.

She didn’t protest. She didn’t protest at all.

Her arms circling his shoulders, Felicity sighed into his mouth when his hand travelled down to her hip. With smooth circles, he rubbed his thumb on the top of her thigh, encouraging her to bring it up to his waist. They kissed lazily, enjoying the calm, savoring the knowledge that it was just the two of them. Breaths mingling, tongues dancing, teeth nibbling as if they had all the time in the world, neither of them willing to stop and face the reality of the day. There would be time for work and everything else once they’d be done savoring each other.

“Do you think we could skip work and stay here all day?” he eventually asked against her lips.

“We’d need food,” she grinned as her fingers played in his hair.

“We can always order.”

“Stop tempting me.”

Oliver was about to argue when Felicity shifted underneath him until both her legs were around his waist. Gritting his teeth, he dropped his head against her shoulder when his cock brushed her folds.

“Felicity…”

“Yes?” she asked in an innocent voice that could have him fooled if it wasn’t for her rotating hips pressing herself against what was turning into a raging, almost painful hard-on.

He hissed when he felt her wetness coating his dick but she swallowed the sound underneath her lips as she forced his head up.

God, he really couldn’t wait to get rid of those condoms.

“I wanna be on top,” Felicity said as she nudged his shoulders. Oliver resisted, because damn he was extremely comfortable just where he was. His lips travelled down her throat until they reached the valley between her breasts and whatever Felicity wanted to add got lost in an unintelligible moan when he traced a nipple with his tongue. He sucked, hard, just as he palmed her other breast and rocked his hips against her. A quick glance at her and he almost choked at how she was arching her neck, her teeth digging into her bottom lip, eyes squeezed shut.

“Condom,” he said in a strangled voice, sitting up and reaching for her purse that had been abandoned on the floor next to the mattress. He handed it to her, taking a few calming breaths and trying not to come at the vision she was offering him, completely naked, her legs spread and still hanging loosely from his hips.

It took Felicity a few seconds to react and then she was shuffling through her purse, sitting up.

Reminding himself that she wanted to be on top, Oliver sprawled down on his back, a smirk growing on his lips when he saw his reflection on the mirror above him.

Felicity on top was actually a pretty good idea.

He slipped his hands underneath his head, observing her as she opened the small foil package and nodded when she looked at him with a question in her eyes. She took his erection in her hand, stroking his shaft once, twice, before covering it with the condom. As she straddled him, he pressed a hand at the nape of her neck, gently forcing her down under the pretense to steal a kiss.

_Fuck._

A mirror above their bed was probably one of Felicity’s brightest ideas - and that was saying something.

He almost came when she grabbed him, guiding him between her legs and he squeezed her hip with more force than usual as he tried to ground himself.

She took him in one slow thrust, resting her forehead against his chin, her hands grabbing the pillows underneath his head as she let out a small whimper of need before straightening, using his shoulders to support her weight, careful not to press down on his ribs. Her hips started a slow motion as she started to rub herself against him. He knew this angle allowed her clit to grind directly onto his pelvic bone and even if he was dying for her to move up and down his cock, he wasn’t about to keep her from finding her pleasure any way she wanted. Not when she was staring at him with her eyes unfocused, small moans of pleasure escaping her lips as her nails started to dig in his shoulders. He could physically feel her arousal, and even with the condom he could feel her juices almost dripping out of her, coating his balls as the sound of their lovemaking became louder and louder in his ears.

Her first orgasm was quick and hard. She rolled her hips over and over again, keeping him deep inside her until she stiffened her thighs, spreading them farther apart and pressing hard against him. A loud gasp and a strangled mewl later, her head was dipping down as she still held herself on his shoulders with straightened arms, letting her climax run its course.

She was so wet, her muscles tightening all around him in pulsating spasms, that it took Oliver counting backwards from twenty to get control over his own body and not turn her around to pound her into the mattress.

Now that she had taken the edge off, Felicity slowly started to move again, this time sliding up and down with Oliver’s hands resting on her hips. Her eyes closed like they always did when she was focusing and chasing her pleasure and Oliver’s gaze travelled above her face. His fingers tightened around her waist as he saw her perfect ass sliding up and down his cock, the firm globes of flesh rolling, the dimples at the small of her back clearly visible. Unconsciously he guided her movements, making her go faster as his hips bucked to thrust inside her harder, deeper. Seeing his balls connecting with the tender flesh, the base of his cock visible whenever she would arch her back, watching it disappear inside her body on every thrust down and hearing her breathless moans as she chanted his name made something snap inside of him. He forced his eyes away from the reflection, knowing his orgasm was merely seconds away if he kept watching, only to find himself hypnotized by the way her breasts were bouncing right in front of him.

_Fuck fuck fuck._

“Felicity,” he grunted as he slammed her down on his cock.

“A… a… almost there,” she stuttered, opening her eyes to meet his. “Oh God yes, almost there,” she whined as she picked up the pace, every muscle in her body tightening until he felt her inner walls fluttering around him as she reached her climax.

He couldn’t resist any longer and his eyes drifted back to the mirror. Her ass bounced furiously on him as she rode her wave and suddenly it was too much. The way she was crying out his name, how she was literally milking his cock, the vision of her ass and thighs tightening and spasming under the pleasure… His arms sneaked around her back and he squeezed her against his chest, releasing a labored breath as he came with her, the pleasure so blinding he saw stars.

He must have blacked out for a few seconds - or minutes because he was already slipping out of her when he came back to earth. Felicity’s face was nestled in the crook of his neck, her ragged breathing cooling his damp skin. He was still holding her tight against him, his nose buried in her hair.

Finally, his hands started to move again and he stroked her back, moving south until he could massage the now stiff muscles of her thighs. Felicity moaned then straightened her legs out before pressing a small peck on the corner of his lips and dropping on his side.

“Oh my God, Oliver,” she panted, obviously still breathless. “I’ll have to search for those drug components again. Did they put Viagra in it or something?”

Oliver snorted as he shifted to his side, his hand resting on the curve of her butt. “Technically we had sex yesterday evening and this morning. Nothing that requires Viagra for a man of my age.”

“Oliver I had six orgasms in less than eight hours. Six! Even for a man of your age and stamina, it’s a record.”

“We still have to christen the bathroom and the office,” Oliver whispered as his lips traced her shoulder.

“Rain check unless you want me to go to work in a wheelchair or… oh my God, Oliver there’s a mirror on the ceiling!”

Oliver burst out laughing at her high-pitched scream.

“You knew?!” she asked, snapping her head to face him.

“Well…”

“That’s why you let me stay on top… you sneaky bastard! Did you enjoy the view?”

“Very much,” he beamed, not feeling guilty in the slightest. “You should be thankful. Had it not been for that mirror and your bouncy little ass, it would have been seven orgasms in eight hours.”

Felicity giggled, muffling the sound as she pressed her lips against his jaw. “We’re totally sleeping here tonight.”

“Damn right.”

“And this time you’re doing all the work while I enjoy the show.”

“Fair enough,” Oliver winked before standing up and padding to the bathroom. Getting rid of the condom, he started the shower, smiling when Felicity followed him a few seconds later.

“I’ll go and grab us some breakfast while you change at your place,” he told her as he started to shampoo her hair. “I should have asked you to pack a bag last night.”

“It’s OK. I can wear yesterday’s outfit for twenty minutes. Except for my panties since, you know… you destroyed them. You owe me a pair, by the way.”

“I’ll remember to buy you half a dozen pairs of lacy panties.”

“You only destroyed one.”

“I liked doing it very much, though. So chances are it won’t be the only time.”

Felicity didn’t reply but he saw the little satisfied smile stretching her lips. The little vixen knew exactly what had made him lose control.

 

They were back in his room, completely naked, when his ears caught the faintest sound coming from the front of the apartment.

Holding out a hand, he pressed a finger against his lips, silently asking Felicity to keep quiet. Her eyes widened, a flicker of fear passing on her face as she crouched down on the bed, retrieving her taser.

He had barely made two steps towards the door when he froze in his tracks, the familiar voice calling for him echoing loudly in the empty space.

Felicity squealed, her head snapping around until she found Oliver’s shirt and she put it on hurriedly while he jumped for his own pants. Luckily he had carried his clothes to his bedroom, but most of Felicity’s were still in the kitchen… and the living room… and the hallway.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Felicity whispered as her trembling fingers battled with the buttons of his shirt.

“Ollie, is that you?” Thea’s voice suddenly seemed much closer and Felicity froze for a second, staring at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

  
  
  


***

 

“No, Alison, I told you I wouldn’t be at the office until noon. And yes, Brandon is aware, who do you think gave me the authorization in the first place?!” Thea groaned in her phone as she stepped out of the elevator, juggling with her coffee, the paper bag with her breakfast and a giant tote bag as she struggled to unlock the door. “Yes, you do that. He’ll confirm he gave his approval, and I’ll be taking extra hours the rest of the week anyway.”

With a groan, she dropped her tote bag on the floor as Alison, one of her colleagues, finally dropped the subject and hung up. Thea honestly didn’t know what her problem was, it wasn’t like she was her direct boss. But Alison had been bitchy with her ever since her first day. Something Thea could handle. Bitchiness was something she was very familiar with, especially when your last name was Queen.

She put the brown bag with her breakfast as well as her latte down on the kitchen counter and froze once she realized something was off.

There was a coat lying on the floor, and men's shoes in the middle of the room. A stool from the kitchen had been knocked down and she could see what looked like clothes scattered around.

“... Ollie?” she called in the empty loft, wondering if coming here in the morning to take measurements had been such a good idea. Oliver had gotten the keys a few days ago and she had wanted to check if the painters had done a good job, as well as order the curtains for her bedroom.

When silence answered her, she made her way to the staircase, calling for her brother one more time.

This time he answered, telling her to stay downstairs, and she backed up, standing awkwardly in the room. Should she leave? He probably had some company and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be face to face with her brother’s latest conquest.

On the other hand, she was an adult and had done nothing wrong. Oliver had given her a key, after all.

“Speedy,” Oliver smiled as he ran down the stairs. Shirtless. In a pair of dress pants. Her eyes barely stopped on his scars and tattoo - she had finally gotten used to them.  “You’re catching me unexpectedly.”

“Sorry. I stopped by to check a few things for my room…” she muttered, peeking behind him.

Her jaw dropped when she saw Felicity, red as a lobster, sheepishly walking down the stairs. Wearing a man’s shirt. That probably belonged with the pair of slacks her brother was currently wearing.

“Oh. Oh wow,” Thea said when she finally got her voice back. “I… I didn’t know… wow. I’m sorry I interrupted… whatever I interrupted.”

“Oh no, no, you didn’t interrupt anything!” Felicity rushed to say, biting her lips nervously and twisting with the hem of her shirt. “I was… I was just setting up his wifi.”

“Oh. Of course. Sorry I misunderstood,” Thea apologized. “I just didn’t know that in order to do that, you had to get rid of your clothes… including your panties,” she added, raising an eyebrow and battling a smile as she pointed toward the fridge where a small bundle of lace was lying. “Thanks for letting me know though, I’ve asked Joseph from the IT department to check on mine. I’ll make sure to tell him to leave his underwear by my office’s door.”

“Thea,” Oliver tried to warn her. Which would have worked if she hadn’t heard the laughter in his voice.

“I’m sorry,” she smiled. “I assume you want to get them?”

“Hum what?”

“Your panties. Well at least I sure as hell hope they’re yours and not Ollie’s.” Turning her head towards her brother, she winced an apology. “Sorry, big brother, but red isn’t really your color.”

“Oh God,” Felicity said in a trembling voice as she rushed towards the fridge.

“O… K…” Thea said, hiding her smile behind her fist as Felicity kicked the underwear under the kitchen sink.

“I’m sorry, Thea,” Oliver finally said. “We weren’t trying to hide it from you… well not really. We were not comfortable with people knowing at first but I was going to tell you. I’ve been planning to for days now.”

Thea shook her head. “Please, no. I’m just so relieved you guys are banging each other and not other people.”

She pinched her lips when she saw her brother blushing. “I mean do you think I didn’t notice how Felicity is suddenly on cloud nine and you almost never sleep at home? I’m happy you guys worked it out. I was afraid you both had moved on and… I really like Felicity,” she added in a whisper as she witnessed the one who, hopefully, would one day be her sister-in-law pick up a skirt and a blouse. She turned around, letting her understand it was safe to get dressed. Eventually, she heard Felicity walking back to them and handing Oliver his shirt back. He quickly put it on then reached out to tuck her underneath his arm.

Thea knew she should let them be, but honestly the chance to tease her big brother was just too good to pass up. “Normally, I’d ask you if you guys were safe but I’d love to be an auntie, so…”

“Thea…” Oliver gasped while Felicity hid her face behind her hand.

“What? Oh, come on, your babies will be beautiful!”

Oliver’s mouth twitched as he gazed down at Felicity and Thea almost snorted when she saw him giving her heart eyes.

Yes. Heart eyes.

Her brother was so gone, it wasn’t even funny.

_Who am I kidding? Mister Playboy dreaming about playing house and blushing like a schoolboy? It’s hilarious as hell._

With a grin, she added mischievously, “Don’t tell me you never imagine what it would be like living in a big house with Felicity and your two kids.”

“Three,” Oliver corrected automatically before shaking his head sheepishly and glancing at Felicity again. “I mean… we haven’t exactly talked about it…”

“I am mostly relieved you gave up the idea of five children, to be honest,” Felicity smiled before forcing her eyes on Thea. “But we’re not there yet, just so you know.”

“It does look like you’re still in the practicing stage,” Thea noted innocently as she went to pick up the latte she had left on the kitchen counter. “What happened to the curtain, by the way? I know you want to change them but I told you to wait and let the designer do it. Those are tricky hooks.”

“I… we…” Oliver coughed. “It was an accident.”

“Don’t explain. Just tell me… do I want to have a picnic by the window or not?” Thea laughed as she picked up the stool and sat up on it before grabbing the paper bag which contained a muffin and an apple. “Sorry, hope you don’t mind but I’m starving.”

“Yeah, you.. probably don’t want to… eat by… the window…” Felicity said slowly, sharing an embarrassed glance with Oliver.

Taking a big bite of her muffin, she swallowed it down with her latte. As she tilted her head back, she saw a small wrapper and she picked it to shove it with the rest of her trash in the now empty bag.

Putting her mug down, she literally felt her smile drop off her face when she realized that whatever she was holding in her hand didn’t belong to her.

At all.

“Oh my… is this… is this…” she squeaked, dropping the condom wrapper and throwing her muffin as far away as possible before stumbling down the stool. “Why would you leave a condom wrapper on a kitchen counter?!”

Oliver’s eyes shot to the ceiling while Felicity started to rub her toes against the wooden floor.

_Oh no. Oh no no no. Not on the…_

“Oh my God! You did it on the kitchen counter?!” she screamed in disgust. “I just ate on that counter!”

“I wasn’t expecting any visitors, Thea,” Oliver grumbled. “If it makes you feel better, Felicity’s head was on that side.”

“Do. Not. Mention. Any. Body. Parts. When. You. Talk. About. The. Counter. Where. I. Just. Ate,” Thea stammered, trying not to gag at the mental picture.

“Sorry,” Oliver grimaced while Felicity buried her face in his shoulder, completely giving up in trying to save up appearances.

“What the… the window… the kitchen counter… the hallway apparently, seeing your coats are there… And I assume the bedroom is a safe bet. Is there a place where you guys haven’t done it?!”

“The office is still safe,” Felicity chimed in. “And the downstairs bathroom. We wouldn’t have done anything in your bedroom either, by the way.”

Thea’s jaw dropped. “Ollie you’ve barely had the keys for three days!”

“It’s been three years,” Felicity explained sheepishly.

Thea stared at them with wide eyes, trying very hard to not look too disgusted. They had, literally, banged everywhere. This was TMI. Way, way TMI. “OK, I’ll make sure to text you or call you before I stop by in the future,” she finally breathed, resting her hands on her hips. “I don’t want to be any more scarred than I already am.”

“Oh, Thea, no, I’m sorry. We got carried away last night when Oliver showed me around but you have a key, and it’s for a reason.”

_Oh God. They managed to do all of that in **one** night?! My sex life is so tame._

“Felicity is right, Speedy. You’re welcome here anytime you want. We’ll keep it… general audience from now on.”

  
  


“So… since when have you rekindled things?” Thea asked as they waited for their food. Since she had had to throw away her breakfast after it made contact with a surface used for copulation, Oliver and Felicity had offered to take her out. After a quick stop at Felicity’s place where they had both changed their clothes, they had headed to a diner. Felicity had excused herself to head to the bathroom, something Thea was sure was just a pretense to let the siblings talk.

“Hum… I don’t really know,” Oliver evaded the question. “But Tommy found out the night of the attack at QC.”

“That’s why he’s been avoiding me. I was wondering about that. He knew he’d never be able to keep his mouth shut if he saw me.”

Oliver chuckled. “Yeah, probably.”

“I won’t tell anyone, you know. I mean I don’t really understand why you keep it a secret but… if you want to be in your bubble a little, I think you both deserve that. It’s actually… cute as hell.”

“Thank you,” Oliver grinned, rolling his eyes. “It’s just that… there was this media circus when I came back, then I became VP, Felicity is VP for another company… we just don’t feel like adding that kind of pressure on top of everything else.”

“I’m very happy for you, you know that. Felicity is amazing and she’s just perfect for you. She makes you happy.”

Oliver smiled, offering her probably his most genuine, relaxed smile ever since he had gotten back from the island. And Thea decided that that alone was worth any ruined muffin.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Felicity's legs are still wobbly as we speak. And yes, they're gonna have some very good times with that mirror and the bathtub eventually.
> 
> Thea found out!!! I always wanted her to find out that way for a few reasons... biggest one is that even though she will always be welcomed at Oliver (and eventually Oliver *and* Felicity)'s place, she won't come too often lol.  
> This chapter was a little interlude, by the way. We're diving back into the plot with the next one and then we're not stopping until everything is unfolded (which should take about three-ish chapters). Don't worry, their story won't stop there at all :)


	30. Talking Body

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Here is a new chapter and you'll see that... things come to a head... can't be ignored any longer... and other stuff O_O
> 
> Song; Talking Body, Tove Lo (I absolutely adore the version on Lucifer -the TV show-)
> 
> Special thanks to Pidanka and Mysticaldetectivepanda as usual <3<3
> 
> Oh btw this is, again... NSFW ;) although it is much, much shorter than in the previous chapter ;)

 

**"Talking Body"**  


 

Bed, stay in bed  
The feeling of your skin locked in my head  
Smoke, smoke me broke  
I don't care I'm down for what you want

Day drunk into the night  
Wanna keep you here  
Cause you dry my tears  
Yeah, summer lovin' and fights  
How it is for us  
And it's all because

Now if we're talking body  
You got a perfect one  
So put it on me  
Swear it won't take you long  
If you love me right  
We fuck for life  
On and on and on

Now if we're talking body  
You got a perfect one  
So put it on me  
Swear it won't take you long  
If you love me right  
We fuck for life  
On and on and on

Love, give me love  
Anything you want I'll give it up  
Lips, lips I kiss  
Bite me while I taste your fingertips

Day drunk into the night  
Wanna keep you here  
Cause you dry my tears  
Yeah, summer lovin' and fights  
How it is for us  
And it's all because

Now if we're talking body  
You got a perfect one  
So put it on me  
Swear it won't take you long  
If you love me right  
We fuck for life  
On and on and on

Now if we're talking body  
You got a perfect one  
So put it on me  
Swear it won't take you long  
If you love me right  
We fuck for life  
On and on and on

(Uh uh)  
Bodies!  
Our baby making bodies we just use for fun  
Bodies!  
Let's use them up 'til every little piece is gone  
(Let's go)  
On and on and on  
(Let's go)  
On and on  
(Let's go)  
(Oohhh)

Now if we're talking body  
You got a perfect one  
So put it on me  
Swear it won't take you long  
If you love me right  
We fuck for life  
On and on and on

Now if we're talking body  
You got a perfect one  
So put it on me  
Swear it won't take you long  
If you love me right  
We fuck for life  
On and on and on

Now if we're talking body  
Put it on me  
If you love me right  
We fuck for life  
On and on and on

Now if we're talking body  
You got a perfect one  
So put it on me  
Swear it won't take you long  
If you love me right  
 We fuck for life  
On and on and on

Hey...

 

 

“Are you sure about this?”

“Oliver, for the last time… yes. I’m sure. It’s not my first rodeo.”

“I just don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything. You know that, right? I’d be perfectly fine with something more… vanilla.”

“OK, first of all, I don’t get this whole “vanilla” thing. Vanilla is amazing. It’s the one flavor you can literally associate with everything. It’s the one that allows the most experiences. If it’s a dull taste it’s because you either picked the wrong kind of vanilla, or because you don’t know how to play with it. So, please, knock it off and get your clothes off. We’re doing this.”

Oliver paused, nervously rubbing his fingers as he stared at the outfit waiting for him on the bed. Tommy had called him during the day reminding him of his Halloween party… which Oliver had totally planned to ditch. Felicity had reminded him that this would be the perfect occasion to sneak a chip into Malcolm’s computer in order to follow every single one of his moves and finally, hopefully, get the proof they needed. Which was why he had a black suit spread on Felicity’s bed while she was rummaging through her closet, mumbling about how she was hoping her costume would still fit. Apparently, his girlfriend had had some wild days as a cosplayer when she was younger. Unfortunately, he had not. So a suit would have to do for tonight… not that he complained. He really didn’t feel like socializing with more than a couple hundreds drunk people, but at least he would be wearing normal clothes. And Felicity was right. It was a unique opportunity and they were so close to the finish line, they couldn’t afford to waste it. She had confirmed earlier today, after running some tests at PT, that the drugs used when he had been attacked were similar to the samples they had collected. Unfortunately, so far her algorithm hadn’t picked up anything compromising on Malcolm Merlyn. It was like Malcolm always covered his tracks. Someone was clearly on Oliver’s tail, and observing him. Which also meant that the clock was ticking. Dig wasn’t letting Felicity out of his sight, except when Oliver was there himself and both men were now constantly on their guard.

“What are you even going to wear?” he eventually asked as he started to unbutton his shirt.

“That will depend on what still fits me,” Felicity answered distractedly before waving him off. “Come on, go take your shower.”

Rolling his eyes, Oliver quickly finished getting undressed before stepping into the bathroom. He was barely under the water spray when he heard the door open and the buzzing sound of Felicity’s electric toothbrush.

“You sure you don’t want to join me?” he asked innocently. “My ribs are still hurting. I could use the help.”

The shower curtain opened on a very stern looking Felicity, toothbrush in mouth. She glared at him severely, reminding him of a school teacher and he couldn’t help but smile at the way her eyes drifted over his body, almost as if she couldn’t help herself.

“Ugh.” Felicity groaned, closing the curtain and muttering something that sounded like “we’re going to be late.”

She was in her underwear when he got out of the shower and he allowed himself a few seconds to stare at her perfect butt while drying off. She had picked a pair of black satin boxer panties and from what he could see, the bra was matching, half satin, half lace.

“Do you approve?” she smirked as she noticed him staring.

“Not really,” Oliver shrugged, circling the towel around his waist. “Satin is much harder to rip off your body than lace.”

“Then I picked the right pair. I don’t feel like walking around the Merlyn Mansion with no panties.”

“Why, were you planning on seducing me in my best friend’s home?” Oliver wiggled his eyebrows as he picked his own toothbrush. He paused a second, looking at his reflection in the mirror and passing a hand over his jaw. “Should I shave?”

“No. And also no. I like your scruff,” she smiled as she started to apply moisturizer.

“It’s not very Bruce Wayne, though.”

“I’ll let you go all Bruce Wayne on me after the party. Your bed was delivered, right?”

“Yes,” he whispered, dropping a kiss on her naked shoulder. “Which is also why we won’t stay any longer than necessary.”

“It better be sturdy.”

“Only one way to find out,” he winked as he popped his toothbrush into his mouth, slapping her butt with his other hand. A small smile played on her lips as she glanced at him before she opened her jar of concealer.

 

After he was done brushing his teeth, he quickly got dressed, leaving Felicity to finish getting ready in peace, at her request. Which he was sure had nothing to do with his hand caressing her backside or his lips tracing kisses over the back of her neck while she was trying to put some lipstick on.

He was dressed, shoes on, and waiting patiently in the kitchen when she got out of the bedroom some ten minutes later.

He glanced up from his phone when he heard her footsteps and did a double take.

“Oh wow. Is that…?”

“My Hermione Granger costume. Yes. Yes, it is,” Felicity nodded while buttoning her sweater. “I used to have dark hair, as you know, so we’ll just pretend I’m a random Gryffindor alumnus.”

“Thank God. I would have felt like a pervert drooling over you dressed as a teenager. That skirt is… very nice,” he complimented, his eyes focusing on the patch of skin visible between the hem of her skirt and her high gray socks.

“Thank you. It’s a bit shorter than it used to be though. I think my butt has gotten bigger,” she grimaced as she tried to twist in order to take a look at said body part.

“Which you’ll never hear me complain about by the way,” he assured her with a cocky grin as he pushed himself off the counter. “You do know that Tommy will-”

“Yup. Believe me, I’m fully aware of that. That’s why I tried my Eowyn costume first but it’s way, way too heavy and hot.”

“Eowyn? Not Arwen?”

“Eowyn was a mere mortal yet she fought on the battlefield. And she kicked ass.” Felicity paused, straightening her shoulders. “Wait, you know the Lord of The Rings?”

“I saw the movies,” he shrugged as he helped her put her coat on. “You need me to carry something for you? I assume Gryffindor alumni don’t carry purses around?”

“That would be nice,” she grinned before handing him her phone and a small pouch.

Oliver slipped both in his inside pockets, then picked up their overnight bag before setting the alarm. This time, he had made sure they’d packed clothes.

“You have the chip?” Felicity asked him in a low voice as they made their way to the limo that was waiting for them.

“Yup,” he nodded, patting his pants pocket. “I used tape to make sure I wouldn’t lose it, like you suggested.”

“Good,” she smiled with a small nod. “I really, really hope we can finally find something. Even if it’s just something concerning the attack on you, with everything else we have, it would be enough.”

“You and me both, babe.”

 

“Dude… a suit, really? Couldn’t you at least try?” Tommy welcomed him with a roll of his eyes, a glass of champagne in each hand.

“I’m Bruce Wayne.”

Tommy glared at him. “When I said “come as Batman”, you know very well I didn’t mean his civilian alter-ego. We always wear coordinated costumes. We were Neo and Morpheus, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, Timon and Puumba,-”

“Don’t remind me of your Lion King phase, please.”

“It wasn’t a phase. I was trying to get a date with that girl who was obsessed with cats.”

“Then maybe we should have dressed as… cats?” Oliver asked patiently, still wondering how he’d been on board with that one.

“Nah. I had to be subtle.”

“Did you, by the way? Get a date? I don’t even remember if you did.”

“Nope. No date.”

“Can’t believe I dressed up as a meerkat for nothing.”

“I fucked her in a coat closet though, so technically it wasn’t for nothing.”

Oliver winced. “Anyway… sorry, but I didn’t feel like wearing tights like you, Tommy.”

“It’s not tights. I’m Superman,” his best friend replied, handing him a glass of champagne and polishing his in one gulp before placing it on a platter.

“Superman wears tights, then. And his underwear over them.”

“Superman makes sure his super package is well protected.”

“If a simple pair of red underwear is enough to protect his package…then I don’t think ‘super’ is the appropriate adjective,” Felicity’s teasing voice reached him.

Turning around, Oliver saw she had gotten rid of her coat and he handed her his glass before stepping aside.

“Oh God. Oh no, Miss Felicity... you didn’t,” Tommy said, his voice full of reproaches. “You dressed up as a naughty schoolgirl?!”

“A Gryffindor alumnus,” Felicity corrected sternly.

“Ollie, that’s not fair. I can’t be mad at you for not respecting the tradition if you bring your already gorgeous girlfriend dressed up as a naughty schoolgirl and you know it!”

“What the… I’m wearing a full-buttoned sweater and flats, what exactly screams naughty to you?” Felicity asked in an exasperated tone.

“The high socks,” Oliver and Tommy replied at the same time. 

Felicity blinked, her eyes going back and forth between them. “... really?” 

Oliver nodded, taking a sip of her champagne before giving her glass back. “Really.”

“Damn,” she muttered, biting her lips. “It was that or stockings and I thought stockings would be-”

Tommy choked at her words. “Perfect. The word you’re looking for is perfect because stockings are always perfect.”

Felicity glared at him. “Don’t you have a damsel in distress to rescue or something?”

“Jealous? You know if you want to touch my muscles, all you have to do is ask,” Tommy gloated as he flexed his bicep.

“Tommy,” Oliver warned, placing his hand on Felicity’s hip.

“What? I didn’t mean…” Tommy started then closed his mouth, rolling his eyes. “Fine. I won’t let her touch my muscles. Sorry, Miss Felicity.”

“I think I’ll live,” Felicity smiled, her head tilting to the side until it rested in the crook of Oliver’s arm. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss on her head, his hand squeezing her hip reassuringly.

“Oh God, Thea was right. I’m getting cavities just by looking at you,” Tommy huffed before turning around, his cape swirling. “I’m going to leave before I end up in a diabetic coma.”

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Oliver asked when Felicity straightened up and put a bit more distance between them. He knew she wasn’t exactly comfortable with the PDA.

“Me?” she asked innocently, grabbing a crab cake from a waiter. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Oliver wasn’t surprised to see that Thea had been invited and as soon as she saw them, she all but kidnapped Felicity and soon enough, Oliver found himself reconnecting with some old friends of his. He had stopped partying several months before he went missing on the Gambit and for the first time he realized how much he had changed. Felicity had been right. There was Ollie, the man he had been before her, and there was Oliver, the man he had become. It felt good to see what his old friends had been up to, but at the same time he realized they didn’t have much in common anymore. One, Tony, was married and had a two-month old baby that he had left at home with his wife. And Ollie would have cheered for Tony five years ago for not letting his friends down and still living the life. Now all he could think about was what kind of husband and father would prefer going to a stupid Halloween party, leaving his family at home.

Damn, forget the family. Felicity had had to drag him to come. If they had had a newborn at home, she would have probably needed to threaten him with a gun to get him out of the house. 

Oliver swallowed, feeling his throat constricting. The burning need he felt in his chest wasn’t new… but the intensity kept on growing.

“Ollie,” the sugary voice in his ear was almost as uncomfortable as the hand that went to his chest. Turning his eyes, he saw a familiar face. Brunette, long legs and a cleavage that had every other man in the room staring, she was wearing a tiny nurse costume.

Shifting to his side to put some distance between them, he quickly searched his memory. “Linda?”

“And Sally,” a red-head appeared on his other side, effectively trapping him between two very impressive pairs of boobs.

“We were so happy when we found out you were alive,” Sally said with a wide smile. “We’ve been dying for you to show up but Tommy told us you weren’t feeling like partying much. I knew you’d be here tonight, though. Oliver Queen would never pass up a Tommy Merlyn party.”

“We booked a room at the Hilton,” her friend added in a whisper.

Oliver glanced at the men surrounding them and they all raised their glass at him, silently congratulating him for attracting the attention of two of the friskiest women of Starling City. He had had a few wild nights with them, but the memory was distant and blurry and brought nothing but a slight repulsion with himself. Rationally speaking, he knew he had had a good time with the two women. But emotionally, he couldn’t help but feel shame at his past. He had barely remembered their names.

“Sorry, ladies. I’ll have to pass,” he said gently before stepping out of their embrace and heading to the bar. Felicity would have an easier time spotting him there, sitting on a high stool, if she was looking for him. He wanted to find her but it was also good for her to spend some time with Thea… even if he was dying to know if they were talking about him.

“A glass of water, please,” he asked the barman, resting his feet on the last rung of the stool and unbuttoning his jacket.

“Needing some calm?” the woman sitting on the stool next to him asked while taking a sip of her martini.

“Just thirsty,” he answered with a polite smile.

“I’m Kate.” Oliver glanced at her offered hand and shook it.

“Oliver,” he replied automatically, hoping she’d catch the hint that he wasn’t interested.

“I know who you are. Everybody does, here.”

He nodded, not knowing what to add. He was normally good at socializing but he also knew the code. This wasn’t about socializing. In this kind of party, people were looking for some fun.

His back straightened when he felt a small hand on his shoulder. “There you are.”

He grinned at Felicity who stepped between him and Kate. “Baby, I was wondering where you were.”

“Your sister was showing me the new wing. It really is beautiful, and it goes so well with the rest of the mansion. I would compliment Tommy but last time I saw him he was giving a piggyback ride to Catwoman. I hope I’m not… interrupting?”

Oliver hide his smile with a cough. “Not at all. Felicity, this is Kate. Kate, this is Felicity.”

Felicity offered a small, professional smile and if Oliver didn’t know her better he would have thought she was jealous. Both women stared at each other until Kate gave a slight nod, averting her eyes and shifting slightly on her stool so she wasn’t facing them anymore.

Frowning, Oliver looked at Felicity with questioning eyes and she grinned, shrugging her shoulders before emptying half of his glass. So maybe she wasn’t jealous, but clearly she had made her claim… With a smile, he turned around on his tool until she was standing between his legs, then slowly rotated, taking Felicity with him until her back was pressed against the bar and she was facing the room.

She let her hands rest on his thighs before leaning in and whispering. “There are a few guards I saw when Thea was showing me around but not that many. I suggest waiting a little longer until the guests are… more rowdy. It should keep them busy. And Malcolm is in LA, apparently.”

Oliver nodded, his eyes attracted by her small cleavage. She had gotten rid of her sweater and the first buttons of her shirt were also open. From his position, he could catch a glimpse of her bra.

“My eyes are higher, Oliver.”

“Sorry,” he grinned sheepishly before ordering another glass of water and stopping a waiter to steal his plate of crabcakes. He knew Felicity was very fond of those. Grabbing one, he presented it to her mouth and she huffed out a small laugh before obediently parting her lips, letting him feed her. Using his thumb, he cleared a small crumb that was lingering on the corner of her lips before offering her another amuse-bouche.

He was enjoying this way too much, he realized. There was something deeply erotic and intimate in feeding Felicity by hand in a crowded room, watching her lips parting, her little tongue peeking occasionally.

“Do you want to sit?” he asked as they were halfway through the plate. He had consumed a few of the crabcakes himself.

“Nope, I’m good,” she smiled distractedly, her eyes fixing a point behind him. Discreetly, he turned around, then faced her with a frown. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was glaring at the two girls that had offered for him to join them in their hotel room.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked as he realized she was still staring at them.

“No…” she murmured before leaning in and pressing a kiss on his lips.

He froze for a second, completely caught off guard before letting his arms circle her waist, and press her closer to him while he reciprocated the kiss. If she was giving the OK for PDA, he wasn’t gonna hold back.

Felicity gave him a short, heated kiss before pulling back, her eyes travelling behind him once more. Chuckling, he turned around, meeting the eyes of Sally and Linda.

_Yup. Definitely possessive._

“Miss Smoak… are you marking your territory?” he grinned, shaking his head.

Felicity pouted, crossing her arms on her chest. “I saw them all over you. Just wanted to make things clear for them. I wouldn’t want them to embarrass themselves by running after a guy who’s taken.”

“That’s very generous of you.”

“I know, right?” she beamed before taking a sip of water.

“You know,” he whispered, leaning close enough to speak directly in her ear, “I think I saw a few other women checking me out. You might want to make sure everyone gets your message.”

“Is that so?”

“Yup. I’m only telling you because I know you have their best interests at heart.”

He felt her smile when she kissed him and it took all his willpower not to caress the naked skin above her knee.

“You think they all got the message now?” Felicity eventually breathed against his mouth.

“Don’t know. Might want to make sure.”

 

 

They stayed at the bar for another hour, occasionally interrupted by one of Oliver’s old acquaintances. The atmosphere around them grew heavier, the music turning more sensual as the lights were lowered. They could see couples making out, and with the alcohol running free, things were slowly but surely starting to heat up. Their plan was simple. They would go in one of the quiet rooms in the north wing, opposite to where the party was, and if someone saw them they would just pretend Felicity had a headache. Oliver would then sneak out through the window, climb up to the first floor to Malcolm’s office and plant the chip Felicity had given him to trace any kind of communication made via the computer. They knew that Malcolm, smart as he was, would probably never use his phone but the internet guaranteed a certain anonymity. If Malcolm ever connected his cellphone to his computer, they would also automatically gain access to all the information gathered there. Truth be told, Oliver had no idea how Felicity had managed to make a chip like that but he wasn’t surprised in the slightest. At first, the plan had been for him to go alone. But as Felicity and Dig had noted, the attack on him at QC had proven that Malcolm, or whoever else was behind it, already knew about Oliver and Felicity’s connection. There was no point in hiding something they were already aware of. Also, Oliver always felt better when Felicity was near him and she could guide him if he needed tech support.

When most of the guests were too drunk to even properly dance, Oliver gently grabbed Felicity’s arm, leading her away from the crowd. As he had figured, no one paid attention to them and their host was nowhere to be seen. Knowing Tommy, he was probably holding a private wet t-shirt contest in the pool. The loud music started to fade as they quietly made their way to the other side of the mansion. They only met one member of security who was mostly making sure no one was behaving too wildly, and when Oliver locked a door behind them, they found themselves in almost complete silence. They were in a small library that was also used as an office for the staff, and their choice hadn’t been random. Felicity needed access to the alarm panel, in order to make sure she could turn it off on all floors. Normally, the alarm should be completely off since there were guests everywhere, but there was still a chance that Malcolm had been cautious.

Felicity quickly made her way to the panel that Oliver pointed out, wiggling her fingers at him in a silent order. Fishing in his pockets, he handed her her small pouch and her phone, knowing she’d need both. He was impressed when she retrieved two small comms, handing one to him then bent down and flipped her skirt up, revealing a black band of fabric. His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when she retrieved a tiny screwdriver from it.

“I know usually women hide a gun or a knife in those things, and I always wanted to do something like that,” she said giddily, waving the small tool in front of him. “I just figured a screwdriver was much more useful.”

Oliver raised his eyebrows, huffing a small surprised laugh. “I didn’t even notice.”

“Guess I’d make a good spy, then,” she beamed before opening the panel and plugging her phone in. Less than a minute later, she turned to smile at him.

“All clear. When you told me the house had been renovated and a wing had been added, I figured they probably upgraded their security as well. It’s all connected, which makes my job so much easier.”

“Damn, you’re good,” Oliver grinned before leaning in and touching her lips to his. “Stay here. If someone comes, you know what to do.”

“Yup.”

With one last wink, he opened the window and climbed outside, knowing there was an easy path for him to take. He only took the time to make sure no one was around, then hopped onto the windowsill.

Stealthily, he climbed up, even if the exercise was much harder with a suit and dress shoes than it would have been in a normal outfit. He landed quietly in the big study that had barely changed in twenty years. Same furniture, same pictures on the wall, same curtains as far as he could tell. Now that he thought about it, apart from the new wing, the Merlyn Mansion was almost exactly the same as it was when he was a kid. Ever since Rebecca’s death, Malcolm hadn’t wanted to change a thing in their home. At first, he had never really wondered about it. He was a child, then a teenager and then a young man who was more busy partying than really paying attention to this kind of detail and what it could reveal.

But even the Queen Mansion had changed over the years. It had changed in the last three years too. Malcolm, on the other hand, had turned his home into a mausoleum.

With a frown, he went to lock the door, then swiftly started the computer and retrieved the small chip from his pocket. All he had to do was insert it in the motherboard and make sure there was no Error message appearing on the screen. It would send a message to Felicity’s phone and she could pick up any communication, whether it was through email, skype, or even social media.

“It’s in, honey,” he said quietly in the comm.

“The signal is not coming through,” she replied.

“Maybe it needs a few seconds?”

“No. As soon as you kick start the computer, it is supposed to send a signal right away. Are you sure it’s inserted properly?”

“You made me practice enough times, so yes I’m sure.”

“OK. Don’t move.”

“What do you… stay where you are, Felicity!” Oliver hissed, regretting bitterly to have shown her a plan of the house. He should have known she’d use that knowledge. “Guide me, I’ll be your hands!”

Silence answered him and he rolled his eyes, promising himself she would definitely get a good spanking tonight.

Quickly, he made his way to the door, standing guard in the hallway. She appeared a couple minutes later, her cheeks flushed and slightly out of breath.

He glared at her as he closed the door behind them, locking it tightly.

“I created a diversion, don’t worry,” she placated him right away as she walked to the desk. “Right now, security is busy looking for a man roofying drinks.”

“Someone is…?”

“No. I told a girl someone tried to slip something in her glass and she was alerting security.”

“All you had to do was guide me, Felicity,” he groaned as she sat down.

“It will be much quicker if I do it myself, Oliver, and you know this,"  she answered distractedly. “Damn, this computer is much more protected than I thought. It works on a separate server. Is this the main room, are you sure? Malcolm doesn’t have any other place?”

“Not that I’m aware of. Maybe in the new wing, have you noticed anything?”

“No and Thea gave me the tour of everything that had changed.”

Felicity looked around her, bending to check underneath the heavy oak desk.

“The closet,” Oliver said suddenly. When he was a kid, he had once ended up locked inside a closet when he had played hide and seek with Tommy. Back then it was full of paperwork, and that was where the landline was connected. He could still remember seeing all the wires and being worried he would electrocute himself.

He hurried to the far end of the room, pulling a thick curtain. The door was still there and he turned the knob, a small smile stretching his lips when it opened. He switched on the light, not surprised to hear Felicity’s steps behind him.

“Yes, that’s it!” she squealed, pushing him inside before pausing and looking around her. “It’s actually an impressive setting for a private home.”

Oliver quietly observed her as she worked her magic, mumbling things that didn’t make a lot of sense to him.

“This is amazing, you know. From the server I can do so much more than just plant that chip.”

“Felicity, we don’t have the time.”

“It will only take a few minutes, I just need a virus to open up the firewall and I’ll gain access to all his files! Is there an error message?”

Oliver breathed slowly through his nose, his heart starting to beat faster. He wasn’t comfortable with the situation, and he didn’t like the change of plans. She was supposed to wait safely, not join him as if they were in an episode of Alias. Nonetheless, he checked on the computer and saw that there were no error message that could betray what they had just done, and was shutting it down, Felicity walking out of the closet, when he heard a sound just outside of the door.

He quickly glanced at Felicity, his eyes glued to the door as he saw the knob turning. He had locked it, he was sure of it but he still walked backwards, making sure the desk was neat and the chair in its place. He heard muffled voices then the unmistakable sound of a key turning.

Swiftly, he pushed Felicity back in the closet, following her and switching off the light. He pulled back the curtain before closing the door, feeling Felicity’s small hands tightening on his waist. Pressing his ear against the wooden panel, he listened to the voices.

_“Was the door locked?”_

_“Not sure, man. Ted, was the door to Mr Merlyn’s office locked?”_

_“Hum… I think so. Why? It’s open now?”_

_“No. Just making sure. This floor is clear on the East side.”_

He relaxed when he heard the door closing but still waited a few minutes before switching on the light.

“That was close,” Felicity whispered with wide eyes.

Oliver glared at her, tilting his head. “Yes, it was. That’s why I told you to wait for me downstairs.”

“You know this was a unique opportunity, Oliver,” Felicity snapped, clearly not appreciating his tone.

“Well yes, amazing opportunity where we both end up locked inside a closet in Malcolm Merlyn’s office!” Oliver snapped back.

“We’re not locked in,” she snorted before pushing him aside. She froze when she realized what had been his problem some twenty years before. “There is no doorknob on this side.”

“No, there isn’t.”

“Frack. Oliver, there is no doorknob!” she repeated, her voice slightly higher.

“Which is why I didn’t want to linger here any longer than necessary, Felicity,” he gritted through his teeth. Why did she always have to be so reckless? So yes, she was able to do things he couldn’t do, but what would be the point if it led to them being caught in the act?

“Can’t you… I mean there is no doorknob but there is still the keyhole and the whole structure. Can you pick it? Did you learn that at Bratva Academy?”

Oliver didn’t answer since he was already bending to assess how he could get them out of there. Yes, he knew how to pick a lock, but he usually needed at least some basic tools for that.

“I need some wire to do that,” he mumbled with a frown, switching around, trying to find something that could help. Unfortunately, there was only papers, and if there were indeed a lot of wires, they were soft, pliable, and the exact opposite of what he needed.

“Wait. Do you have a knife?” Felicity asked suddenly.

“Yes, but it’s too big, it won’t…” he trailed off, his mouth hanging open when he saw her shuffling in her clothes. “What the hell are you doing?!”

He stared at her as she slipped an arm through her sleeve, then the other one and in a matter of second, she was handing him a piece of black fabric with a loud “tada!”.

“What the…”

She shoved her undergarment in his hand with an expectant look in her eyes.

Oliver stared at her bra, a small piece of lace that he really, really liked on Felicity’s skin, then looked at her, trying not to think about the fact that her beauties were now free underneath her shirt and he could even see her perfect little nipples peeking through the fabric.

“Damn it, Felicity. I really liked that one.”

“I’ll get another one,” she promised. “Now hurry and tear off my bra, Oliver. Oh God… you have no idea how many times I have imagined saying that under different circumstances.”

Grabbing the knife he had slipped around his ankle, he made a quick job of the delicate fabric, freeing the wires and throwing her a few angry glares at the same time.

First of all, he **really** liked that bra. It looked amazing on her.

Second of all, she had been her usual stubborn self, putting herself in danger.

Third of all, she was braless and he was aware of it, yet couldn’t do anything about it at the moment.

And lastly, he also had imagined her saying that under very different circumstances way too many times to not be pissed about the circumstances they were currently in.

_She is so getting her spanking._

It only took a couple minutes before the click of salvation was heard and the door swung open.

Oliver didn’t say a word as they walked down the stairs, grateful they didn’t meet anyone on their way. Felicity was trailing behind him, her mouth set in a firm line telling him her temper had risen as well.

“Ollie, best friend of mine! I’ve been looking for you!” Tommy yelled as soon as they walked in the main hallway to get Felicity’s coat.

“Tommy, we were just leaving.”

“Oh. Already?” Tommy asked with a hint of disappointment.

“Yeah, Felicity doesn’t feel great.”

Tommy paled, turning to Felicity. “Are you OK? Someone told me that apparently there is someone slipping something in drinks.”

“No, it’s not that. Just a headache,” she assured him quietly.

“Oh. OK. Are you sure you guys are alright?”

“Yes. Oliver took me to a quiet room but it’s not getting better so…”

Oliver nodded curtly. “I’d like to put her to bed as soon as possible.”

Felicity stiffened beside him. “Yes, because she is apparently an eight-year-old who needs to go to bed when she’s told.”

Tommy’s eyes shifted between the two of them. “Alright… well… if you’re sure you’re going to be OK, Miss Felicity…”

“Yes, she will,” Oliver said calmly just as Felicity went to get her coat.

“Dude, you guys OK?”

“Yes, we’re good. Just… tired and… you know.”

Tommy tilted his head before leaning in. “You know, an orgasm can do wonders on a cranky lady.”

Oliver closed his eyes, counting backwards. “Thank you for your wisdom, Clark.”

“Anytime, Bruce,” Tommy grinned, resting his fists on his hips.

“I’m ready,” Felicity said as she slipped on her coat, her sweater hanging from her hand. “Tommy, thank you for the invitation. It was a nice party.”

Oliver lifted his chin at his best friend before guiding Felicity outside. Luckily, since they were leaving early, they didn’t have to wait at all before their driver pulled their car in front of them. The struggle would wait until they were home before giving her a piece of his mind.

***

 

Felicity was fuming when she sat down on the backseat of the limo. Fu-ming.

Oliver had, once again, acted like she had just jumped in front of an AK47. The way he behaved made her feel… small. Or weak. She couldn’t exactly name the feeling but it was one she didn’t like at all. She wasn’t delusional. She knew she wasn’t exactly the best person to climb inside a window, or to pick a lock. She wouldn’t put herself in a situation where she would only be a liability and the fact that, for some reason, Oliver refused to acknowledge that was pissing her off.

Big time.

When the car pulled up to the curb in front of Oliver’s building twenty minutes later, they still hadn’t spoken a word to each other. She had glanced at him, noticed the way he was locking his jaw and seeing him so mad while she was the one who had every reason to be mad… well it had made her even more pissed off.

Without waiting for him like she usually did, she stomped her way to his bedroom, planning to change her clothes and head back to her place. She was tired, cranky and all she wanted right now was a shower and a decent night of sleep. She got rid of her tie in the stairs, throwing it on the banister and her shoes were sent flying as soon as she opened the door to Oliver’s bedroom.

Less than thirty seconds later, the door slammed closed behind her and the sound was enough to erase all tiredness from her body.

Turning around, she glared at Oliver as he leaned back against the door. He had gotten rid of his tie and his jacket as well, she noted. His hair was even more tousled than usual, and his eyes were dark.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, each one waiting for the other to get on with it. She challenged him with her eyes, knowing that at the first reproach, she would probably pounce on him.

“You keep doing that, Felicity,” he finally groaned. “When I ask you to stay put, it means that I want you to stay put!”

“I am not a kid. I am not a dog. I am not your employee,” she answered coldly, detaching each word. “The time when you got to boss me around is long gone, Oliver!”

“I am not bossing you around, I am trying to keep you as safe as possible!”

“We were in Tommy’s house. What was the worst that could have happened?” she asked, throwing her arms in the air in frustration. “Seriously, Oliver! We’d get caught, we’d just be a couple having drunk too much and looking for a little bit of privacy. Big fracking deal!”

“Malcolm would have known-”

“He **already** knows!” she screamed. “You’re gonna get rid of your team. Remember those words? Whoever ordered this attack on you, chances are Malcolm is involved and he knows you have a team. Therefore he knows about me and probably about Dig.”

“You keep taking risks, constantly, instead of keeping a low profile!”

“You know this was our chance, our one chance to infiltrate Malcolm’s computer and maybe, finally find something against him. That’s the last thing we need, the last piece of that damn puzzle. Do you think I was just going to stay put while we had this golden opportunity?”

“You could have guided me and you know it.”

“It would have taken much longer, and you know it,” she snarled. “I’ve accepted this part of you, Oliver, a long time ago. But that doesn’t mean you get to control me anytime you want.”

“This… this is not about control!”

Felicity snorted.

“I am just trying to keep you as far away from danger as possible!” he roared.

“Then maybe I should leave!” she snapped, picking up her shoes and walking towards the door he was still blocking. “Move.”

Oliver gave her a warning look, his head slightly tilted. “No.”

“Oliver. Move.”

“No. You’re mad, I get it and so am I, but I’m not letting you go back to your place in the middle of the night.”

Felicity took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing. Oliver held her glare, not moving an inch from the door.

She was close enough to see the blue of his eyes was darker than usual, his cheeks flushed and she could almost hear his teeth gritting. His hair was disheveled, exactly like after they had sex and she’d pull on it. Whenever he would go down on her, she would make a mess, holding and pulling and lacing, pushing his face down, her nails scratching his skull mirroring the strokes of his tongue.

Unconsciously, she licked her lips and saw Oliver’s eyes glancing down. His chest was visibly moving up and down, his breathing deep and fast. He stared at her chest and she didn’t even have to look to know he could see her nipples, hard, her own heavy breathing pushing them against the white fabric of her shirt.

He bit his lower lip before glancing up at her.

“Fuck,” he muttered, taking a step towards her at the same time her feet started to move. His hand went straight to her ass, the other one burying itself in her hair, pulling her flush against him, his mouth already on hers.

She pulled his lip between her teeth, much harder than she usually did and he groaned, low, deep in his throat, his hand slipping underneath her skirt to squeeze the flesh still protected by her panties. She opened her mouth to him, unable to resist the wave of heat that took over her body, her anger still there but fueling her desire with a strength she had never felt before. She wanted to bite him, pull his hair, scratch him, until his body bore the marks of her possession, until he’d understand that wherever he would go, she would follow.

Her leg moved up his thigh, her hands pulling at his hair, desperate for his taste, desperate to feel as close to him as possible. When she had to come up for hair, she let her lips travel down his jaw, her fingers unbuttoning his shirt while she licked his throat, then sucked on the flesh. Hard.

Oliver hissed but didn’t move away, his hand tightening on her ass while he let his fingers travel between her thighs, rubbing her through her panties. She moaned, dying to feel his fingers higher, on her clit, where she knew he would make her feel so, so good. His teasing was so delicious, she was already getting wet and Oliver must have felt it too because he suddenly grunted, walking her backwards to the bed.

She finally opened the last button of his shirt, her hands travelling across his torso, and she watched, fascinated, as her nails started to leave trails while Oliver was battling with her underwear.

Unable to resist, she leaned in, biting his nipple and he cursed, loudly, abandoning his efforts to take a hold of her shirt, pulling on it until the buttons were flying across the room and she was standing with her chest bare to his eyes. Turning her around he pushed her down on the bed but not before he gave her one small look, checking if she was OK. As soon as she was lying on the comforter, he flipped her skirt up then roughly lowered her panties until they reached her knees.

She heard the rustling of his clothes, saw him grabbing a condom from the night stand before the sound of his belt opening, his zipper lowering, echoed incredibly loud in her ears. She tilted her hips back, inviting him, impatient to feel him, to have him inside her where he belonged. He pushed her legs apart as far as the panties around her knees would let her and then she felt him, there, his fingers opening her while his cock was resting against her inner thigh. He checked if she was ready, letting out a growl of satisfaction when he felt her wetness around his finger, then suddenly, he was pushing inside forcefully, making her slide up the bed until only her toes were touching the floor.

“Yes,” she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut at the pleasure that shot through her core with his rough invasion. He barely pulled out before slamming back in and she was so in sync with his body that she could feel everything. His cock, big and hard, the fabric of his underwear rubbing inside her thighs, his pants and his belt burning her skin so good, the heat of his body behind her, inside her as he fucked her anger away.

Sex with Oliver had always been good. Better than good.

But this… this was mind-blowing. It was the culmination of so many raw emotions, of a deep need, of their fears, and her last coherent thought was that it was a very good thing Oliver had made sure his apartment was soundproof.

She couldn’t move much in that position but Oliver was making it so good for her that she didn’t need to. He was relentless, setting up a punishing rhythm that had her moaning incoherently into the comforter as the fire deep inside her started to burn so wild she was sure it was about to combust her. Her hand reached out, her nails digging in his side as she encouraged him to thrust harder, deeper, to give her more, to give her everything he had because she could take it. She wanted to take it. Everything that was him, the good, the bad. The soft, the rough. She felt his muscles underneath her fingers, contracting so hard as he thrust inside her, his hips slapping against her ass. She scratched him, hard, and he hissed before grabbing her hand, bringing it up. He let his upper body rest against her as both his hands imprisoned hers on each side of her face. His chest was against her back and he was giving her his weight, pushing her into the mattress as his face buried in her hair.

His breathing was ragged, and the grunts escaping him were so animalistic, so wild, that it woke a very primitive part of herself as well. She could feel his wet breath in her ear, and she linked her fingers through his, holding tight, letting him know without words that she was right there with him and that she was losing control just as much as he was. He squeezed her fingers in his, his forehead dropping against her shoulder, her name falling from his lips in a broken moan as he chased his relief and carried her along the way.

“Fuck,” he panted as his hips started to lose their rhythm, his thrusts harder, erratic. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

She wanted to tell him she was right there, right there with him but her mouth was opened on a soundless scream, her entire body reaching out for what was going to be a massive orgasm. Her thighs started to tremble, her hips buckling underneath him as if she could take him deeper. Her brain had stopped working, and she was only flesh and blood at that moment and so, so woman, so female for him, for the pleasure he was giving her.

His hands suddenly tightened around hers and his lips crashed on her neck, licking her skin before biting down. Hard. He groaned, the sound echoing through her flesh and her voice came back just in time to scream as the wave came crashing down on her. One, two more thrusts and Oliver planted himself deep, jerking inside her as she clamped down on him, burying her face in the comforter beneath her as long, broken moans escaped her throat, mirroring his loud, satisfied growl.

Oliver’s heart was beating wildly, and he was still holding her flesh between his teeth, and even if there was a pinch of pain, she was basking in so much bliss that she couldn’t bring herself to even care.

It took a while for Oliver to catch his breath and unlock their fingers. Eventually, he nuzzled her neck with his nose, pressing soft kisses from her ear to her shoulder before sighing deeply and slipping his arms underneath her body, pulling out of her and shifting lower on the bed.

Felicity blinked, staring at her hand that was inches from her face, still trying to understand how they had gone from fighting to having the best sex of her life in a matter of minutes.

With a deep sigh, Oliver shifted and pulled her in his arms until they were spooning, his hand pushing away a few strands of hair that had fallen on her face before pressing more kisses on her neck. His hand rested against her stomach, tracing lazy circles around her belly button and all she could do was stare at her thumb, oddly noticing she had chipped her nail polish.

“I love you,” Oliver murmured in her hair.

She closed her eyes, savoring those three little words until she found enough energy to turn around and face him. Her fingers stroked his face, lingering on his lips and she smiled when she saw the peaceful light shining in his eyes.

“When you were in the foundry and your heart stopped,” she said quietly as she snuggled in his arms, “my first instinct, my first thought was… it was to run, Oliver. To protect myself. It’s what I do, you were right when you told me that the day I resigned at QC. I tend to leave before things get too painful.”

Oliver frowned but before he could open his mouth, she pressed a finger against his lips, silencing him.

“I’m trying to get rid of that. I’m doing a good job, most of the time. At least I think so. But see, the thing is… if I don’t allow myself to run away from you, then I tend to run towards you. I guess you could say I still haven’t found a balance. So when I’m afraid for you, when I get this fear of something happening to you again and I don’t allow myself to run away…”

Understanding showed in Oliver’s eyes. “Then you run to me. Even if that means you also run into danger.”

“... yes.”

“I’m sorry I snapped. You were right, the situation didn’t call for me to freak out like that. But I can’t help it. You’re not the only one afraid, you know.”

“I know,” she smiled softly as he leaned down to touch his lips to hers.

“Also… I really liked that bra. That didn’t help.”

She grinned against his lips. “That’s payback for the panties you destroyed in your kitchen. I really liked them too.”

Oliver pushed up on an elbow, his eyes travelling down her body. A smirk stretched his lips as his hand smoothed the skin of her butt.

“What?” she asked.

“Looks like you were a naughty schoolgirl, after all” he winked. 

***

 

Oliver woke up early, as usual. At least this time it was past dawn, but still much earlier than he had to for a Saturday. Felicity was deeply asleep, her limbs all over him and her face snuggled in his neck, naked as the day she was born. They had finally managed to get out of bed last night to take a shower but they had collapsed afterwards, both exhausted.

Last night had been… intense. First, he had actually loved Tommy’s party. Not for the drinking, since he had stuck to water. Not for the dancing, since he didn’t dance. Not for the girls, since he only had eyes for one.

No. He had liked that party because it was the first time he had been able to go out with Felicity on his arm. It wasn’t exactly a date, more like an undercover mission. But still. He had loved every moment spent with her, when she would rest her hand against his thigh or even that short, amazing moment where she had snuggled up against him while he had been talking to an old acquaintance. Then they had fought.

Then they had had sex.

Incredible, earth-shattering sex.

And then they had made up and by the time they had fallen asleep, his lips had been bruised with all the kissing.

_Yup. Perfect night._

Checking his alarm clock, he saw it was 7AM and he knew he probably wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep. He pressed a kiss on Felicity’s forehead, circling her with his arms and slowly rolling on the side until they were disentangled. She didn’t wake, reaching for his pillow as soon as he was up and hugging it tight. After a quick stop in the bathroom, he put on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, then made his way downstairs.

He and Felicity had picked his sofa and most of the furniture that he still needed, but they hadn’t been delivered yet. It didn’t matter much since they could eat at the counter, and his bedroom was mostly furnished - the most important room, after all. His kitchen was well stocked, courtesy of Raisa who had taken care of the food as well as the hardware. His cupboards were stocked, as well as his fridge and freezer.

Whistling, he went through the cupboards, taking out everything he needed to make pancakes. He took his time, not wanting to wake Felicity up too early and savoring his cup of coffee leisurely. He was finishing cooking bacon when she heard her footsteps walking down the stairs. Glancing up, he smiled when he saw her wearing his shirt and probably nothing underneath it.

Which suited him just fine.

“Hi baby,” he said softly as she walked straight into his arms.

“Mmmh,” she mumbled as she buried her face into his chest. Smiling, he shut off the stove, tightening his arms around her and resting his chin on her head while she took her sweet time waking up.

She eventually stepped out of hs embrace, reaching for his cup of coffee. She took a sip, grimacing at the bitter taste. Oliver liked his coffee black, Felicity enjoyed it with milk and sugar most of the time.

Chuckling, he poured her a mug, letting her add whatever she wanted that morning.

“You made pancakes?” she asked with a smile as she peeked around his shoulder.

“Yup. Hungry?”

She nodded before grabbing two plates and cutlery to put on the counter. They both sat down and Oliver looked at her, amused, as she poured a generous amount of maple syrup on her pancakes before biting her lip and pouring some more. He helped himself, adding butter and a reasonable amount of syrup himself, as well as bacon to his plate. They ate mostly in silence, gazing at each other for the most part and all Oliver could think about was how much he wanted this to be his future.

Their future.

By the time they made it to the foundry, Dig was already there, waiting for them. Felicity explained what they had done at the Merlyn Mansion, then proceeded to sneak her way inside Malcolm Merlyn’s deepest secrets - or so she said.

“The security is much, much tighter than I thought. Which is good news because that probably means we will find something in there. We just need to know where to look.”

“I honestly hope this time we’ll get what we need. Every damn time we’ve tried to find something linking everything together, it’s like all trails disappeared or were dead ends.”

“He is smart. He has probably been planning this for years and if I were him, I’d have made sure that every person involved had something to lose. Best way to guarantee no one would rat him out and everyone would stay in line,” Dig nodded. “Even in his letter, your father didn’t dare to name him.”

Felicity froze on her chair, then turned around to face them. “Oliver your dad’s letter was with the notebook, right?”

“Yes. He hid them in a ziplock bag inside his desk on the Gambit. Why?”

Felicity bit her lip, her eyes narrowing like she always did when an idea was forming in her head. “Disappear. Like all trails disappear, right?” she eventually said, earning a confused look from both men.

“Oh my God, oh my God,” she exclaimed, jumping from her chair and running to the back of the foundry. Oliver had barely made a few steps toward her before she came back just as fast. “What are the odds that your dad would keep an empty notebook with him as if it was as crucial as his letter?”

“It was weird, yeah… like I told you, I figured he didn’t have the time to use it.”

“Or maybe he did,” Felicity said triumphantly, rummaging through one of the drawers until she held out a small lamp. “Black light!”

Oliver looked at her, connecting the dots. He rushed to turn off the lights while Felicity put on a pair of large glasses and switch on the black light she had insisted they should get in case they ever needed a secret way to communicate.

“Boom, drop the mic!” she exclaimed before handing him the glasses.

Fortunately, he had written her letters at the back of the notebook, leaving the first pages completely blank.

Except they weren’t blank.

It was a long list, one that didn’t make much sense at first until a few words looked familiar.

“Those are all the places that have been targeted. The gas explosion from before my dad was murdered. The workshops. Even this foundry.”

“It’s all the potential targets, the places they wanted to shut down to lower the cost.”

“There are dozens of factories from all around Starling. And even a hospital. A police station. What the hell?”

Oliver handed the notebook and the glasses to Dig, trying to figure it out. This was much bigger than he had in mind.

“If all these places close, it’s thousands of people without jobs. The Glades police station is on that list. The hospital is also the one from the Glades. They want to make some kind of purge,” he breathed, his hands resting on his hips.

“But they would lose a lot of money if they had to close all those factories. Severance packages cost a lot.”

“Companies don’t have to pay in case of an accident or arson or anything similar,” Dig concluded.

“Best of both worlds,” Felicity nodded. “They get to move their production somewhere else, probably cheaper. They weaken the population, make it poorer and poorer. Soon they won’t have a police station to protect them, or a hospital to go to when they’re sick.”

“What’s going to happen when an entire part of a city suddenly loses their breadwinner, don’t have anyone to protect them, and have nowhere to take their sick kids?”

“Uprising,” Oliver said.

“That’s what they want. They only need a reason to clean up the Glades. They’re literally fabricating an uprising. Once it starts, how much do you want to bet that all the people behind this project will step in, hire a private militia to make sure the streets stay safe?”

“The mind-control drug is to have people starting the fire so to speak.”

“I think that this is getting too big for us,” Felicity said hesitantly. “I mean, you’ve seen how many places are potential targets? We can’t stay silent when we know they’re probably planning their next attack.”

“You’re right. I’ll go home and talk to Walter. He has to know, now,” Oliver agreed.

A loud beep interrupted them and the three of them faced the computer.

“Oh no, this is not good,” Felicity said, shaking her head.

“What is it?”

“It’s set on SCPD’s system. Code 10-13. Multiple shots, multiple shooters.”

Felicity pressed a few keys, allowing them to listen to the conversation between a police officer and the dispatch.

_“Hostage situation at the Glades Memorial hospital.”_

_“Any casualties?”_

_“Yes. Multiple shooters.”_

_“Stand by. We’re sending help. There is also a situation in a building on North street.”_

Felicity quickly typed on her keyboard, turning to face them and pointing at the screen. She mouthed “explosion”, before grabbing her own jacket.

“We have to go to Walter, ask him to call his contacts in the media. It can’t wait anymore, even if we have nothing incriminating Malcolm.” Felicity said as she picked up her purse.

The three of them rushed up the stairs, and as soon as they were outside they heard the sirens echoing. Oliver and Felicity exchanged a glance, knowing that things were about to get worse.

Had they taken too long? Had their method been the wrong one? Should they have taken a risk and talked to the police before? Who would have even believed them?

The streets were extremely busy for a Saturday morning. Between the cops, the firefighters and the panicked citizens, it took them more than one hour to finally reach the Mansion. Oliver had tried to reach Walter, with no success, and he couldn’t help but worry, hoping everything was fine at home. His mom hadn’t answered either.

When they drove up the driveway, they saw right away that something was off.

Two black SUVs were parked in front of the main entrance.

They rushed inside, Raisa welcoming them while twisting her hands.

“Raisa, what’s going on?” Oliver asked her.

“It’s the FBI, Mister Oliver. They have been talking to Mrs Queen and Mister Steele for at least an hour now.”

“Do you know why?”

“No, but it looked serious.”

Oliver shared a look with Felicity who reached out to squeeze his hand. “What about Thea?”

“She is upstairs. Mrs Queen told her to stay in her room.”

“I’ll go talk to her,” Oliver said, already heading towards the stairs when suddenly the door of the main sitting room opened.

“Please call us if you can think of anything,” a woman was telling Mister Steele. “And do not leave town.”

Dig froze beside Oliver, staring in shock at the federal agent. “... Lyla?”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angry sex: check
> 
> My smut list is finally getting smaller, after the 4 orgasm sex, the mirror sexand the kitchen counter sex done in the previous chapter XD
> 
> Next chapter will really... unfold everything. The one after will hopefully answer all your questions too. So... two chapters focusing on that "project" that cost Robert his life, Oliver three years of his life, and Felicity about a thousand of Oliver-induced orgasms (even though with the new possibility of 4 orgasms per intercourse, they should catch up in this lifetime)
> 
> Oh and who got a kick out of Tommy as superman? XD


	31. The Times They Are A-Changin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So here we go, stuff happens, plot explodes, intrigue is exposed and all that jazz... 
> 
> Thanks to all of you who took the time to leave a comment <3<3 you guys make my day everytime.  
> SPecial thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, as usual :)
> 
> Song; Bob Dylan The Times They Are A-Changin

**"The Times They Are A-Changin'"**   
  


Come gather 'round people  
Wherever you roam  
And admit that the waters  
Around you have grown  
And accept it that soon  
You'll be drenched to the bone  
If your time to you  
Is worth savin'  
Then you better start swimmin'  
Or you'll sink like a stone  
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics  
Who prophesize with your pen  
And keep your eyes wide  
The chance won't come again  
And don't speak too soon  
For the wheel's still in spin  
And there's no tellin' who  
That it's namin'  
For the loser now  
Will be later to win  
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen  
Please heed the call  
Don't stand in the doorway  
Don't block up the hall  
For he that gets hurt  
Will be he who has stalled  
There's a battle outside  
And it is ragin'  
It'll soon shake your windows  
And rattle your walls  
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers  
Throughout the land  
And don't criticize  
What you can't understand  
Your sons and your daughters  
Are beyond your command  
Your old road is  
Rapidly agin'  
Please get out of the new one  
If you can't lend your hand  
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn  
The curse it is cast  
The slow one now  
Will later be fast  
As the present now  
Will later be past  
The order is  
Rapidly fadin'  
And the first one now  
Will later be last  
For the times they are a-changin'.

 

 

Felicity gasped as she did a double take on the brunette with short hair.

Lyla.

Dig’s ex-wife.

“Johnny,” Lyla said, her face carefully guarded. But Felicity was a woman and she saw the flicker in her eyes that told her that Lyla might have appeared calm and collected, but she had also prepared herself for the possibility of stumbling over her ex-husband.

“Agent Michaels, we are heading back to the station. Do you want to come with us or do you have something else to do?” One of Lyla’s colleagues asked her as he hung up his cell phone.

“I was hoping I could ask Mister Queen a few questions. I was heading to his place but since he’s already here, I don’t see why we couldn’t get that out of the way as well,” Lyla answered after sharing a look with Dig. “I will meet you at the station as soon as I’m done. Keep me updated if anything else happens.”

The three men that had been with her nodded then walked out, their steps rushed.

“Agent Michaels, I told you everything that happened during the gala. I strongly doubt my son will be of any help,” Moira said carefully as Walter stepped to her side, his hand resting on her back.

“I understand, Mrs Queen, but sometimes what a witness considers as an insignificant detail can shed another light on the whole case. People died and we strongly suspect, as I told you, that all the attacks that have happened in Starling recently are linked. And maybe that includes the ones happening right now. So, do I need to ask Mister Queen to follow me at the station or can we have a simple conversation here?”

Felicity raised her eyebrows at the authority in her voice. _I already can see why Dig married her._

“Walter, can you get our attorney?” Moira said calmly, her eyes fixed on Lyla.

“Mom, that won’t be necessary,” Oliver stepped in. “Agent Michaels is right. Maybe I saw something that could help. It’s all good.”

“Oliver-”

“Really, mom. It’s good.” Oliver smiled at her reassuringly. “We’ll be in dad’s office.”

Moira didn’t seem to agree but after Walter whispered a few words in her ear, she nodded reluctantly.

Oliver led the way, Lyla in tow and Felicity and Dig bringing up the rear. She shared a look with her friend, who curtly shook his head, letting her know that now wasn’t the time for questions. Silently, they walked inside Robert Queen’s office, the place oddly similar to Malcolm Merlyn’s. Both were symbols of privilege, wealth and confidence and Felicity couldn’t help but wonder where their project had started. Was it in this very room? Malcolm’s? What had happened to make them think that whatever they had come up with was even remotely OK? Did money make them lose all sense of humanity?

“Lyla, why are you here?” Dig asked as soon as he closed the door.

“The bureau received an anonymous tip. I was already a bit concerned when I read about the recent events. It’s very unusual for Starling to have this kind of criminality.”

“I didn’t even know you worked for the FBI.”

“A long time has passed, Johnny. I’ve been working there for almost three years, since right after my last tour.”

“What service?”

“Terrorism. Now can you tell me why am I here?” Lyla asked, her finger tracing a circle in the air, designating the room they were currently in.

Oliver and Dig shared a look but both remained silent.

“Alright… I’m going to tell you exactly what I told Mrs Queen and Mister Steele. We received an anonymous tip that only confirmed some nagging suspicions I had myself. I was sent here since I used to live here and know the city. What we suspect is that what happened at the Queen-Merlyn gala, as well as the explosions in the workshops might be linked to a group of people determined to create chaos.”

“And what is your opinion about it?”

“I told you. It was already suspicious to me before I even got the assignment. I had the occasion to get my hands on a few reports and it’s more than suspicions at the moment. The tip told us to look into the Queen family, which brought me back to almost four years ago when father and son both disappeared in very suspicious circumstances. Is there something more at play here that I’m not aware of?”

Dig passed his hands on his face, shaking his head. “Can we trust you?”

Lyla stared at him blankly. “What do you mean by that? I’m your ex-wife and I’m a federal agent. What is going on, John? You know something, don’t you?”

Felicity opened her handbag, fishing out Robert’s letter as well as the journal, the black light and the glasses.

She didn’t know Lyla. But she knew Dig and everything he had told her about his ex-wife - which was not much to be honest - was that she was a strong, determined and loyal woman. Their original plan might have been to talk to the press because they couldn’t be sure of who in the SCPD was corrupt or not, but having the feds showing up at the Queen Mansion had changed all that. Whatever was happening was way bigger than she had thought at first and they clearly needed help. It was a leap of faith but maybe this was exactly the kind of help they needed.

Glancing at Oliver, she waited for his approval. After all, it was his father’s belongings. He nodded, and she handed them to Lyla.

The three of them waited patiently until she was done reading, observing as a frown started to grow on her face. “Do you think it’s all linked?” Lyla eventually asked.

“It has to be. We might have been… following this for a while,” Dig said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “We know SCPD is corrupt. And by corrupt, I really mean we don’t know who to trust because it goes really high in the hierarchy and no matter who we would talk to, they would eventually find out.”

“What was your plan then?”

“Media. Press. As soon as we found enough proof, we would let them know, blow the whole thing up. But judging from what we’ve heard, we probably ran out of time and whatever they were planning is much, much bigger than we thought. You showed up at the right time,” Oliver explained quietly. “Felicity has everything you might need. She has reports, analyses, insurance policies, blueprints… you name it, chances are she already found it.”

“Felicity Smoak. Vice-President of Palmer Tech, is that right?” Lyla asked with a smile.

“Yes,” Felicity replied, wondering how she knew that about her.

“You were on the list of people wounded in the gala,” Lyla answered her silent question. “Caught my attention, such a young VP.”

 

 

The fact that Lyla was familiar with Starling City helped tremendously. She already knew most of the socialites and the most well-known families. Filling her in was done in record time.

“I assume you didn’t get your hands on any of this legally?” she eventually asked once Felicity was done explaining the latest attempt on Oliver’s life and how she had found out the connection between the drug used and the samples they had collected in several locations.

“The notebook and the letter were with Oliver ever since he found them, but apart from that… I might have done a little snooping here and there,” Felicity winced.

“You know I can’t use any of this? It's all inadmissible in court."

“Honestly our first goal is to make sure the rest of the targeted places on the list remain safe. The hospital is a low blow already, and it feels like nowhere is really safe in the north part of the city,” Dig answered with a sigh.

“You really think Malcolm Merlyn is the one behind everything?”

“All leads keep taking us to him. But we haven’t found any proof.” Oliver passed a hand through his hair and started pacing. “We keep hitting wall after wall. He’s smart and I don’t know why or what made him start the whole project but he’s the brains behind all of this.”

Lyla nodded, her eyes fixed on the letter that was currently lying on Robert’s desk. “The letter and the notebook should be enough to at least allow us to get a warrant for the companies concerned. I’ll have to tread carefully because if it is known that I had access to any information obtained illegally, nothing will hold against a judge. But now… I know exactly where to look and what to look for.”

“Official version is that we showed you the letter and the notebook, that’s all,” Dig translated, crossing his arms on his chest.

“Yes. It also makes sense with the anonymous tip that told us to look into the Queen’s family. Do you have any idea who that might be?”

Oliver shook his head. “My first instinct would have been to look at Dylan Stern but I don’t understand why he’d point to my family… he named Malcolm when I asked him.”

“We’ll worry about that later, then. Alright, I’m going to head to the police station, talk to my superiors and ask them to send extra hands. If the police department is indeed corrupt, I need to make sure nothing gets swept under the rug.”

“What can we do?” Felicity asked.

“Nothing. Stay here, you should be safe. Things are getting wild in the Glades and other parts of the city. Oliver, I’m sorry but I’m gonna have to take those with me,” Lyla added, pointing to the notebook and the letter.

“Wait. I should make copies,” Felicity chimed in. Anything could happen, a car crash for instance, and they needed a backup plan in case something would go south. Not to mention, some things were personal and she wanted a copy of them. She already wasn’t comfortable with the idea that people would read what Oliver had written, but the possibility of not having them back was hurting her deeply.

Lyla caught their glance and bit her lip, clearly hesitating. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom. As far as I’m concerned, this book only contained a list. I didn’t take the time to check the other side. Do you understand?”

Felicity gulped, sharing a glance with Oliver who smiled reassuringly. She let out a breath of relief, because even if she didn’t want to compromise their only piece of evidence, she was also very protective of Oliver’s letters. They were private.

Dig followed Lyla out of the room to show her to the nearest restroom while Oliver carefully tore off the letters he had written for Felicity. She copied Robert’s letter as well as the list and by the time Lyla and Dig were back, everything was neatly folded in two thick envelopes.

Felicity saw right away that they had been talking, judging by the frown on Dig’s face. Lyla didn’t linger, promising to keep them updated as soon as possible and before they knew it, they were left alone in Robert Queen’s office.

“Dig…” Oliver trailed off with a meaningful look.

“You really can trust her, man. We might be divorced but-”

“You have been divorced for years. Are you sure you still know her?”

“Yes. The reason why we divorced is me. I know it. She knows it. Believe me, Lyla Michaels is our best bet at this point.”

Felicity sat down on the sofa with a big sigh. “It kinda looks like we got lucky though. I mean… of all the FBI agents that could have been sent. And right in time, too.”

“I think we really needed a little bit of luck, eventually,” Oliver smiled as he sat down next to her.

“The question is, what do we do now?” Dig asked as he leaned against a chair.

“I don’t know. I… honestly don’t know. What is certain though is that I have to talk to my mom and Walter.”

 

***

 

“Oliver, finally. What took you so long?” Moira asked as soon as Oliver entered the dining room where she was finishing lunch with Walter and Thea.

“I had a lot of things to explain to Agent Michaels, mom,” Oliver said carefully.

Moira pinched her lips, her breathing hitching almost imperceptibly. “Oliver…”

“Mom. I think we should talk to Walter.”

Walter frowned, his eyes switching from his wife to his step-son. “About…?”

“Thea, go to your room, please,” Moira said as she folded her napkin and put it beside her plate.

“Again?! Is anyone going to tell me what this is about? First the FBI and now this. Ollie, what is going on?” Thea asked, disbelief written all over her face.

“Later, Speedy. Please.”

His sister glared at him, then huffed and stood up. “Just so you know, I’m officially an adult. I would very much like to be treated that way once in awhile.”

Oliver gritted his teeth as Thea passed behind him, bumping him purposely on her way out. He would talk to her, explain, but right now his priority was QC and its employees and Thea would have to accept that.

“Alright, son. What do you have to tell us?” Walter asked kindly.

“Mom… I think this should come from you.”

“Oliver, don’t-”

“Things are about to blow up.”

“You told her?” Moira breathed, paling. “Oliver this…”

“People are dying, mom!” he snapped. “People have died. Including dad. And things are getting crazy in the Glades while you’re busy enjoying a greek yogurt.”

“Moira… is there something you didn’t tell the FBI?” Walter asked carefully.

Oliver looked at his mother whose eyes remained fixed on her plate. Seeing she wasn’t about to talk, he took a deep breath. “My father was murdered, Walter. And the Gambit sinking was no accident either.”

Walter froze, his eyes blinking. “What?” he eventually whispered.

Oliver then filled in the blanks, showing Walter the letter that had changed his life a few years ago.

“Why didn’t you come to me, Oliver? Did you think I had anything to do with… Moira…?”

“No, Walter. My father trusted you. When I came back, I didn’t want to involve anyone. Especially not when I found out you had married mom and were Thea’s step-dad. They had already lost too much. And then…” Oliver hesitated, glancing at his mother.

“Then Oliver asked me what I knew. I told him to stop whatever he was doing.”

“You knew there was something happening? You knew Robert had been murdered and you didn’t tell me?” Walter asked in shock. He stood up then leant heavily against his chair. “How long have you known?”

“Since Robert died,” Moira admitted quietly. “I had doubts before but… I knew for sure a couple of weeks after his death.”

“I… I can’t believe… You married me while knowing what had happened? You never considered telling me?”

“They tried to kill my son if I didn’t do as they told and keep their secret. Threatened my daughter.”

“What about when Oliver came back? Did you even consider letting me know?”

“Walter, I made a deal with them so they would leave my family alone. It was for the best.”

“The gala… was it a part of it too?”

“Yes,” Oliver nodded. “The gas explosion as well.”

“I always assumed Isabel was behind that one,” Walter huffed out a dry laugh. “I can’t… Are you sure Robert was in this? All these people, I can’t believe he would agree to do something like that.”

“From what I gathered, the explosion was what made him want to pull out of the deal. I don’t think he agreed on innocents getting killed. Then he was silenced before he could stop them.”

“So that project of theirs kept going?”

“Yes. It continued. I think they stalled a little after everything that happened three years ago. Things were getting a bit too suspicious. But they eventually continued their plan.”

“Moira… how could you… you knew people were going to die… and you did nothing to stop it?”

“They would have gone after Thea. I had lost my husband and my son, I wasn’t about to lose my daughter!” Moira cried out, standing up as well. “Or you, for that matter. Make no mistake, Walter, you would have been targeted as well! I did what I had to do to keep what was left of my family safe. The only reason you were never approached is because of that deal I made.”

“A deal with the devil. At what cost, Moira?” Walter looked at her, shaking his head before grabbing his suit jacket and putting it on. “I’m going to head to QC. I need to think and I’d like to see if there is something we can do to help.”

“Walter, you can’t go. It’s much safer here, you heard the FBI agent.”

“I... I can’t stay here, Moira. I’m afraid I might say things that I won’t be able to take back.”

Oliver and Moira watched silently as Walter walked out of the room.

“Mom… I’m sorry but it’s better he found out now.”

“Oliver, this is… this is so much bigger than you think.”

“I know, mom. I found the list of every place targeted in Starling. I know they drugged people.”

“You knew that?” she asked with a gasp.

“Yes. I was attacked earlier this week. With that same drug. It almost killed me and I almost killed Diggle. I would have gone after Felicity too.”

“Oh my God… why… why didn’t you tell me? Which hospital did you go to? I wasn’t even informed!”

“No. They helped me get better but it was a close call. Mom, did you know what their main goal was?” Oliver asked as he sat down next to his mother, taking her hand in his.

“I know they wanted to get rid of the criminality so the city would be safe again. I know… I know at first the goal was to make (the Glades a ghost town. Drive people away. Then… I guess they figured out it would either take too long or… I don’t know.”

“You do know that Malcolm Merlyn is behind everything, don’t you?”

Moira closed her eyes, guilt showing on her face. Oliver dropped his head, seeing his fears confirmed. All along she had known, or at least strongly suspected.

“I wasn’t sure, Oliver. You have to believe me. But Malcolm and Robert… you know they always did everything together. I knew Malcolm was in for sure, I just wasn’t certain he was the leader.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? It took me weeks to find out who was behind that!”

“Tell you so what? You would go and confront him? Go to the police and tell them? Oliver… you can’t trust anyone!”

“The FBI agent that talked to you, agent Michaels… she is John’s ex-wife. She can be trusted and she is going to make sure everything comes out and people are brought to justice for their crimes. We have evidence. If you testify, we also have a witness.”

“No. No way, Oliver. They’ll go after you and Thea.”

“Not if they know every eye will be on us, mom. They have to be stopped, you know it.”

“Oliver, I know you can defend yourself but Thea is barely an adult. Don’t even think for one second they would spare her if they feel threatened.”

“We’ll protect her. We’ll hire more security until everything calms down.”

“Oliver it’s going to bring every eye on us. Every eye on our family.”

“Maybe. But we have to do it nonetheless.”

“You don’t understand, honey,” Moira said, shaking his head. “People are going to ask how and when you found out about everything. They are going to wonder how you survived being targeted yourself. Your time in Russia… if people knew what you have done…”

Oliver froze, falling back against his chair. “You… you know?”

“Of course I know, Oliver. My son wasn’t the same man when he came back, and I don’t mean mentally. They hired the Bratva and word was that an American was pulling things back from inside the organization itself. You came back on a Russian boat. You have that tattoo on your chest. Of course I know. I was asked to keep an eye on you, but God knows it’s not easy.”

“Did you look up what happened?”

“Yes. And we both know that this can never be made public. It will be if the entire trial depends on our family. They are going to dig, and dig deep.”

“It’s a risk we might have to take, mom. It’s something I’ve been ready to face for a while now. If we have to get to that point, I will handle it.” Oliver licked his dry lips. Suddenly, his future with Felicity seemed less bright… less sure. But he knew what he had to do. He had always been aware he might have to out himself as a member of a criminal organization. It was, after all, one of the main reasons he hadn’t wanted to come back, or rekindle things with Felicity.

“Oliver, you’re rebuilding your life. You’re happy and in a good place. Don’t let them take that away from you,” Moira pleaded, resting her hand on his cheek.

“Whatever has to happen… will happen. Right now, we shouldn’t worry about a trial or anything else. Lyla has evidence and hopefully she will get warrants. It might be enough. Anyway… it’s too late now. Their project is no longer secret. We’ll have to deal with the consequences, whatever they might be.”

“Your father would have never wanted you to be in this position.”

Oliver shook his head, staring at her. “I’m not sure, mom. I think… I think he’d be prouder if I stood up rather than let things happen and let other people suffer from his own mistakes. At least… I hope so. I have to believe that in the end… he was still that kind of man.”

Moira looked at him, and Oliver was shaken to see her eyes shining. She took a deep, shaky breath before nodding her head. “I just want you and your sister to be safe, Oliver. It’s all I can think about.”

“Speaking of which… we should tell her. Everything is going crazy and she needs to understand why she has to stay here, safely,” Oliver said as he texted Thea to ask her to join them downstairs.

“We can’t tell her about Robert, Oliver. He was… we can’t ruin that memory of him for her,” Moira pleaded. “Just say it’s my fault. They tried to recruit me when he passed away, thinking I’d say yes more easily, I refused and then the Gambit happened.”

Oliver gulped, his eyes staring at the way his mother was gripping his hand. He didn’t want to tell Thea about what their father had done, what he had helped create and how he had all but left Oliver to hopefully be able to clean up the mess after him. He wanted to preserve her innocence as much as he could. But he also wasn’t sure they’d be able to hide the truth from her in the long term anyway.

“So… are the grown-ups finally letting me in?” Thea asked sarcastically, interrupting his thoughts as she bounded to a chair next to him.

Oliver shared a quick glance with his mother, taking a deep breath. The moment oddly reminded him of that night, so long ago, when he had been the one to wake her up and tell her their father wouldn’t come home.

 

Somehow, he just knew he was about to break something inside her again. And he hated himself for that.

  
  


***

  
  


“I just had Lyla on the phone. The FBI got warrants for all the companies listed in the notebook,” Dig told him as soon as he joined him and Felicity in his bedroom.

“Good,” Oliver sighed as he sat down on the bed, staring at Felicity who was on the phone on the other side of the room.

“Things are still crazy in the Glades, though.”

“I figured. It’s killing me, staying here… there has to be something we can do to help,” Oliver hissed, grabbing his head between his hands.

Even with his eyes closed, he sensed Felicity walking towards him, the bed barely shifting once she sat down next to him. Carefully, she placed a hand on his back, rubbing soothing circles. “What happened?”

“In short? Walter knows. He went to QC, trying to see if he could be more useful there, although I’m pretty sure it’s because he’s having a hard time being in the same house as my mother at the moment. Not confiding in him about everything is a huge blow for him.”

“Isn’t it understandable?” Felicity asked tentatively. “I mean, I’m not throwing stones but… Robert was murdered, Walter was the new CEO and… they would have come after him. Not to mention, knowing your spouse hid that from you… it must be hard to swallow.”

“I know. I don’t blame him either,” Oliver slowly exhaled, relaxing under her touch as her fingers drifted to the back of his neck. “I told Thea.”

There was a pregnant pause, then Dig slowly walked out of the room, giving them privacy.

“And…?”

“She had a hard time believing it at first. Then she got mad that we would hide it from her, seeing how she might have been in danger. She went to her room.”

“She probably feels betrayed. She’s been trying to act like an adult for months and was actually doing a pretty good job at it, then-”

“Are you telling me I should have told her?” Oliver snorted, staring at her in disbelief.

“No. I understand why you didn’t. We kept the circle as small as possible for a number of reasons and they all make sense to me. That doesn’t mean they all make sense to **her**. Not to mention, you just dropped something very heavy concerning a man she has been idolizing ever since the day she was born. Give her time to process all of that.”

Felicity stood up, holding out her hand. “I’m sorry but I’m gonna have to head to PT. I can’t reach Ray. He likes to go hiking during the weekends but of course service is not the best in the mountains and there has to be someone in charge there at the very least. I want to make sure all our employees are safe at home.”

“PT wasn’t targeted,” Oliver frowned, following her obediently nonetheless.

“Still. Dig and I watched the news and it’s mayhem. I don’t want anyone getting hurt because they were trying to go to work.”

“The board is going to give you hell for calling a day off for everyone.”

“I’d rather deal with the board than with a grieving family wondering why mom isn’t coming back home,” Felicity said quietly.

Oliver bit his lips, realizing he had let Walter be in charge. So focused on the legal aspect and the FBI and telling Thea, he hadn’t actually considered if he could also do something.

“I should go too. Walter is dealing with everything alone and unlike you… we’re directly involved.”

Felicity rested her hand against his cheek, smiling softly. “You gonna be OK?”

“Yes. I will. I told Thea we would talk more once we’ve handled the crisis, she understood. Right now, as long as I know my family is safe, it’s all I need. Take Dig with you, by the way.”

“Oliver, he is your bodyguard, remember?” Felicity rolled her eyes, letting her hand drop.

“And you’re also my family. I need to know you’re safe, too. OK?” He bent to press a kiss on the corner of her lips, forcing himself to ignore what would come next. His mother was right… there was danger in people finding out what he had been up to in the past three years. But he couldn’t let himself worry about it.

He didn’t like the idea of separating right now, not when he could sense everything was crashing down around him. But they both had responsibilities and Oliver couldn’t stick with Felicity and ignore Queen Consolidated, just like Felicity couldn’t stay hidden at the mansion while no one was leading Palmer Tech. All he could do was hope things would turn out alright, and the sooner the better.

 

Everything else afterwards happened in a blur. After Felicity left with Dig, he drove to QC, trying to focus on his job as Vice-President and not on the chaos he could witness on his way there. Cops, firefighters, sirens blaring were all heading to the north of the city and despite wanting to help, Oliver was aware he couldn’t do much at the moment. What he could do though was to keep as many people safe as possible by joining forces with Walter. He found out that his stepfather had already offered his support to the mayor and they spent several hours making phone calls to make sure their employees remained either home or, for those who were in any of the buildings belonging to QC and unable to leave safely, to remain inside until further notice. He didn’t like that possibility very much, but they didn’t have a choice. They sent extra security to every facility and by the time the sun was lowering on the horizon, he was finally able to take a breath.

“Everything good at the Applied Sciences building?” Walter asked from the conference room. They had both decided to stay in Oliver’s office as an extra security measure. If, despite the impressive amount of security, anyone managed to break in, they would probably go straight to the top level where the CEO and VP’s offices were. But Oliver had kept his former office, several floors below.

“Yes. They managed to drive home the last dozen or so employees. Security will remain there until we get the green light from the police.”

QC’s employees were safe and sound and judging by the texts he had gotten from Felicity and Dig, things were slowly but surely calming down in the rest of the city as well. Maybe they hadn’t been too late and had made their move just in time to avoid the disaster that was supposed to happen?

Picking up a pen, he absently drummed on his desk as he contemplated what had happened in the last twelve hours or so. In a way, it seemed like he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Everything was out in the open, everything had been unfolded. The investigation was on its way, people would hopefully find out soon enough and the culprits would be put away. It was almost frightening to have his future opening up that way. He had lived with the death of his father for almost four years and the will to find out what had happened to him for months and everything had reached a culmination today.

And it felt like he was having an out of body experience. Was this really it? After today… would he finally get to start the next part of his life, burden free? No more trying to avenge his father, no more fearing for his loved ones, no more crusade? Only life, and family, and love and friends? The life he had once thought was gone for good, now suddenly seemed close enough to touch.

Close enough to touch but maybe it would only be ripped away from him again if his own past was exposed.

No. He wouldn’t think that way. There was very little that could be proven about his time in the Bratva, he had made sure of that. It might taint him in the public eye, but the ones he actually cared for, they would either understand, or already knew and accepted.

With a smile, he reached into the top drawer of his desk, pulling out a framed picture of Felicity he had never dared to showcase ever since he had gotten back. With gentle care, he put it on the left corner, his fingers lingering on her smile. And just like that, hope started to blossom in his chest, the reality of the situation finally sinking in. Things would eventually settle down. They would be able to continue their journey together, normally, just the two of them.

At first, at least. Then, the dog. Then-

He frowned when his cell phone pinged with a single text from Dig. “Check the news.”

Oliver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before opening his internet browser to Channel 52 streaming, bracing himself.

_“So far, we’ve been told of at least half a dozen places targeted by what seems to be a terrorist attack , even though the police refused to comment on the nature of the assaults. Our sources have confirmed 50 people died and the hospitals are still receiving dozens of wounded. I can also tell you exclusively that several searches conducted by the FBI are already on the way.”_

Oliver closed his eyes, his head falling in defeat.

They had been too late. Why had he waited so long? They should have made a move sooner, even without the proof to incriminate Malcolm Merlyn. It was his fault, and his revenge had gotten in the way of what should have been his priority: preventing them from claiming any more victims. Gone were the fragile hopes for a future now that he realized dozens of families had just been denied one.

Standing up, he walked to the window, his eyes travelling across the city.  In the distance, he could see smoke billowing, a direct result of the fires and explosions he had heard about. Here he was, safely hidden in his golden tower while people were dying. Was he really so much better than his father and his friends? How quickly he had forgotten about other’s misery once he had realized that everything that had held him back from having what he was dreaming of had been removed from the picture.

A part of him wanted to do more, wanted to do so much more but all he had was money and based on the example set by his own parents, money didn’t often solve other people’s problems. Even as a billionaire, he hadn’t been able to protect Starling.

He was interrupted in his thoughts when Walter walked inside his office, buttoning his jacket. “FBI is here. They have a warrant.”

Oliver nodded, not surprised. He knew they would also look into QC and had been expecting a visit. “Do you want me to stay with you or are you OK handling them? I’d like to check on mom and Thea.”

“Go. We did all we could and there is no need for the both of us to be stuck here,” Walter smiled reassuringly.

 

 

One quick call to Dig later, and he was on his way back to the mansion, distractedly listening to the news on the radio. It seemed that the FBI had managed to stop most of the attacks in time, despite the heavy loss of lives, and that the investigation was following its course. He was relieved to see Felicity’s car in front of the house, already feeling better knowing that everyone was going to be under one roof for the night.

“Oliver,” Felicity grinned when he walked into the downstairs library - which apparently had been turned into some kind of a crisis center. He recognized the family attorney, deep in talk with his mother and a few people from QC as well. Thea glanced at him before moving a pawn in the chess game she was currently playing against Raisa.

Oliver hurried to Felicity’s side, brushing a kiss on her lips. “Hey. You OK?”

“I’m fine,” she smiled. “The board isn’t happy with me but they’ll survive. I know Ray will back me up and they know it too.”

He guided Felicity and Dig towards the kitchen, everyone else having had dinner already. Raisa tried to stand up to come with them and fix them a little something but Oliver forced her to sit back down. He knew his mother had offered for her to stay with them because she wasn’t comfortable with the idea of Raisa being alone in her home for the night since the city was still dangerous and he wasn’t about to have her work extra when her shift had officially ended at least a few hours ago.

They heated up some soup and sat down with a few sandwiches, Dig informing him of everything he had missed during the day. He hadn’t heard from Lyla again, except for a short text confirming she had obtained the warrants and help was on its way. The rest, they had found out thanks to the news.

“The attack on the hospital is the one with the heaviest number of casualties. The Glades police station was also targeted but thankfully, Lyla sent some agents there right away so they were prepared and it could have been much, much worse. For the rest it’s either factories, or facilities and buildings. Every single place was on that list, though. I guess that made things easier for the warrant.”

“Any news on Malcolm?” Oliver waited for the answer, his spoon lingering over the bowl of steaming tomato soup.

“No. So far, I managed to hear about a few others though. The police captain and the prison warden were taken in for questioning and I know they are checking everyone from SCPD before letting them into the fold.” Dig paused, reaching inside the pocket of his jacket and retrieving his phone. He mouthed “Lyla” before standing up and moving to the side of the kitchen.

“How was it at QC?” Felicity asked between two bites of her grilled cheese sandwich.

“The FBI was just arriving when I left. We managed to freeze all our activities in and around Starling, or make sure they were at a strict minimum.” Oliver finished his soup before asking, “How did you even manage by yourself? Walter and I were drowning in-”

“Oliver,” Dig interrupted them, putting his phone down in the middle of the table. “Lyla’s on speaker. They can’t find Malcolm Merlyn. They managed to get a hold of everybody but him and his secretary told them he was supposed to be home. Turns out his son hasn’t seen him since this morning.”

“Have you checked all the Merlyn’s houses? He has a chalet in Vail and-”

“Yes, we already sent someone to check every propriety. I just wanted to check with you to see if you could think of a place? We’re running against time, a man of his means could disappear very easily. We’ve locked down the airports, he is on the no-fly list but so far he hasn’t shown up anywhere.”

Oliver dropping his head in defeat. “I knew I shouldn’t have stayed at QC.”

“What could you have done, Oliver? Tie him up to a chair? If you had even found him that is,” Dig said quietly.

“We’ll find him eventually. If you think of something, let me know as soon as possible. Chances are I’ll be up all night. Things are progressing real fast. A lot of people are already talking and making bargains.”

“I guess there is that,” Oliver groaned while Dig hung up.

Felicity stood up suddenly, rushing out of the room without a word. Oliver and Dig shared a look, not surprised by what was, after all, a rather common behavior from her, but wondering what she was up to. She came back running a few minutes later with her work bag.

“The chip,” she said as sole explanation as she sat down and fired up her laptop. “I can’t exactly tell the FBI I put a chip in the Merlyn’s server, and I’m sure they are already looking through the computer but my chip will be able to get information from any electronic device that was connected to that server, including, for instance, Malcolm’s cellphone or laptop. And we know he was home this morning.”

Felicity’s fingers were flying on the keyboard, eyes frowning in concentration while Oliver went to get the comms that were in his bedroom. Good thing he had thought of bringing a few things from the foundry earlier that day, unsure when they’d be able to head back to the Glades safely.

“He had several exchanges about a certain Rebecca. Wasn’t his wife named Rebecca? Did she have a house or family where he could have gone?” Felicity asked with a frown, biting her lip.

“Not that I know of. Her will mentioned that her estate should be sold and half of the money was to be transferred to the hospital she had opened, and the rest to Tommy’s trust fund. I heard my parents arguing about that when I was a kid, my father couldn’t understand why she wanted to leave such a big part of her wealth to that hospital instead of her son.”

“Because she knew Tommy’s father had enough money, unlike all those children in the Glades, maybe?” Felicity asked with a small tilt of her head. “Anyway, the last message comes from a Marciello, confirming that Rebecca will be ready by ten at the latest. Please tell me he doesn’t have a mistress with the same name as his wife, he’s already creepy enough as it is. How this man can be Tommy’s father is beyond me.”

“He wasn’t always like that… I don’t think so at least,” Oliver whispered. “Dig, try to call Lyla, ask her if the name rings a bell. She might know more.”

Dig nodded, grabbing his phone.

Felicity let out a small gasp, her eyes searching his. “Oliver… could Rebecca not be a person?”

“What do you mean?” Oliver frowned.

“Could it be a boat? It’s pretty common to name boats with female monikers, right?”

Oliver paled. “Fuck,” he hissed, picking up his own cell phone while rushing outside, Dig in tow.

“Felicity stay here, we have the comms and cellphones. We’ll head to the harbour just in case. I’ll get in touch with Lyla,” Dig shouted across his shoulder as they ran down the hallway, not stopping when Moira called them.

“Of course. A boat. No borders, it’s ideal to leave the country.”

“Let’s just not mention the irony,” Oliver added in a breath as he sat down on the passenger seat.

“Voicemail,” Dig muttered, throwing his cellphone on the dashboard. “She’ll call as soon as she can, she is probably interrogating someone. What time is it?”

“Nine thirty.”

“Alright. The harbour is about twenty minutes away from here. We can make it.”

Oliver shook his head, inserting the comm in his ear. “Felicity?”

“Right here,” she answered quietly. “And by here, I mean your room. I figured it was more discreet than the kitchen.”

“Have you found anything yet?”

“Yes. Malcolm Merlyn does own a boat, judging from the invoices from the harbour authorities I found in his bank account. I’m not really familiar with boats but it seems to be a big one too because he pays a lot of money each month.”

“Can you find out-”

“What it looks like?” she finished for him and he swore he could hear the smile in her voice.

He shared an amused look with Dig. “Yeah.”

“Already on it. I’m tracing back to find out when he started to pay invoices to figure out when he actually bought it which should lead me to a more precise date so I’ll be able to find the transaction which in return will lead me to the company that sold it to him in the first place aaaaand-”

“Please tell me we’re on the right track at least,” Dig muttered as he took a sharp left.

“We definitely are. The Rebecca was purchased six years ago. It’s blue and white. A yacht of fifty feet with a Bermuda rig. Triangular mainsail. Oh and look what I found? His captain is a certain Marciello Bianci!”

“Thank you, baby,” Oliver whispered with a relieved sigh.

“I sure hope you know what this means because I don’t have the slightest idea what a Bermuda rig looks like,” Dig snorted.

“Do you need anything else?” Felicity asked. “I feel slightly… useless at the moment.”

“No honey. We’re waiting for Lyla to call us back. But could you… could you try to reach Tommy? I don’t want him to find out that way but I don’t think I’ll have the time to…”

There was a small silence on the other side of the comms, then Felicity answered reassuringly. “Of course. I’m going to do this right now. I’m still here if you need help, though and please… be careful.”

“I will,” Oliver smiled before silencing the comms between them, feeling a pinch of guilt that he didn’t have the time to explain to his best friend, or warn him before everything unfolded. It had been his original plan but unfortunately they had run out of time. He forced himself to push Tommy far away from his mind, knowing now wasn’t the time to worry about something he had little control over. And he trusted Felicity to explain everything as carefully as possible.

 

By the time they made it to the harbour, it was pitch dark, and most of Felicity’s details wouldn’t help them find the boat from a distance. They could see rows and rows of small boats, the bigger ones further away.

As the car screeched to a stop, they jumped out, Dig finally able to reach Lyla and explaining their position when a sudden gun shot was heard, followed by a grunt of pain behind Oliver’s back.

Turning around he saw the wince on Dig’s face as he pointed his gun towards the window of one of the warehouses, shooting twice just as bullets landed on the car, a few inches from Oliver’s head.

“Dig!” he yelled, circling the car.

“I’m good Oliver. It hurts like a bitch but I’ll live. Go. I’ll cover for you,” Dig grunted, throwing him a spare glock.

“Call an ambulance,” Oliver said as he took off once he had visual confirmation that the wound was indeed superficial. Dig’s shoulder had been hit, but too high for it to be a vital organ.

Running down the dock towards the far end of the harbour, he set his eyes on two possible boats that, from that distance, fitted the description Felicity had given. Fortunately they were close to each other, but knowing that the clock was ticking, Oliver really hoped it was the one closest to him. The sound of his steps was echoing loudly, the only other sound he could hear was the quiet tapping of the waves against the wooden pillars or the slick surfaces of the boats. Just as he turned, only a hundred feet or so from the closest yacht, the lights turned on, showcasing the navy blue and pearly white as well as the cursive writing spelling Rebecca on the side. The sound of the motor could be heard as Oliver forced his legs to move faster, his feet bouncing on the wooden path, a sudden vision of the night he had walked towards the Gambit himself dancing in front of his eyes, each step slow as they were taking him away from Felicity and the blissful week they had shared.

Stealthily, he jumped aboard, almost slipping on the wet wood as he crouched down, eyes travelling around him to catch sight of the man he was looking for.

Quietly, his steps carried him to the wheelhouse, glancing through the half opened door.

He froze at the sight of Malcolm. He was quietly sitting on the captain's chair, his fingers linked and resting against his stomach.

“Oliver. How nice of you to drop by.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... come on I had to. 
> 
> Get ready for a long confrontation between Malcolm and Oliver and... you're going to dig into Malcolm's mind and it's a bit cray cray over there O_O  
> It's also going to change Oliver and Tommy's relationship... but that will be shown later on.
> 
> If any of you want to follow me on twitter, I can be found @PimsiePim and I decided to start little teasing games for STAMTB, such as two truths one lie, dialogue tease or other depending on my inspiration :)


	32. Paint It Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :)
> 
> So, this is the confrontation chapter, as I call it. You'll get someone else's POV of everything that has happened (a slightly twisted POV, just so you know O_O)
> 
> Big thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda for their help :)
> 
> Song; Paint it black - the Rolling Stones (but also check the cover that Ciara made. It's awesome.)

**"Paint It Black"**  
  


I see a red door and I want it painted black  
No colors any more, I want them to turn black  
I see the girls walk by, dressed in their summer clothes  
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

I see a line of cars and they're all painted black  
With flowers and my love both never to come back  
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away  
Like a newborn baby, it just happens every day

I look inside myself and see my heart is black  
I see my red door I must have it painted black  
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts  
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black

No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue  
I could not foresee this thing happening to you  
If I look hard enough into the setting sun  
My love will laugh with me before the morning comes

I see a red door and I want it painted black  
No colors any more, I want them to turn black  
I see the girls walk by, dressed in their summer clothes  
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

Hmm, hmm, hmm,..

I wanna see it painted, painted black  
Black as night, black as coal  
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky  
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black

Yeah!

Hmm, hmm, hmm...

 

 

 

 

Oliver’s hand tightened on his gun as his eyes quickly scanned the room.

“Ah… I see you’re wondering about Marciello? Let’s just say that if you want him to live, you probably should lower that gun.”

“Where is he?” Oliver growled.

“Safe. Don’t worry. I can’t exactly handle this boat by myself, can I?”

Gritting his teeth, Oliver glared at Malcolm. “Let him go.”

“That I can’t do. He is my way out, after all.”

“Do you really think I’m going to let you go?”

“Yes. Yes, you will. Unless you want his death on your conscience? Although… I guess one more won’t hurt at this point,” Malcolm said with fake magnanimity, carefully crossing his ankles. “I’ve heard a few stories from your little… visit in Russia.”

Oliver breathed slowly, knowing not to let Malcolm get into his head. Here he was, facing his father’s best friend, the man who had made him and Thea orphans, the man who had ripped his life apart without, he could see it clear as day, an ounce of regret. “What do you want?”

Malcolm smiled coldly, letting Oliver see a very dark part of the man he had never known existed. “Isn’t it pretty obvious? I think the better question is… what do **you** want, Oliver?”

“I want you to be brought to justice.”

“Justice… what an interesting word, isn’t it?”

Oliver tensed when Malcolm suddenly straightened on his chair. With a cocked eyebrow, he leaned to the side, picking up a glass filled with what looked like Scotch. He took a small sip, closing his eyes as he savored the amber liquid before clucking his tongue. “Delicious. Where were we? Oh, yes. Justice. By justice do you mean making people pay for their crimes? Because I waited a long time to get that for my wife. Then… I decided to stop waiting and take matters into my own hands.”

“You decided to murder hundreds of innocent people… that is not justice!”

“Isn’t it? Could have fooled me. Look at you, threatening to kill me, therefore putting in danger the life of an innocent man, all in the name of… justice. My, my, my… do I detect some slight hypocrisy?”

Oliver gulped, filling his lungs with air, remembering that he would soon get some help. Dig would stop at nothing until he reached Lyla. All he had to do was buy some time. And not do anything stupid. _He is still Tommy’s father. He is still Tommy’s father._ “Don’t try your games with me, Malcolm. They won’t work.”

“Pity. You seem like a worthy opponent. But enough with the compliments, son. What will it take to get you off my boat?”

“I’m not letting you go.”

“Not even if one of my men was currently at the Queen’s mansion? I’m not as blind as your father was, Oliver. I never make a move if I don’t have a backup plan.”

“You’re bluffing,” Oliver replied curtly.

“How exactly would I know that your precious Miss Smoak is currently there with your mother and Thea? Or that the two of you and your bodyguard had a late supper. Grilled cheese, if I’m not mistaken?”

Oliver’s heart started to hammer in his chest.

“No, no, rest assured. I have no intention of harming any of them. They’re just, as I said… a backup plan.”

Oliver looked at Malcolm, really looked at him, seeing the coldness on his face, the madness in his eyes. How had this man managed to fool everyone around him for so long?

“Why?” Oliver finally let out in a breath. “Why did you kill my father? Why did you try to kill me, Malcolm? What was so important that it was worth doing that to your best friend?”

Malcolm tilted his head. “Well I believe this question needs a long answer. I’ll humor you. If you lower your gun.”

Oliver winced, his insides twisting with the need to get answers, to finally **understand** , yet also aware that this might be Malcolm manipulating him again into dropping his weapon.

That being said… these three years away had made sure that his gun wasn’t the weapon.

He was.

And he **had** to know. There was no way he could move forward without knowing how exactly everything had happened.

So, Oliver, despite his brain screaming at him to shoot, to not take a chance, lowered his gun.

Malcolm nodded approvingly. “Smart decision. Well, a deal is a deal, right?” He paused to take another sip of his drink. “I guess it started some five years ago, when the SCPD told me they wanted to close the case. No new leads, nothing that could even lead us to her murderers. I know, because I hired a bunch of private investigators myself, that they probably would never find the ones who killed my wife. But… that the system itself thought they could close her case, as if it never happened? Oh, no. Not on my watch.”

Oliver nodded, remembering the story. Rebecca had been killed when she had been cornered by several men after visiting her new clinic in the Glades. They had thought she could give them access to drugs, but unfortunately the clinic hadn’t opened officially yet and she didn’t have anything to give them.

“You see, Oliver… there were witnesses. They could have helped her. They could have saved her. And then, afterwards, when it was too late, they could have made sure her killers wouldn’t get off scot free. But they didn’t. It makes them just as guilty in my eyes.”

“So you decided to take it out on the Glades? There are kids there.  Innocent women and men!”

“Is one really innocent when they turn their eyes away? What kind of hope do those kids have when they’re being raised that way? They’ll turn out exactly the same way as their parents. But anyway, I digress. You see, just around the time they decided to close the case, criminality was wreaking havoc in and around the Glades. It used to be very contained but it wasn’t so much anymore. The parasites were spreading. We had to do something. It’s bad for business, and we knew we would eventually suffer from the consequences.”

“Money… you thought about money, you mean.”

“Well, you have to admit that most of our peers respond better to the financial incentive.

“You manipulated them into thinking it was better for their business,” Oliver translated with a shake of his head.

“That and the fact that a few of us had kids who had been either assaulted or threatened by thugs. We knew we wouldn’t be safe much longer, even in the south of the city. We had to make sure to get it back before it could get to that point. We made this city. We could undo it and build it again. Make it better. Safer.”

“Safer for people like you, you mean.”

“And like you, Oliver. Don’t play high and mighty. Fancy new apartment you got yourself. Not to mention, Vice President of Queen Consolidated. Let’s not pretend we don’t know how you could afford the first and why you got the second, please,” Malcolm scolded him before resting his ankle on his knee. “But let’s get back to our story. See, your father has always been an acute businessman. Probably the best one I know. Well, forgive me… the best one I **knew**.”

Oliver locked his jaw, feeling the fire of his hatred burning his stomach. “He wanted out. He wrote me a letter and he wanted out. That’s what matters in the end.”

“Well yes, once he realized it wasn’t just putting people out of their jobs, their healthcare, or their retirement plans, when it wasn’t their homes directly… he suddenly grew a conscience. It’s one thing to indirectly condemn people to die if they can’t afford to go to the doctor when they’re sick, but it’s another one to pull the trigger. Fortunately, I have more mercy than he did. I thought it was better to put them out of their misery right away. Why make them slowly agonize over years, with no job, probably no house and no hope for the future? It’s not like they bring anything necessary to society anyway. Your father was too much of a coward to accept this though. So, yes, once our beta project resulted in the deaths of a few dozen people, he got cold feet.”

“What about the drug? I found out it had to do with a certain Count Vertigo.”

“My, my, my… I assume I should thank Miss Smoak for that? Impressive work. You see, once you build up a network of influence, things become so much easier. The point was that we would help Starling revive. Like a phoenix from the flames. But in order to save this city we had to still be around so... we couldn’t get our hands dirty. When you know a judge and a prison warden… it becomes easy to find the perfect associates. The one who is known as the Count received a hefty payment for his help, although I’m afraid he didn’t live long enough to enjoy it to its fullest. I do not like to leave witnesses behind me. Our first project was, as I’m sure you have figured it out by now, to recruit low-life criminals and pay them to do some sabotaging that would ensure us to be able to close factories at a minimal cost. Then when your father wanted to leave and actually threatened to bring it all to light, he left me with no choice. I had to silence him.”

“You had him killed. Your best friend. You were the best man at my parents’ wedding. Your wife was my godmother!”

“Yes. But he had made his choice, Oliver. By pulling away, he had decided Rebecca’s death should remain unpunished. Do friends do that to each other?”

Oliver blinked. Malcolm was insane. Pathologically insane.

“See, even you agree with me,” Malcolm smirked when Oliver remained silent. “But you have a strength your father never had. It took you a long time to find that out, but I believe those three years away really polished you off. Sorry about that, by the way. It had to be done. Your mother wasn’t very cooperative and I’m sure you agree that it was better you than Thea. I didn’t want to go after a teenage girl. Not to mention, she is my goddaughter after all. I made a promise to your parents the day I accepted that position.”

With a sarcastic smile, Malcolm finished his drink, setting the glass carefully on the floor. “So you went missing, Robert was dead, your mother was keeping her mouth shut and all was well. Of course it forced us to keep a low profile for a little while because things were starting to look suspicious. And when we found the Count and heard of that new drug he was working on… it almost seemed like the perfect solution. Of course it would take much longer but… the result would be magnificent. The Glades would be destroyed by its own inhabitants. All that would have been left for us was to clean up the mess and rebuild. Rebuild it our own way, make sure the scum of the city was gone for good, make sure our city was safe again.”

“Then I came back.”

“Then Miss Smoak started to get nosy,” Malcolm corrected him with a shake of his head. “Moira begged me to let her handle it and I figured I could let her have this at least. I mean I had been the reason she had lost her husband and son, so I thought proving I also could show mercy was a good idea. Of course the condition was to make sure Miss Smoak would get the warning loud and clear.” Malcolm paused, his eyes drifting away as a humorless laugh escaped him. “That was my mistake, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Oliver growled. That moment when Felicity had started to investigate had been the one thing that had derailed the entire project.

“A very, very bright woman. I was surprised at first when I found out you were involved with her. You usually went after… mellower women. But let’s get back on topic… I always kept an eye on everything. That’s the key in an operation like this. I knew your mother had contacted the local Russian mob. Small world, isn’t it? I believe Raisa, your maid, had escaped that branch decades ago in Russia and Moira probably found a way to contact them. It turned out your girlfriend had a guardian angel and… a couple weeks later, Oliver Queen comes back to life. I didn’t figure it out right away, though. It was only when you killed that man in your room that I became curious about your surroundings in the last three years. It took me quite a while to piece everything together and I have to admit, once I finally did, I was impressed. So impressed, I was almost mesmerized… I observed you from afar, wondering when you’d betray yourself but you never did. That was probably my second mistake. I should have taken you down right away.”

“I’m not that easy to kill.”

Malcolm chuckled. “Don’t I know it.”

“Does Tommy know?” Oliver asked, unable to help himself. In his heart, there was no way his best friend would have stomached what his father was doing but his brain knew he had to be sure.

“Of course not. My son isn’t like you and me, Oliver. He doesn’t have what it takes to do what’s necessary.”

“I am not like you.”

“You might not see it yet but one day, you will. You are willing and ready to do what’s necessary. Dylan Stern would probably agree if he was with us. Nasty job you did on his hands.”

Oliver let his eyes travel to the glass panel behind Malcolm’s head, forcing his attention on the dark water where the moon was reflecting. After a few breaths, he asked, “Why the attack at the gala?”

“Best way to make really sure no one is suspicious about why Merlyn Global has barely been hit when things really start to unfold. It was all very controlled, not to mention, I had a message to pass to my associates. That little stunt reached both goals.”

“Was Felicity a target?”

“No. She had quite honestly fallen off my radar at that point. I had bigger fish to fry. You, for instance. Of course once I found out you two were an item… things started to get a little bit clearer for me. You came back for her, didn’t you?”

Oliver nodded.

“How sweet. Anyway, once you came back, the project was ready to go. Perfect timing, Oliver, I have to give you that. Just like today, I guess. Couldn’t you wait two more days, though?”

“It’s over, Malcolm. The FBI managed to stop your goons in time. The destruction of the Glades won’t happen and everyone involved will face justice. So will you.”

“Oh, no. I doubt it. But since I answered your questions, maybe you’ll answer mine. How did you figure it out?”

“You know my dad left me a letter, right?”

“Yes. I figured it got lost somehow because after his death, you never did anything. Your mother looked for it and couldn’t find it either. Don’t tell me it was on that boat?”

“Yes. I knew about the project but he didn’t give names. I think…” Oliver huffed out a dry laugh at a sudden realization. “He didn’t want to name you, Malcolm. Until the end, he was a decent friend to you. And you murdered him in cold blood.”

“And he left the dirty job to his son. Don’t try to teach me about honor by using your father as an example, Oliver. You’ll lose.”

Oliver winced, the truth of these words echoing in himself in a way that made him uncomfortable. “Felicity had found quite a lot herself. I only realized you were behind everything when we found some old security footage from my father’s office. The day before he was murdered.”

“I never thought it could lead to anything… we were best friends, me visiting him isn’t exactly suspicious.”

“It is when he specifically wanted his assistant out of the office and when he dies the next day.”

“Mistake number three, then. Fair enough,” Malcolm nodded approvingly. “I should have asked Moira to delete that footage just in case. But I had made her a promise to leave her out of everything. Too much honor can ruin one’s most noble projects.”

Oliver narrowed his eyes. Malcolm was way too calm. This wasn’t right. A dark, nagging suspicion started to tickle in warning in the back of his head. More time. He had to buy more time. Clearing his throat, he asked, “There is something I always wondered about… the private agency my mom had hired lied and covered up a lot. Was that you or was it my mom?”

Malcolm grinned like a cat who just had a plate of cream. “The private agency? Technically, it was neither of us. But I’m sure you’ll find the answer soon enough… since apparently everything is about to be uncovered. And my little finger tells me it’s going to be a whole other can of worms for you in the future.”

Frowning, Oliver was about to ask him what he meant when suddenly the sound of engines and sirens could be heard. About time.

“I guess this means our little aparté must come to an end, then,” Malcolm said as he stood up. “It’s alright. I knew it would end that way as soon as I heard you jumping on the boat.”

Before Oliver could ask for an explanation, the boat was invaded by federal agents wearing bulletproof vests, guns withdrawn.

“All I needed was two more days, Oliver. One day, you’ll regret stopping me because this city needs to be saved.”

Just as the door was bursting open, Malcolm reached behind his back and for a small second everything froze as a scream tore through Oliver as he finally understood.

“Malcolm, no!”

“I won’t go to jail, Oliver. I failed her.”

He didn’t even have the time to move before Malcolm was pressing a gun against his temple.

Oliver froze, hearing the loud bang as if it was from far away, Malcolm’s head jerking with the impact before his body dropped to the floor.

His eyes were still wide open, staring into emptiness, blood and brain spattered around him.

  
  


***

 

_“Malcolm Merlyn was stopped before he could escape the country earlier tonight by Oliver Queen, heir of Queen Consolidated and actual Vice-President of the company. We don’t know what exactly went on between the two men but the FBI has confirmed that as soon as they invaded the boat, Malcolm Merlyn committed suicide, using his own gun on himself in front of several federal agents and Mister Queen. The investigation is still under way but it has been confirmed that Mister Merlyn was involved in the series of attacks that has shaken Starling City, with a few anonymous sources going as far as saying he was the mastermind behind the project. Meanwhile, the mayor’s office remains silent and has denied our numerous attempts for a comment. As we all know, Oliver Queen was presumed dead for three years before he-”_

“Looks like you’re the man of the day, Oliver,” Dig said with a tired smile as he shut down the television.

They were in his hospital room, where Dig had been admitted for the night. A small surgical procedure had been necessary to get rid of the bullet he had taken in the shoulder and if all went well, he would be discharged the following day. He would need at least a month of rest, the wound having caused some damage to the tissue.

“I should have known he would do that. He seemed so weird, so calm,” Oliver shook his head, locking his jaw.

“Oliver, what is done is done. It’s not your fault.”

“Tommy…”

“Tommy has a lot to deal with at the moment, so don’t take it personally.”

Oliver nodded weakly. Felicity had managed to reach Tommy, explaining everything to him. He had rushed to the harbour himself, arriving ten minutes after his father had killed himself. The look of betrayal on his best friend’s face had been like a punch in the gut for Oliver. Tommy hadn’t wanted to talk to him and had left to take care of the funeral arrangements as soon as he had been given the authorization. Thea had asked to see him and surprisingly, she had been invited to stay over at the Merlyn mansion for the night. Oliver was relieved that at least Tommy wouldn’t be alone to deal with everything, but he also felt guilty that his sister was handling a situation that should have been his to handle in the first place.

Rationally speaking, he knew Tommy needed time. To understand why Oliver hadn’t confided in him, to accept what his father had done and also to realize that from now on, he had a mountain of responsibilities falling on his shoulders. Merlyn Global was about to take a huge hit and it was up to him to try and save what could be saved.

“Oliver, I’m serious. Give him time. It’s a lot for one man. At least he accepted Thea’s support. He’s not alone right now.”

Nodding, Oliver stepped away from the window, taking place on the leather chair next to Dig’s bed.

“You’re not planning on spending the night, are you?” Dig asked him as he started to get comfortable.

“Well…” Oliver mumbled sheepishly.

“I usually don’t put out until I’ve gotten at least a nice meal at Table Salt, just so you know.”

Oliver tried to glare at him but was betrayed by the twitching of his mouth.

“Seriously, Oliver. I’m good. I don’t think anyone is going to come after me, you can relax.”

A small knock on the door kept Oliver from explaining that his concern was indeed that someone would come after Dig while he was resting. Dig had managed to shoot the man who had targeted them at the harbour but by the time medics had made it to the site, he had *bled out even though the wound hadn’t been lethal at first.

“Johnny?” Lyla asked in a soft voice as she slowly walked inside. “I came as soon as I could.”

“Lyla,” Dig smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m all good. Bullet removed. Months of physical therapy will be needed though and I’m going to have a very nice little bonus from my employers too.”

Oliver snorted, knowing fully well that the bonus would indeed be very “nice”. Dig had been shot while protecting him and QC had a very generous compensation for those situations.

“How is everything, Lyla?” Oliver asked as he stood up to let her take his seat.

“Good. With your information, things have been going really fast. We would have never been able to stop everything in time if it wasn’t for what you guys had found. I’ll be staying a few more days until my replacement arrives to conduct the rest of the investigation. We also found the captain, Marciello Bianci. He was passed out on his bed. Probably drugged. Don’t worry, he’s fine, now,” Lyla explained to Oliver with a reassurring smile.

“Wait a second… What do you mean?You’re leaving?” Dig asked with a frown. “It’s not like you to leave a job undone.”

“Believe me it’s not really my choice but I have to be pulled back from the case,” Lyla shrugged.

“Why?”

“Because my ex-husband works for one of the companies that seem involved. There is a potential conflict of interest and I won’t take any chance. We’re about to try some of the wealthiest people of this country and they’ll look for anything that would give them the beginning of an excuse to refute the charges.”

Dig winced, his hand covering his eyes for a few seconds. “Damn, I’m sorry. I know you must hate that.”

“I do. But I would hate even more if all these people got off scot free because of my stubbornness,” Lyla reassured him, pressing his hand. “It’s really for the best.”

“Where will you be heading then?”

“I am taking a few days off. I figured I could stay here for a week or two. My mom always nags me to come visit her. Then I’ll head back to DC.”

Oliver took this as his cue to leave, understanding they might want to talk about more private matters. With a last nod, he closed the door behind him, unsurprised to find a bodyguard keeping watch outside the door. He’d have to thank his mother for thinking about it because he had been way too tired to even consider that possibility. At least now he could go back home without worrying for his friend.

 

His mother’s driver was waiting for him when he walked out of the hospital and it was with relief that he could let his head fall back, his eyes closing as they drove through the city. Felicity had remained at the hospital until Dig had come out of surgery and as soon as she had seen him, Oliver had sent her back home. She was so tired she could barely stand up. She had spent the night worrying about Dig and dealing with Palmer Tech, which she still had to handle by herself. Not to mention she had also been the one who had had to break the news to Tommy. At least Walter was taking charge of the family company, allowing Oliver to focus on the rest, but Felicity had been juggling everything all day. She was exhausted and desperately needed a few hours of sleep.

Malcolm’s words had echoed in his ears all night long. Someone had been inside the Queen mansion long enough to know that he, Felicity and Dig had also been there and what they had had for dinner. Until they found out who exactly that person was, he had ordered a lock down. Only their most trusted employees were allowed in the house, apart from their family. He knew he’d have to figure out who had been there, but he was so tired he couldn’t even think straight. He actually even hoped the FBI would find out themselves so it would be one less worry for them. And with Malcolm dead, he doubted anyone would act rogue, especially if they hadn’t been identified yet.

After a quick stop in the kitchen to gulp down a bottle of ice-cold water, Oliver quietly made his way upstairs after checking with the security that had currently taken over the downstairs library. He slowly opened the door to his bedroom, unsurprised to see Felicity buried underneath the blankets, a bed lamp left on for him. He could only see the top of her head, her hair spread onto his pillow, but her breathing was quiet and regular, a clear sign that she was asleep. Toeing out of his shoes, he undressed then went to have a shower, the warm water relaxing his stiff muscles.

It was almost over. There were probably a few more uncovered truths, but he was confident that eventually everything would come out. His first objective was to find out who had been Malcolm’s inside man at the mansion and to figure out his last cryptic words. What can of worms was waiting for him at QC?

He soundlessly shut the bathroom door behind him after brushing his teeth and padded across the room. Switching off the bedside light, he slipped underneath the covers as quietly as possible, unwilling to wake Felicity up even if all he wanted was to find comfort in her arms.

Despite his careful attempt, Felicity let out a small moan, one of her feet venturing to his side. Her toes were freezing, as usual, and with a small smile, he curled an arm around her waist and brought her against his chest, sharing his warmth with her. Burying his face in her hair, he let his lips press a small kiss on her shoulder before setting his head in his pillow.

With a yawn, she turned around in his arms. “How is Dig?” she asked in a whisper as Oliver’s hand sneaked underneath the T-shirt she was wearing. Judging by how large it was on her frame, it was probably one of his.

“He’s good. Should be discharged tomorrow. Lyla was with him.”

“I like her. She is very…”

“Efficient?”

“Yeah. And straight to the point. I can see why Dig married her.”

“Yup. She won’t be on the case for long though. She’s concerned there might be a-”

“Conflict of interest. Yeah, I thought about it too. It’s probably for the best, but… I wish she’d had had an excuse to stay in Starling a bit longer.”

“Felicity…”

“What? It’s obvious there is still something there. Dig has avoided any serious relationship since his divorce and I saw the way she looked at him.”

“It’s their business,” Oliver grinned, pinching her butt in warning. “Don’t meddle.”

“I won’t. I’m not fourteen,” she snorted. “I do feel like we should have dinner together before she leaves though. I mean we made a good team, the four of us, didn’t we?”

“We did. She’ll be staying probably another week or so. I’ll make arrangements with Dig.”

“Good,” she murmured as her hand started to stroke his jaw. “Now that we’ve discussed all the light stuff… how are you?”

He shrugged, not really knowing how to describe how he felt. “I honestly don’t know.”

“You saw a man commit suicide. It’s… well I know you’ve seen a lot but Malcolm was someone you’ve known your whole life and your best friend’s father.”

“He was also an psychopath.”

“And Tommy’s father,” she insisted.

“I know…” he eventually murmured. “A part of me wishes I had stopped him in time so he’d face justice and Tommy would have the occasion to… I don’t know what exactly, but that he’d get the chance to talk to him. The other part is so relieved that he’s dead and I feel awful for that.”

“It’s normal, Oliver. Malcolm did some terrible things and he made your life a living hell for years. He felt completely remorseless for all the people he had killed. I don’t blame you for feeling relief knowing he won’t be able to hurt anybody else.”

“It just makes it hard to look Tommy in the eyes. I wish I could have spared him that. Seeing his father dead, and…” Oliver trailed off, swallowing the big lump in his throat. “I just don’t know what to do.”

“For now, there isn’t much you can do and I know,” Felicity let out a sad chuckle when he tried to interrupt her. “I know how much you **hate** that. But this is one of these things that you can’t control, Oliver. Let Tommy process it all. He is not alone. Just make sure he understands you’ll be there when he needs you.”

“I’ll try to call him tomorrow.”

“Good. It’s a lot of things he needs to sort out. He was… he was so lost when I had him on the phone. But it was almost like a part of himself wasn’t that surprised his father was involved. I guess he knew Malcolm’s dark side better than most people.”

Oliver nodded, knowing that Felicity was right. All he could do at that moment was make sure Tommy wasn’t alone and knew he had people around him whenever he would need them.

“About what Malcolm said,” he started.

“Yes, don’t worry. We’ll look into this, we have the list of people who were at the mansion yesterday. I gave it to Lyla because I think it’s best if we use the legal way from now on. That being said…”

“You’ll still take a look, right?” Oliver guessed, the shadow of a smile playing on his lips.

“Well, I don’t think it can hurt. Also, we both know I’m probably faster.”

“That’s because you don’t do it legally, baby.”

“And because I’m real good.”

Oliver smiled, tightening his arms around her. “That you are.”

She hummed, her mouth travelling to his throat just as her hand started to travel across his back.

His palm landed on her butt to squeeze the soft flesh, a clear opposition to the words that came out of his mouth. “Baby, it’s late…”

“I know. I was so scared tonight. You ran towards a sociopath without any backup.”

“I’m sorry. I had to.”

“But now it’s over. Or almost over, at least. They’re gonna pay for what they did. We’ll be there for Tommy when he needs us. We’re going to focus on our jobs and rebuilding what has to be rebuilt.”

“Yeah…” he murmured as he tilted her head up and searched for her lips. Maybe it was selfish of him but in this moment, all he could think about was how much he needed her. They had fought their way through and were still there, together, and right now, he needed his girl.

Their kiss was slow and lazy, probably due to the fact that both of them were running on very few hours of sleep… and the knowledge that they had all the time in the world.

Her small hands were tenderly massaging his back, her nails scratching his skin almost delicately and the little shudders it caused made him shiver despite the thick blanket above them. He couldn’t stop kissing her, savoring the taste of her mouth like it was the last time he would ever get the chance to sample it and let out a groan that sounded like a whimper when she softly pushed him away.

Sitting up, she got rid of her top, then settled back down in his arms before he even had the time to voice his protest. He smiled against her lips when he felt her naked body pressed tight against his.

Much, much better.

There was no rush in their movements, just the knowledge that they had passed through something that should have been enough to at least damage their relationship, but that had only made them stronger in the end. Despite everything, the threats, the tension, the fear and the unnatural circumstances, they had never lost sight of what they were to each other and how precious it was.

His lips were on hers when he slipped inside her, his I love you low and raw, only meant for her ears.

It wasn’t about sex, this time. It wasn’t about pleasure and connection. It was about life. Celebrating that they were still there together, against all odds. Celebrating the future and all the nights they would share together doing the exact same thing.

“I love you,” Felicity whispered back as her arms circled his shoulders, holding him firmly against her as if she was afraid he would be taken away from her. Her legs encased his hips, her body pressed tightly against his as he moved slowly, their lips meeting for a kiss and only breaking away to murmur words of love and promises, words of forever and commitment.

Leaning on one arm, he slipped his hand to her cheek, cradling her face to give her a deep kiss, his hips still rolling against hers. The blankets above them were sheltering them, creating a warm cocoon and muffling the sounds of their love-making, ensuring the moment was as private as it was meant to be.

When Felicity’s breathing caught in her throat, he rested his forehead against hers as her hand went to his hair, her fingers lacing through the short strands.

The room was too dark to see her face but he knew her well enough to recognize her pleasure by the way she was holding onto him and the little moans escaping her throat. The tension in his body was reaching its culmination as well and he carefully slipped a hand between them, his thumb finding the little bundle of nerves, circling it and stroking it as the bedsprings started to protest underneath them.

Their breathing was heavy, both of them panting, the air hot and humid around them as they let their bodies take them where they needed to go. Emotion overtook him when he realized how right this felt, how much he wanted to share this with her for the rest of his life, knowing without a doubt that he would never experience this with anybody else. They had been made for each other, and each other only. No one would ever be able to come between them.

“Felicity,” he murmured as his lips pressed against her cheek when he felt her body trembling under him. A little strangled squeal escaped her before she buried her face in his shoulder, her hot breath against his skin the tipping point for him as he felt her body tightening when she came soundlessly. He could barely make out her muffled mewls as she crashed her lips against him to be as quiet as possible.

His thumb left her as soon as he felt her first tremors and he grabbed her hand, linking their fingers together and resting them by her face just in time before joining her. He held his breath as his orgasm ran through him, wave after wave of a warm, bone-satisfying pleasure that left him weak and sated like never before.

Felicity’s lips were trembling against his temple when he finally allowed himself to take a breath, blinking in a futile attempt to come to a more conscious state. He shifted just enough to the side so his weight wouldn’t crush her, letting Felicity run her fingers lazily up and down his spine as he rested his head against hers.

He fell asleep still inside her.

  
  
  


Oliver woke up at the sound of a door closing softly.

Blinking in the still mostly dark room, he spotted right away that Felicity had left the bed. With a groan, he turned over to check the alarm clock. It was 8:16. Yawning, he stretched, wishing he could get another extra hour of sleep or so, but also knowing he had too much on his plate to allow himself a lie-in. He still had to stop at the police station to give his statement about his encounter with Malcolm and was supposed to spend the day at QC to make sure things would be as smooth as possible for Monday.

Again, he tried to call Tommy, only to go directly to his voicemail. He then sent a text to Thea before grabbing a pair of sweatpants and putting them on. He had just opened the curtains when the door reopened, Felicity tip toeing inside the room with her arms full of clothes.

“Oh.” She paused, her mouth slightly ajar when she saw him shrugging a T-shirt on. “You’re awake.”

“Yes. So are you. Which is unusual. Everything OK?”

“Yeah, just… I just called Thea, she literally guided me inside your house so I could borrow some stuff from her.” Felicity held up the stack of clothes in her arms before heading to the shower.

“You don’t want to have breakfast first?” Oliver asked with a frown.

Felicity’s eyes almost bulged out of her head. “Hell no! Oliver I’m wearing one of your T-shirts. So, no I don’t feel like making an entrance and spending my very first breakfast with your mother dressed like this. Also,” she added when she saw he was about to argue, “I really need a shower.”

“You could borrow pajamas from Thea too, I know how much you like your coffee first thing in the morning,” Oliver said nonetheless.

Felicity smiled stiffly. “Yes but… I **really** need a shower.”

Oliver paused when he saw her cheeks blushing, and it suddenly dawned on him. “Oh, damn, Felicity, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I forgot.”

“It’s OK. I don’t expect you to exactly keep track of these things,” she shrugged, avoiding his eyes.

“Hum… what?” he asked, confused. How could he not keep track of when they had sex? “Felicity, I didn’t use a condom and it’s kinda my job to keep track of that. I know you’ve been taking the pill for weeks now, but you still said it was safer to wait until you’ve had your period. I’m really sorry I… I didn’t even think about it.”

“Oh. Ooooooh.” She let out a sheepish chuckle as she turned around, heading to the bathroom. “The condom. Yeah. No. I mean yeah I realized that you didn’t use a condom but it’s not… no biggie, really. Don’t worry.”

“Can I join you then?”

Felicity swirled around, her eyes wide. “No!”

“OK…” Oliver answered slowly. “You sure you’re OK? With the sex, I mean. I should have been more careful and-”

Closing her eyes, Felicity let out a deep breath. “Oliver, I just started my period. Hence why the unprotected sex was no big deal. Also hence why I really need a shower. And definitely hence why I’d like to be alone for said shower.”

Pinching his lips in an effort to keep from smiling, Oliver nodded. Felicity shook her head, muttering something about his maleness, then rushed to the bathroom as if the devil himself was chasing her.

Oliver knew he was supposed to feel down today. He had seen a man committing suicide, and knew many innocents had lost their lives. But he couldn’t help it. Felicity could make any day brighter just by breathing next to him.

  
Unfortunately, the real world was waiting for them just outside of his door.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...  
> Yes Malcolm is dead.  
> Done.
> 
> It might seem abrupt and also a "what, all that for him to kill himself??"  
> Malcolm had to die for a few reasons...  
> 1\. The way I portrayed him was clearly that he was a sociopath. Unhinged. This kind of villain in a fiction never stops and with the money and influence he has, if I had let him live, everyone would have expected him to pop up at some time, right?  
> 2\. I don't want to take the same path the show did with MM where he is just always there... I had to make his ending clear and without any doubt. Oliver saw it with his own eyes, FBI was on the scene, Tommy saw it too. Like I made sure a bunch of people saw it XD  
> 3\. I don't see what else to do with him once all is said and done. Of course there could be things to do but I don't want to take that path that would bring us into a neverending cycle of MM drama.  
> 4\. It's better for Tommy as a character. It will be a shock for him, one that will allow him to grow a bit.  
> 5\. Son of a bitch had it coming.
> 
> I did hesitate between "does O kill him, does he get killed by cop or does he kill himself?"  
> I ruled out the cop quite soon because it seemed very meh. Then I eventually ruled out Oliver, because he is on such a good path to lightness right now that it would have dragged him back too far and we're already 30 chapters in the story. He's grown too much already, became too strong to be dragged back that way. So it left me with suicide. I considered him having put explosives on the boat and so on but at the end of the day, I wanted to go with something quicker, simplier. MM wants to leave, realizes he won't be able to and doesn't want to go to jail. His last line is also full of sense to him. He failed his wife because in his twisted mind he was doing it for the greater good, and that greater good would have been honoring her memory. 
> 
> About Marciello, the captain: he was drugged, I don't mention more of that but if you're curious, my headcanon says he didn't want to leave starling because he probably had family/friends missing or affected by the events, but MM definitely needed help for such a big boat. So drugged up.
> 
> Now, about our side characters, mainly Thea, Tommy, and Dig.  
> Thea: I willingly left out the convo between her and Oliver as you know. I will address it, and let her express herself in the next chapter. So it is coming, but I didn't feel like dragging the last two chapters with too many convos about the same thing.  
> Tommy: It might seem surprising that we have zero Oliver/Tommy interaction. I did hesitate but it felt weird to have MM on one side, then Tommy directly afterwards. You'll eventually get a more for him in a future chapter, but he needs to process things on his own first for a while.  
> Dig: Dig will be off work for a little while, being wounded and all that. So even though you'll hear from him, don'tbe surprised if he's taking the back seat because Oliver and Felicity are about to have their hands full.That being said, I made sure he had nice company while he is healing, didn't I? :p
> 
> Oh also see how nice I am? No cliffie!!! (You almost got one though, but I reworked the chapters. You're welcome.)


	33. I Turn To You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Happy... Good Friday? Is that the right word? 
> 
> We're entering a new phase of STAMTB and I'm legit rubbing my hands in glee. So much stuff happens in this chapter and I think once you've read it, you'll understand why I mean "new phase"... or have some suspicions at least.  
> (No Felicity is NOT pregnant, she just got her period, remember? XD Her uterus is wild and free!)  
> Also, this chapter marks the start of a... string of fluffy, romantic, swooning chapters I don't really know how to explain but there will be a lot of focus on olicity as a couple, doing couple stuff like every couple does while dealing with... whatever happens in this chapter and the next one O_O
> 
> Special thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda who was super fast with this chapter and also to pidanka who wasn't so fast but she's drowning in dramione fanfics so...
> 
> Song: I Turn To You (the version I had in mind was All 4 One, but there is also a Christina Aguilera cover and since this chapter is more centered around Felicity, maybe try the Christina Aguilera version even though I don't like it that much for some reason XD)

**"I Turn To You"**  


 

When I'm lost in the rain  
In your eyes I know I'll find the light to light my way  
And when I'm scared and losing ground  
When my world is going crazy, you can turn it all around

And when I'm down, you're there pushing me to the top  
You're always there giving me all you've got

For a shield from the storm  
For a friend, for a love  
To keep me safe and warm  
I turn to you  
For the strength to be strong  
For the will to carry on  
For everything you do  
For everything that's true  
I turn to you

When I lose the will to win  
I just reach for you and I can reach the sky again  
I can do anything  
Cause your love is so amazing, cause your love inspires me

And when I need a friend, you're always on my side  
Giving me faith taking me through the night

For the arms to be my shelter through all the rain  
For truth that will never change, for someone to lean on  
For a heart I can rely on through anything  
For that one who I can run to

 

 

“Felicity?”

Felicity started, jumping at the sound. Raising her head, she was surprised to see Thea on the threshold of her office. “Come in.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Thea said with a little grimace.

Felicity smiled reassuringly, still taken aback by the young woman’s presence. It was late Sunday afternoon, and she was just wrapping things up at Palmer Tech. Now that things were going back to normal, she had given the green light for every employee to take their shift, starting at midnight today. She had left Oliver at the mansion earlier, knowing he would be busy himself. Last time she had talked to Thea, she was staying with Tommy.

“No problem, I was almost done. Thanks a lot again for this morning, by the way.”

Thea smiled at that. “Anytime. Girl code 101.”

Felicity remained silent, grinning encouragingly. She didn’t know why Thea was there but she could see that something was bothering her. Obviously everything that had gone on had been a shock for her, and learning that her godfather had murdered her dad and tried to kill her brother was a lot to take in. Especially since she had also been Tommy’s main support.

“Hum… I’m sorry, I don’t mean to come between you and my brother but… did you know?”

Felicity didn’t have to ask for a more specific question. Because whatever Thea was talking about, the answer was probably the same anyway. “Yes.”

“Why did they keep it from me? Why did  ** you  ** keep it from me?” Thea asked with a slight tension. There was a hint of betrayal in her eyes that made Felicity’s chest ache but she didn’t doubt they had made the right decision.

“It would have put you in danger, Thea. I was targeted. Oliver was drugged and almost killed twice. Keep in mind that we only did it to protect you and also because we had no proof. We both didn’t see a reason to put something so heavy on your shoulders. It wasn’t to keep you out of the loop or because we thought you weren’t strong enough to handle it. You shouldn’t have to carry something like that while you’re just starting to build your life.”

“It’s just… I can’t believe mom knew. She knew dad had been murdered, she knew about the Gambit. How could she… We had Malcolm for dinner and brunch so many times, Felicity. How could she play the part so well? It feels like… I don’t even know my own parents anymore. The idea that dad could do something so monstrous… what else does she hide? Do you sometimes wonder?”

Felicity winced because there was some heavy truth in Thea’s words. “Unfortunately I can’t answer that for you. What I do know, though, is that she was ready to do about anything, anything in her power, to keep you safe. Same with Oliver once he came back. Never doubt that. For the rest you should maybe talk to her, she probably has better answers.”

“I’m just so mad at her. And Ollie just… Why is it so easy for them to lie to me? Don’t they realize it also impacts my life? I’m not a child anymore. Just coming here, I had at least three people staring at me. I deserved to be prepared for that situation.”

Felicity nodded. “Believe me, the way it all happened… definitely wasn’t how it was all supposed to happen. Oliver would have told you, calmly, but he didn’t have the time for that. He also didn’t have the time to tell Tommy.”

Thea huffed, crossing her arms on her chest. “Yeah, that battle is going to be even harder, between you and me. Tommy feels much more betrayed than I do. And I don’t blame him.”

“I don’t want to talk for Oliver, but… what exactly was he supposed to do? Tell Tommy that he suspected his father was a dangerous sociopath? Do you realize the danger we would have all been in if Tommy had confronted his father? How could he ask Tommy to believe him about something so grave, when he still had no proof? It would have put Tommy in an impossible situation, where he either believed his dad or his best friend. That would have been an impossible choice to make, and I really hope Tommy will eventually see it too. Oliver wants to be there for him, he hasn’t stopped trying to call him and I know he wasn’t allowed inside his house when he stopped by this morning. But it’s something between the two of them. Don’t fight their battle.”

“Are you siding with him?” Thea asked with a hint of suspicion.

“Yes, Thea. I am,” Felicity replied firmly. “That doesn’t mean I don’t understand the betrayal you feel or that you don’t have reasons to feel that way. I do. But at the end of the day if we had to make that choice again, I would agree with Oliver. Can you honestly tell me that if we had told you everything, you’d have been able to look and talk to Malcolm normally, as if you knew nothing?”

Thea opened her mouth to talk, then closed it with a small shake of her head. “I… I guess not.”

“What do you think would have happened if Malcolm had had any suspicions that you knew something?” Felicity insisted gently, wanting to make sure Thea understood exactly what they had had to deal with.

“He was my godfather, I just can’t see him… I mean…”

“He killed Robert. Tried to kill your brother at least twice.”

Thea pinched her lips then let out a long sigh. “I know. Deep down, I know. But I feel like what I don’t know is everyone around me.”

Felicity was about to reply when a knock on the door interrupted her. Daniela poked her head inside, a small wince on her face.

“Felicity, the FBI is here. They’d like to speak with you.”

Thea stood up, her eyebrows raising. “PT isn’t involved, is it?”

“No. Not that I know of, at least. But maybe they found out we had been targeted as well,” Felicity smiled reassuringly as Thea picked up her handbag and the file she had been carrying when she had entered the office.

“I’m going home anyway. I just wanted to check that report one last time. I was supposed to do it yesterday but… anyway. You’re sleeping at the mansion, right?”

“Yes. Oliver prefers we all sleep under the same roof until we’re sure everything is safe. I’ll see you later, as soon as I’m done here. I shouldn’t be long.”

Thea hesitated, then stepped in front of her, hugging her briefly. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Felicity whispered, her hand rubbing soothing circles on Thea’s back.

She watched as Thea quickly walked past Lyla and another agent she had never seen, then invited them both into her office, closing the door behind her.

“Please, have a seat. What can I do for you? I wish Mister Palmer could have been here to answer your questions, but he’s been unreachable lately. For a man so brilliant when it comes to technology, you’d never believe the number of times he forgets his own cellphone,” Felicity laughed as she took a seat at the small table in the middle of her office.

“Actually, we’re here to talk about Mister Palmer,” Lyla answered calmly.   
  


 

When the federal agents left, barely twenty minutes later, Felicity didn’t even get up to walk them to the door, still in shock. She stared at the bouquet of flowers in the middle of the table, courtesy of Oliver who made sure to send her some once a week.

Oliver.

She needed to see him.

  


***

  


“Good job, son,” Walter patted Oliver’s shoulder as they walked away from the small crowd of journalists. A press conference had been deemed necessary to do some very much needed damage control. As Oliver was a Queen, as well as the young and dynamic face of the company, it had been decided he would be the one answering questions alongside Walter. Seeing as they were unsure of what was going to happen with Moira, they had prefered to leave her out of the public eye for now. So far, her name had remained off of the list of people involved, as it should be. But there was no denying some people might turn suspicious eventually knowing the bond between the Queens and the Merlyns.

“What do you think will happen now?” Oliver asked as they stepped inside the elevator taking them back to their respective offices. The day was far from over for them, even if it was Sunday.

“I don’t know. We should expect quite a few hits in the markets, though. Uncertainty is never good in the business world as you know.”

“And with mom?”

The way Walter’s face closed off at the question didn’t escape Oliver’s attention and he didn’t press the topic. He knew Moira wanted to keep a low profile for now, and he was convinced it had more to do with the distance her revelations had created between her and Walter than with anything else. Unfortunately, this was a private matter and there was very little he could do to help.

“Oliver, there have been several journalists asking for a private interview with you or your mother. I declined, like you asked. Is this going to be your official position from now on or has it changed with the press conference? Do you want me to direct them to our PR department?” Debbie asked as soon as he stepped out of the elevator. Unsurprisingly, she had offered to join him for a few hours in order to make sure they wouldn’t have to deal with a mass of phone calls and messages on Monday on top of the planned board meetings.

“Yes. No interview, no nothing. If they insist, direct them to the PR department. You shouldn’t have to deal with them in the first place anyway,” Oliver answered as he accepted the wrapped sandwich his assistant handed him. He checked the clock on the wall, seeing it was almost three in the afternoon, but he still hadn’t had the time to eat lunch. “Thank you, I’m starving.”

“Anytime,” Debbie answered with a smile.

“If you could ask my mom’s secretary to transfer the files she was currently working on, that would be fantastic. I doubt she is at work since my mother is absent, so just send her an email with a high priority. I’d like to get them by Tuesday at the latest.”

Once he was done with his sandwich, he called the head of their financial department to ask for an estimation of the impact on QC’s assets and their suggestions to limit the loss. Walter was mostly in charge of their legal department as well as their partners and investors, while Oliver was taking care of the financial and PR aspect. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel as out of the loop as he would have thought, considering the circumstances. Apparently, there was nothing like jumping right into a crisis to find your footing.

“Yes, Lara. I know that it’s a very short notice but what we need first is for you to at least show up at the meeting tomorrow. Our board members will have questions and even if I’m fully aware you can’t possibly have the answers at the moment, I want them to know we’re in control, ready and anticipating every possible situation.”

“That I can do. My team is already working on a worst case scenario. The impact shouldn’t be as negative as it will be for other companies in Starling though, so that’s already a relief. But the city clearly won’t be seen as stable as it used to be.”

“I’m afraid that image will remain for a long time. We’ll have to work around it and prove there is still stability and financial advantages in trusting us,” Oliver replied. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the door of his office opening, and he turned his chair around just in time to see Felicity walking in soundlessly. He smiled as soon as he saw her, waving at her to come join him. “I think we should also put the marketing team on it. It would be good to work on that right away and not wait. What do you think?”

“It might be good to have all hands on deck and be proactive. Slightly unusual approach since we don’t know the damage, and it could cost us money though, so I’m warning you. Is it really wise to spend money right now?”

“I think so. Starling will clearly suffer from what happened. Even if Queen Consolidated makes it out relatively unscathed, we still need to do something for the rest of the city.”

“That’s not… I’m sorry to be blunt, Oliver, but it’s not our responsibility.”

Oliver paused, his fingers drumming on his desk. “I know. But it might be good to show that even when some tried to destroy our city, others are just as willing to stand up for it. What’s good for Starling is good for QC in the end, and-”

Oliver frowned once he realized Felicity hadn’t moved from her spot, the door still opened several feet behind her. Her face was closed and she had a lost look in her eyes that he had never seen before. He felt like his heart was dropping to his stomach and barely heard Lara’s voice as she asked if he was alright.

“Lara, I’ll call you back,” he muttered before hanging up, slowly standing up.

“Baby… are you OK?” he asked softly, almost afraid to move. She looked so lost and fragile that he was afraid the slightest movement would make her run away from him.

He read on her lips more than he heard her answer. “I don’t know.”

Seeing the pain and confusion on her face was like being stabbed in the chest and his brain finally gave the order to his legs to walk to her when she let out a small sniffle.

He hurried to her, wanting to know what had happened to have her in such an emotional state but as soon as he started to rush towards her, her face started to crumble. He barely had the time to get to her before she let out a loud sob, the first tears falling from her eyes.

“Hey,” he whispered as he took off her glasses then pulled her into his arms. She turned her face, her cheek resting on his chest as she started to cry almost soundlessly. Resting a hand on her head, he gently caressed her hair, nodding a thank you to Debbie when she discreetly approached to close the door and give them privacy.

As he waited for Felicity to calm down, his mind went into overdrive, trying to figure out what had happened between their last text exchange, about two hours ago, and now. The last time he had checked, she was finishing things at Palmer Tech, promising to meet him back at the mansion.

Dig was fine, he had received a text a little more than an hour ago. Had something happened to her mother?

“Felicity, honey… you’re killing me here. What’s wrong?” he eventually asked softly once her breathing was quieter.

She took a long, shaky breath when he pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Ray is among the victims.”

Oliver paused, his arms tightening around her as a fresh wave of tears started to fall. “I’m sorry. Honey, I’m so sorry,” he murmured against her hair.

He had been jealous of Ray since the minute he had seen him talk with Felicity. But the man had also been there when she had needed him and he had been a good friend for her, as well as the boss Felicity needed to shine. Oliver knew fully well that there was a deep affection and a profound respect between the CEO and his Vice-President that went way beyond a normal professional relationship.

Felicity right now was mourning a friend, not her boss. He knew the repercussions it would have for Felicity, not just personally, but also in terms of responsibilities. Yet, in a moment when she clearly seemed lost, she had come to him instinctively. It wasn’t lost on him how her behaviour would have been different a few years ago, and he felt extremely humbled to be her first support when she needed it. It was a position he vowed to never vacate.  

Gently, he guided her towards the small couch, carefully placing her glasses on the coffee table before helping her sit down on his lap. Felicity nestled her face in the crook of his neck while he quietly started to stroke her hair, sensing she didn’t need words at the moment and willing to give her what she needed above everything else, despite the many questions already forming in his head.  

He thought Ray had been hiking in the mountains, how had he ended up in the Glades? Which attack had been fatal for him?

Felicity sniffled and he leaned down, grabbing a tissue. She blew her nose then rested her head against his shoulder, her hand playing with the sleeve of his shirt.

“Lyla stopped by to let me know. He was volunteering at the hospital. Ever since Anna had passed away, he had started to spend time with patients suffering from the last stages of brain cancer. He would read for the ones who had lost their eyesight for instance. I thought he had eventually stopped going because he never talked about it anymore.”

“I’m so sorry, Felicity.”

“He was a good man, you know. I owe him a lot.”

“I know. I owe him a lot too. He helped you when I was away.”

“And on top of everything, I don’t even know what’s going to happen at Palmer Tech. I was his VP but if the new CEO wants someone else, what can I do? Is the board going to sell the company? What’s going to happen to our employees? We were working on several new products, very advanced technology. What if it falls in the wrong hands? When will I know if I need a new job? I’m not even sure I’d want to be Vice-President for someone else. We were such a good team but at the same time, I want to make sure his company is taken care of like it should and-”

Oliver pressed a finger against her lips. “One thing at a time, baby. First of all, if you need a new job, you know we’ll find the perfect place for you. There isn’t a company in Starling that wouldn’t want you. You won’t need my help, and actually I think it would be a disservice for you to be associated with the Queens, but you won’t be alone, you know that, right? ”

Felicity gave a trembling smile as she nodded. “I don’t want to leave Palmer Tech but… I’m not sure I’ll have a choice.”

“There is no need to worry about that. I can promise you that when the CEO of a company like yours dies unexpectedly, the board is always extremely wary when it comes to replacing their Vice-President as well. You don’t get rid of your two top leaders at the same time, it’s business suicide.”

“You’re right. I just want to make sure nothing tarnishes the company he built. Whatever hands it ends up in, they have to honor what he created. There is a board meeting tomorrow at ten. I managed to get a hold of the head and they’re going to get in touch with Ray’s attorney as well.”

“Good. Do you know if his family has been informed?”

“Oh God. I didn’t even think to ask. His parents died years ago but I know he was close to his in-laws. I doubt they know,” Felicity rushed to say, climbing off his lap. “I don’t even know where they live!”

“It’s OK. We’re gonna go back to the mansion, I’m positive you’ll find the information there, then I’ll call them and let them know.”

“Maybe I should-”

“Rest. Definitely. You’re going to have a tough day tomorrow. Please let me handle this for you,” Oliver said, pressing a finger against her lips. He wanted to help her. No, he needed to help her. He hadn’t been fully honest with her, sensing her nerves still hadn’t absorbed the news, but she was going to have to handle a heavy load of responsibilities during the transition era. She would need all her strength to manage her job, as well as Ray’s because there was little doubt in his mind that she’ll have to shoulder both for a little while at least. He couldn’t help her in that aspect, but when it came to grieving her friend, he could be there for her. Right now, she needed to process, calmly, and gather her thoughts. He was also convinced that Ray’s in-laws would also need a little bit of calm first.

“Oliver, I know you still have work to do and I don’t want you to lose focus because of me.”

“Felicity, no. It can wait. Seriously,” he added with a smile when he saw she was about to argue. “Come on, let’s go. You’ll take a hot bath, I’ll get us something to eat. You packed a bag of clothes, right?”

“Yeah, I stopped home this morning, it’s in my car.”

“Perfect. Tonight, you take the time to mourn your friend. Tomorrow, you’ll fight to honor what he leaves behind.”

  


***

  


Felicity was more than grateful when Oliver pulled the car near the employees entrance. The last thing she needed was having to explain her big, red puffy eyes to Moira and Thea. They quietly made their way upstairs, Oliver carrying her bag and his hand never leaving her hip.

She was still in shock.

Never, in a million years, had she even considered the possibility of Ray being dead. Not until she had seen Lyla’s sad smile had she realized they had the worst kind of news for her.

Ray had been her friend. A good friend, one that had been there for her when she had needed him the most. A gentle, loving man who had been crushed when his wife had passed away, and never had the chance to get a do-over, unlike her. Yet, he hadn’t shown jealousy, only genuine happiness to know she’d get another shot with the love of her life.

And now he was gone, before he even had the chance to find happiness again for himself. It wasn’t fair. Nothing in what had happened because of Malcolm had been fair, but this one hit her hard.

The only warming thought was that now he was finally reunited with his Anna, and he had died because his good heart had placed him in a building where he should have never been in the first place. Until the end, he had been selfless and generous, exactly the way she wanted to remember him.

Oliver was right. She had no idea what would await her the next day and she had a strong suspicion that she’d need all her strength for that battle. There was no way she would let Palmer Tech suffer from this loss. She’d fight tooth and nail to honor the trust Ray had placed in her.

All she could hope for was that she’d be able to do it in the first place.

“Are you alright?” Oliver asked softly as she sat down on his bed. He kneeled in front of her, helping her out of her shoes.

“Yeah… I still feel… numb. Numb and also raw for some reason. I just… I wasn’t expecting this.”

“I’m going to try to find out who his in-laws are. See if they know of any other living relatives. Why don’t you go take your shower while I do that? I’ll bring us dinner as soon as I’m done, if you’re hungry.”

She wasn’t really hungry but she knew that she had already skipped lunch. “Yeah, maybe just some soup or something, though.”

With one last kiss on her forehead, Oliver stood up, leaving her alone. She stayed in the shower much longer than usual, trying to get her brain to focus but her emotions were all over the place. She was surprised to find Oliver was already back when she walked inside the bedroom. She had given him Anna’s name and she had no doubt he had used some connections to get the information he wanted, but still. That was fast.

“I have their phone number. I was going to call them but I wanted to know if you were feeling better first,” he said softly as she started to change into her pajamas.

“I’ll do it. I have to do it. I met them once or twice, so at least I’m not a complete stranger.”

She hesitated for a few minutes with the phone in her hand, Oliver silently sitting by her side. Eventually, she took a deep breath, and dialed up the number Oliver had found for her, knowing she couldn’t put it off any longer.

It turned out that they already knew. The news had broken that Palmer Tech’s CEO had been killed during the attacks while she was having a shower. She still talked with Ray’s mother-in-law for several long minutes, trying to find if there was anything she could do to help but they were apparently as lost as her. They wanted to take his funeral in charge so Ray would be buried next to their daughter and Felicity couldn’t help but feel relieved that someone else would take care of it.

She wasn’t sure she was up to that responsibility on top of what was about to come for her in the next few days. Just a few hours earlier, she had felt so relieved, and free, figuring there was this nice, sunny road ahead of her and now, all of a sudden, reality had caught up with her.

It took her a long time to fall asleep, despite Oliver’s arms around her. She felt tired, but there were too many questions in her head for her to find her rest. She spent most of the night listening to his deep, peaceful breathing, finding strength in his reassuring embrace, cherishing the support he was offering her. She might feel like the world was falling on her, but she knew, deep down, that she wasn’t alone and as long as Oliver would be by her side, she’d be alright.

  
  


Felicity stared at the elevator’s control panel for at least a minute before she finally pushed the button. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders, taking advantage of the last few seconds she had to compose herself. Whatever was ahead of her today, she would handle it.

The mood inside the building was grim and there were fewer employees than usual in the hallways. It was unsurprising, seeing the events of the weekend, and it reminded Felicity that she had to get in touch with HR to see if some kind of counseling could be offered to those who needed it. She mentally added that to the long list of tasks she wanted to make sure were handled properly before the end of the day. She passed a few people with red eyes, offering them a reassuring smile - or at least she hoped it was reassuring because her own nerves were doing a number on her at the moment.

Daniela was crying softly at her desk when she entered her office and she briefly closed her eyes before clearing her throat.

“Felicity,” her assistant exclaimed as soon as she saw her. Daniela quickly blew her nose, patting her eyes dry. “I’m sorry it’s just…”

“I know,” Felicity said softly. Daniela and Ray had been friends as well, and for much longer. “If you want to go home, you can.”

“No,” Daniela shook her head. “You need me here and… there is the board meeting. I might leave early if it’s possible but not until we know where we stand. I hope they won’t cause too much trouble for you, and let you handle things. Just know that the employees are on your side, for all it’s worth.”

“Thank you,” Felicity said, blinking rapidly to fight the tears that were threatening. It meant a lot to her to know she had that kind of support, and at the same time it also gave her even more will to make sure everyone would be taken care of the way Ray would have wanted to.

“I already got in touch with HR, I figured you’d need to see them as soon as possible.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Do you have any idea what’s going to happen? Any at all? Had Ray ever mentioned anything if something like this was to happen?”

Felicity sighed, licking her lips. “No. I hope his attorneys will shed some light on this as well.”

Felicity only had two hours before the meeting and time flew, seeing the amount of issues she was supposed to deal with. There were normal tasks as well as dealing with the financial crisis about to hit Starling City. Not to mention, getting in touch with their branches in the rest of the country and abroad.

She was almost ten minutes late when she finally walked - or actually, ran - into the conference room where she was met with reproachful eyes.

“I’m sorry to be late but as you can all guess, I had to make sure a few things were in order as soon as possible,” she said as she took her usual seat, her heart sinking at seeing the empty chair at the end of the table. She gulped, forcing her eyes away and opened a bottle of water, shakily pouring it into a glass before taking several sips to soothe her throat.

The oldest board member stood from his chair. “Well, I believe there is no need to waste any more time. We need a new CEO as soon as possible. I want to officially inform the board that, as the longest-sitting member I am ready to step in in the interim.”

“Maybe we should hear from Miss Smoak first, Wallace,” one of the only women in the room said quietly. “As well as Ray’s attorney, of course.”

“Thank you,” the attorney said right away, stopping Felicity who was about to stand up. “I do believe that you should hear me first before you make any kind of decision concerning the future of this company. Mister Palmer, fortunately, was very thorough and updated his will every six months. As you know, this won’t be in play until the inheritance is dealt with, and Mister Palmer was also aware of that.”

Felicity let out a sad smile, knowing he had probably started to do that ever since Anna had been diagnosed with her terminal brain cancer.

The attorney, George if she remembered correctly, started to pass out several sheets of papers. “That is why Mister Palmer made sure each member of this board would be informed, through me, of his plans for Palmer Tech in case he would die unexpectedly. He owned, as I’m sure you know, 49% of the stock. It was Mister Palmer’s wish that his current Vice-President would step up as CEO of the company.”

“Unless whoever inherits those 49% decides to rally to the position on the board, I assume?” Another member, a man in his forties, asked while peeking through the small stack of papers before him.

“Yes, obviously. The majority shareholder would of course have a seat on this board, or could sell their shares if that is their decision.”

“So, in the meanwhile, what can we do?”

“As I said, it was Mister Palmer’s wish for Miss Smoak to step up at first. But it was also his wish that she keeps that position indefinitely.”

“You mean he wanted us to appoint her CEO?”

Exactly.”

“But, just so we’re clear, we are not legally obligated to follow his wish in that matter? I mean, I’ve never heard of this kind of situation.”

“Of course, legally speaking, the wish of someone deceased doesn’t hold much power. That is why Mister Palmer made Miss Smoak his sole heir. The 49% will be hers once the inheritance is dealt with. Along with the 2% she already owns, she will be the majority shareholder. Therefore, I’m sure you can all agree that having another CEO appointed in the interim makes little sense - unless Miss Smoak wants to resign or sell her stock.”

Felicity froze in her chair, vaguely aware of everyone’s eyes turned to her. “I… I’m sorry, what?”

“Mister Palmer wanted to make sure his company was in good hands. Those were his exact words. So he did everything he could to ensure someone he trusted would be leading the ship.”

Felicity blinked, a buzzing sound taking over her ears as she repeated the attorney’s words over and over again in her head.

_CEO._

_Heir._

_Shareholder._

_Scratch that… majority shareholder._

_Inheritance._

_49%._

_2%._

_51%._

“I take it you had no idea?” George asked with a gentle smile.

“No… no,” she squeaked, feeling her cheeks burning. With a shaky hand, she reached directly for the bottle of water and took a long, very un-lady like gulp. “I obviously know about my 2%, they were part of my bonus package when I was promoted but I am only supposed to get them after one year and…”

“I’m sorry, usually this kind of thing is kept secret until the official reading of the will but these were Mister Palmer’s instructions."

“She is barely experienced!” Wallace said loudly.

“So was Ray when he started the company. Looks like he didn’t do too bad a job seeing the nice comfy bonus we get every year,” the woman who had spoken earlier said calmly. “I also believe Miss Smoak has proven in the years she’s worked with us that Ray’s instinct has been spot on where she is concerned. I say we should trust him again. One last time,” she added with a voice that trembled slightly.

A few men around the table nodded as well.

“Alright, then. My job is done for now.” George picked up his briefcase. “Miss Smoak, I’ll be in touch with you shortly. I can suggest a few attorneys for you, either from my firm or another one if you don’t have one already.”

“I… I’ll think about it, thank you,” Felicity said as she accepted his business card before handing him one of her own. She’d have to ask Oliver for a good attorney, because she would obviously need one now.

_God, since when has my life became so complicated that I need an attorney?_

The rest of the meeting was, fortunately for her heart, much less eventful. Focusing on numbers and loss expectations was hard when you felt like an entire building had been dropped on your shoulders. There were also talks about hiring a new VP to take her place but everyone had agreed that at first the board would step up to give support. The meetings would also take place once a week at the very least, as opposed to one every month. She knew for some members it was because of their lack of faith in her, but a few also genuinely wanted to make sure she was given all the help she needed to make sure the transition would be as smooth as possible.

An official announcement would be made as soon as Ray’s will was read after his funeral, but their employees would be informed that for now, Felicity would be acting CEO.

To say she was nervous when the meeting ended was putting it mildly. The reality of the responsibility slowly started to sink in. Palmer Tech had thousands of employees. These people counted on her. She’d have to supervise everything in the company, launch new products to remain competitive, handle all the official responsibilities that Ray had shouldered as well. It seemed so much at that moment, especially with the mess the city was in.

But she knew she didn’t have a choice. Ray had left her his company, the achievement of his life, and she would do everything she could to honor what he had created.

She could only hope she’d be up for the challenge.

 

Daniela was on her lunch break when she walked back into her office and for once, she was relieved to see her assistant was missing. She desperately needed a few minutes to process everything.

For the first time in her life, she understood why some people kept some hard liquor in their office because she could really use a stiff drink at that moment.

She figured it would probably be a shaky start if her first day as CEO was marked with her getting hammered at the office, so she grabbed a diet Dr Pepper from the small fridge by her desk before biting her lips.

No. Not diet.

The day called for regular soda.

One small stop at the vending machine on her floor and she was stocked with three cans of Dr Pepper as well as two bags of Skittles.

“Please tell me what you’re holding in your arms has to do with your time of the month and not the board meeting,” Daniela pleaded with a wince as she walked back into her office.

“Well… I guess it’s a little bit of both,” Felicity tried to smile but her nerves got the best of her. She handed one of the cans to her assistant who refused with a small shake of her head.

“Thanks, but diet. Can you tell me what happened? I mean… do we need to pack or something?”

Felicity paused, her can halfway to her mouth and mentally slapped herself. She had been so shocked by the announcement that she hadn’t even considered how Daniela might be fearing for her own job.

“No. No, no don’t worry about that,” she quickly said. “You’re actually getting promoted. So am I.”

Daniela looked at her for a few seconds, blinking slowly. “Oh… you mean they named you for the interim?”

“Yes. And for after too. It’s not just the interim.”

“Oh thank God,” Daniela said, exhaling slowly in relief before pausing. “Wait… you… you’re our new CEO?”

“Yup. That makes you our new Executive Assistant to the CEO.”

“Hand me that Dr Pepper.”

With the first real smile of the day, Felicity handed her a can before opening a bag of Skittles.

Daniela took several gulps. “Wow.”

“I know.”

“No, I mean… **wow**.”

“Yeah… I **know**.”

“But how? I’m sorry but I was damn sure that board would either appoint one of themselves in the interim or, well I don’t know but…”

“I can’t say for the moment unfortunately but let’s just say that Ray was very thorough and made sure they had their hands tied.”

“He wanted to make sure the company would be taken care of.”

Felicity smiled. “I’d like to think so.”

“God, we have so much to do,” Daniela said with wide eyes. “OK, first things first, you need to eat lunch. Oliver called and said you only had toast for breakfast and barely anything yesterday. He also suggests you eat that banana at some point during the day for the potassium, or something that ends in -ium, I wasn't really paying attention. Your man has a yummy voice on the phone, do you know that? Also, I have to admit at first I thought he was making a dirty joke when he mentioned he had shoved a banana in your purse this morning.”

Felicity couldn’t help but giggle.

“Don’t laugh. I think he is still wondering why I told him it was TMI.”

“He had me as his assistant so he’s probably not that surprised.”

“True. Also, he asked me to get you a bag of Skittles and said he’d have some delivered if we didn’t have any. Then he asked me to make sure you had some ibuprofen and I swear to God, I swooned. He's worried you're getting menstrual cramps, which might be slightly creepy but so romantic at the same time. Aaaaand his bouquet was delivered when you were gone. Is he really gonna do that every Monday? If so, what the hell are you waiting for? Kidnap the guy and marry him!”

“Ok, I'm only going to answer your question about the flowers: no idea. He never even mentions it,” Felicity grinned shyly. When she had been shot in the shoulder at the gala and been forced to take a week of rest, Oliver had sent her flowers on her first day back and ever since then, he had kept doing it every Monday. “Which reminds me, I promised I’d tell him everything as soon as the meeting was over. Could you also ask HR to stop by in about one hour?”

“Yup. What do you want for lunch? I’ll order it.”

“Salad. Caesar preferably, or anything with chicken.”

“On it,” Daniela said as she picked up her phone. Felicity stood up, ready to turn around when her assistant stopped her.

“Felicity… I’m not speaking just for myself when I say this, but know that I’m very happy to know you’ll be in charge. Everyone was so nervous and sad about Ray, but knowing that you’re going to take care of things… I feel better already. I know everyone else will too.”

Felicity nodded, not trusting her voice. She definitely would need to build up a wall even though she was also aware that the loss of Ray was playing a big part in her emotional state.

She stepped back into her office, closing the door before heading to the window and letting her eyes travel over the view she had of the city. There was so much to rebuild, and not only buildings and homes, but also the trust, the hope. So much work was ahead, but for the first time since she had learned about Ray’s death, she felt like she could help make a difference. 

Ray had trusted her and he had never made a mistake wherever she was concerned.

  
She fully intended for things to remain that way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo?  
> OK, no cliffie even though you have to admit that Ray's death would have made a hell of a cliffie, especially if I had ended a chapter with the FBI showing up and then Felicity being shocked. I didn't, because I'm THAT nice. You have no idea how much I had to rework around things to avoid it so yeah YOU'RE WELCOME.
> 
> Also, now that you *know* what the future holds for Felicity, I hope you're excited about that prospect. Businesswoman Felicity is one of the things I love the most in her character so of course I had to play with that. It also offers interesting dynamics for her couple because it's a heavy, time consuming job. And also, here we saw Oliver supporting her and being there for her, like she has been for him ever since he's been back from the island. You have to keep in mind that even though at first sight, Felicity is more experienced than Oliver, Oliver has literally been raised and studied to be a top executive. Felicity hasn't. So yes she is smart, brilliant, but there are all these other things she is unaware of or unprepared for. Fortunately, she has the boyfriend of the year by her side <3<3
> 
> On this, I wish you a good weekend, have a lot of chocolate!
> 
> Edit: Damn I forgot most of what I wanted to say...  
> I introduced Ray in HGW for this very reason. I knew he'd die (or leave or something), it was always the plan. Hence why I didn't feel too bad about killing his wife (which was, in turn necessary once I decided he would pass away. Had Anna survived, she would have inherited the company as his spouse.)  
> This is also why I used Ray and not any other random character. Because it links back to the show and give a lore that I do not need to explain. Palmer Tech was always going to be more than a job for Felicity, it was going to be the company she would one day lead.  
> It's only the beginning for her and it won't be easy but... it's the start of something very exciting for her character.


	34. Stand By Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Just so you know, I "cleaned" this chapter and kept in as a draft while waiting for the sizzle reel. Right now, it still hasn't dropped and it's almost 1AM here XD
> 
> So, big thank you to all of you who reach out and encourage me. You guys rock!!!  
> Special thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka as always <3<3
> 
> Just so you know I got on a killer writing spree... meaning that ine one week I managed to get not one, not two, not three, but four chapters ahead. That means that when you're reading this, I'm finishing writing chapter 38. So yaaaay!!!
> 
> Song: Stand By Me - Ben E. King

**"Stand By Me"**  


 

When the night has come  
And the land is dark  
And the moon is the only light we'll see  
No, I won't be afraid  
Oh, I won't be afraid  
Just as long as you stand  
Stand by me

So darlin', darlin'  
Stand by me, oh, stand by me  
Oh, stand, stand by me  
Stand by me

If the sky that we look upon  
Should tumble and fall  
Or the mountain should crumble to the sea  
I won't cry, I won't cry  
No, I won't shed a tear  
Just as long as you stand  
Stand by me

And darlin', darlin'  
Stand by me, oh, stand by me  
Oh, stand now, stand by me  
Stand by me

Darlin', darlin'  
Stand by me, oh, stand by me  
Oh, stand now, stand by me  
Stand by me  
Whenever you're in trouble, won't you stand by me?  
Oh, stand by me  
Won't you stand now?  
Oh, stand, stand by me  
When all of our friends is gone

 

 

 

_**Whatever happens today, I’ll be there for you.** _

_**I love you,** _

_**Oliver** _

_**PS: Your favorite chocolate cake will also be there for you if the boyfriend isn’t enough.** _

 

Felicity smiled as she read the small card that accompanied the big bouquet of lilies that had taken over the center of her table. In the quiet of her office, she started to process everything that had happened, her analytic mind now taking over and already forming a plan. Oliver had been right. She had needed last night to mourn Ray so she could focus on her job today.

Grabbing her phone, she dialed up Oliver’s number, knowing he would worry if he didn’t hear from her.

He picked up after two rings. “Yes.”

“Oliver? Are you busy?” she asked, knowing he would have used her name - or a pet name - under normal circumstances.

“Don’t worry. Is everything alright?” he asked quietly.

“Yes. Hum. Yes. The meeting is over and… well… I know it’s going to sound a bit crazy because truth be told I’m not positive I understood everything, you know law isn’t exactly my forte, but Ray’s attorney was rather nice and-”

“Felicity?” he interrupted her gently.

“Sorry,” she shook her head before blurting out, “I need an attorney. And not one because I have a ticket, but a business attorney, so do you know a good one?”

She heard a small commotion on the phone, a door closing softly. “What’s going on, baby?”

“God, I’m sorry,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “I’m doing everything backwards. Ray left me the company.”

There was a pregnant pause on the phone.

“So that’s why I need an attorney. Not because they’re firing me but because I… I’m Palmer Tech’s new CEO. And main shareholder while we’re at it. 49% plus 2% equals 51% which is… the majority.”

She sat down abruptly on her chair once she fully realized the implications of what she had said. “Oh my God… I need an attorney because my bank account is about to get-”

“Much bigger, yes,” Oliver chuckled. “OK. You need to hire a few advisors in terms of finance and law. An accountant as well, definitely, if you don't already have one. Actually even if you do, you might reconsider your choice because they won't just be dealing with taxes. I’ll ask Walter which firms he can recommend. Ours is good but I want you to have the choice. Is it official yet?”

“No. Not until Ray’s will is dealt with.”

“Good. You might want to hold a press conference when it happens, but PR will brief you about that. Felicity…”

“Yeah?” she winced, her stomach in knots, wondering what else she'd have to do that she hadn't even considered at first.

“Congratulations. I know the circumstances aren’t exactly celebration-material but…” Oliver trailed off.

Felicity closed her eyes, her fingers playing with the small card he had sent her. “I know. It’s just… a lot. Like… a real lot. Not just the money thing but everything else. There are so many people who count on me, Oliver and I’m not sure I even know what to do.”

“Yes, you do. The same way you knew what to do with your team when Ray hired you. Or when you started to overlook New York’s branch. Or when he appointed you VP. You’ve got this, honey. You have no idea how much you’ve got this. You just have to surround yourself with the right people, they’ll be there to help you but believe me, if there is one person I know who has what it takes, it’s you. You knew Ray, you understood his vision and you know this company inside out. An outsider wouldn’t. A board member would only see numbers and dollars and from what you told me of Ray, he wasn’t like that. He chose you as his right-hand for a reason. And I’m ready to bet everything I own that he left you Palmer Tech for the very same reason.” 

Oliver’s words washed over her, soothing her nerves in a way she didn’t even think was possible. His quiet reassurance, his calm and his faith in her were like a physical support at the moment, like he had just tilted her straight.

She took a big breath. “Thank you. I think I really needed to hear that.” From you, she added in her mind.

“Anytime. Are you gonna be OK?”

“Yes. I should eat lunch soon, by the way. No need to harass my assistant about it,” she grinned.

“A boyfriend has got to do what a boyfriend has got to do.”

“I’ll see you tonight then. I’m still sleeping at the mansion, right?”

“Yes, please. I have a few people looking over things but until we know who the mole was, I think it’s safer if we all stick together.”

“Alright. How is your day by the way?”

“Not too bad, considering the circumstances. The board is being a pain in the ass, though.”

“The board? Wh… Oliver were you in a board meeting just now?” Felicity asked with wide eyes, her voice rising on the last words.

“Yes. It’s been three hours, I’m sure they can survive without me for five minutes, though.”

“I’m so sorry, why didn’t you tell me and why am I still speaking, just hang up and get back in there!”

Oliver chuckled. “Babe, I’ve been worrying about you the whole morning and I kept my phone near me just in case. Don’t worry, Walter is still with them.”

With a few expletives, Felicity sent him back to his meeting before hanging up.  

 

It was almost 8PM when she finally walked inside the mansion, feeling utterly exhausted. The first thing she heard was a door slamming, followed by an obviously fuming Thea stomping her way down the hall. She stopped when she saw Felicity, then rushed to take her in her arms.

“It’s so sad. What happened to Mister Palmer. I know you were friends.”

“Thank you,” Felicity answered. “Are you OK?”

“I… yes. Just mom… whatever. I need some air, but unfortunately I’m stuck inside until they decide it’s safe for me to step outside. I had a driver and a bodyguard waiting outside of PT all day and they took me right back here as soon as the day was over.”

“Well, better safe than sorry I guess?”

“I know but… I just wanted to go see Tommy. Not that he wants to see anyone apparently, but…” Thea trailed off, shrugging.  

“I’m sure he has to be busy as well, don’t take it personally,” Felicity reassured her.

“Yeah… but enough about me, myself and I. Is it true? You’re going to be my new boss?”

“Technically, I was already your boss.”

“Well, yes, but now you’re going to be my **big** boss.”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“I want to say congratulations but…”

“Yeah, I know. Not the best of circumstances,” Felicity nodded with a small grimace. Was there anything to celebrate really, when you knew how you had ended up in that position?

“You should still be proud. And you’re going to prove to everyone that you’re the perfect person for the job. I can’t wait to see you destroy the patriarchy one man at a time.”

Felicity grinned, not really knowing how to reply.

Thea winked at her, pointing behind her shoulder. “Ollie is in the kitchen. He’s making you dinner apparently. Mom still hasn’t recovered from the shock of hearing him ask Raisa if we own a slow cooker.”

Felicity laughed, relieved to know that she wouldn’t have to go through a formal dinner. It clearly wasn’t something she was used to and she knew Oliver prefered a small intimate meal as well.

Oliver was on the phone when she walked into the kitchen, allowing her to get rid of her coat and bags. It smelled of grilled vegetables and salmon and she approached the stove, resting a hand on his lower back as he smiled at her. She understood from his conversation that he was talking about a new marketing campaign and she zoned out, too busy drooling over the pasta Oliver was currently finishing.

There was something extremely sexy in the way he was holding his phone between his shoulder and cheek, both hands busy tossing tagliatelles with the vegetables in a frying pan and Felicity bit her lips before pressing a kiss against his shoulder. If they had been in her apartment - or his - she would have probably thanked him for his attentions in a way that involved her knees making contact with the tiled floor.

Yes, he looked **that** good.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow then. Good night,” Oliver eventually said, dropping his phone on the counter before leaning in to kiss her. “I hope you’re hungry.”

Oliver served her a glass of wine then they both sat down to enjoy their meal. They were polishing off their plates when she realized they had mostly talked about Palmer Tech.

“Enough about me. What about you? How did things go at Queen Consolidated? Have you heard from the FBI about Malcolm’s accomplice?”

Oliver cleared his throat. “They didn’t find anything on Malcolm’s phone, which is not surprising. He probably had a burner phone and got rid of it. It’s probably lying at the bottom of the harbour as we speak. We gave them the list of everyone who was in the mansion on Saturday and they’re currently looking into it but it might take a while.”

Felicity frowned. It could take days. Or weeks. “There has to be something we can do or find to speed up the process.”

Oliver winced. “It’s too risky. Lyla was right, we can’t allow ourselves to be too brazen. I’ll keep an eye open and I know the four or five people we need to be wary of.”

“Who?” Felicity asked as she took a pill from her purse and gulped it down with some water.

“There was Rick, from our HR department. Two of our attorneys. Denis, which you must remember, and Alfred, the head of our board.”

“Denis Lewis?”

“Yes.”

“You mean, Denis Lewis, as in Jones and **Lewis**? The private agency?”

Oliver paused. “Yeah I know, but Lewis is such a common name…”

“Yeah that’s why I never really thought twice about it but it’s a weird coincidence, isn’t it? You have what, five potential moles and one of them shares the same last name as that damn private agency, the same one Malcolm told you he wasn’t in contact with, but it was someone from QC? QC where Denis Lewis works?”

“Somehow, I can’t see him… well maybe he was being blackmailed,” Oliver mumbled. “I’ll get in touch with Agent Stokes tomorrow, he’s the one in charge now apparently.”

“Just keep an eye on Denis in the meanwhile. He might betray himself.”  
  


 

“Do you know when Ray’s funeral will be?” Oliver asked her as they were in his bed. He was currently giving her a foot rub while she was answering the dozen emails she had already gotten since she had left the office, not even two hours ago.

“On Wednesday.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“I… I know you’re busy, Oliver and your place is-”

“And my place is by your side,” he finished for her, raising his head with a soft smile.

“If you’re sure it won’t cause problems at work then yes… I’d love to have you there with me,” Felicity admitted before taking another bite of the chocolate cake Oliver had carried to his bedroom for her. She finished her cake, setting the plate on the night stand before turning to face Oliver who was now busy with her other foot. “Have you heard from Tommy?”

“No. He is still dodging my calls. I don’t even know what he plans to do for Malcolm’s funeral arrangements.”

“Do you want to go?”

“... yes. I don’t know how he feels about it and if he wants me to leave, I will but he shouldn’t be alone.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No. I think it’s better if I go alone.”

Felicity pinched her lips, feeling a little twinge in her heart that Oliver didn’t want her support.

“I mean, he’s going to be alone and it feels wrong, somehow, to have someone to support me,” Oliver quickly explained.

She pondered his words for a moment then eventually nodded in agreement. “You’re right. And your mom? Is she going back to work?”

“I don’t know. She didn’t come today and I barely saw her. I know she and Walter talked a lot in their room. I don’t know what’s going to happen between them, but it does sound like a serious issue.”

“It is,” Felicity said carefully. “Trust is everything in a marriage and knowing that Walter is also CEO of the company your father created is a really messed up situation.”

“I know. I don’t know if I should ask or let them deal with it first, though.”

“It’s probably best to give them a couple days.”

Leaning down, she grabbed her purse, opening the bottle of painkillers she carried with her and popping two in her mouth. Oliver looked at her with a frown on his face and she shrugged. “It’s only ibuprofen, Oliver.”

He grinned sheepishly before dropping a kiss on the inside of her foot and letting it rest on the mattress. With a sigh, she closed her laptop then stood up to go brush her teeth.

When she walked back inside the room, Oliver was gone. It didn’t surprise her because he needed way less sleep than she did and probably had some work to do since he had spent the last couple hours taking care of her.

Leaving the light in the bathroom on, she slipped underneath the sheets. The ibuprofen was helping with her cramps but she still felt achy and uncomfortable and it took her a while to find a comfortable position. She eventually settled on her left side, taking over part of Oliver’s side of the bed.

She was so tired that she barely noticed when Oliver came back, until he climbed on the bed with his chest pressed against her back and his hand sneaking underneath the T-shirt she was wearing.

She moaned when a sudden warmth spread over her lower abdomen.

Hot water bottle.

“Best boyfriend ever,” she murmured sleepily, the heat radiating in her belly relaxing her stiff muscles.

Oliver’s chest rumbled behind her as he nuzzled her hair. “Go to sleep.”

She hummed an answer, already drifting away.

  


***

 

Oliver woke up early, way before the sun was up. Felicity was still snuggled up against him, her perfect little bottom cushioning a part of himself that was just as awake as he was. He allowed himself a few minutes of holding her against him, pushing the hot water bottle away so his hand could rest directly on her stomach.

He felt… happy. And weird. It really felt like everything and everyone around him was either crumbling or on the edge of it,  but he and Felicity were still there, together, standing strong. She was his rock, the one thing he knew he could rely on. Just like he was her support. Always.

How could he have ever thought it would be better for him to stay away from her? How could he have fooled himself into thinking it would even be remotely possible?

He had never envisioned his love life turning out that way. Before she walked into his life, and even during the first few months when he had started to get to know her, he had never thought that this was how it was supposed to be. Being with someone who makes you stronger, better, and not just gives the appearance of respectability. His idea of love had been so superficial before her.

With regrets, he untangled himself from her before padding silently to the bathroom. He did his usual round of push-ups, then took a quick shower. He walked back inside the bedroom with a towel around his hips, and one look at the alarm clock told him it was probably time to wake Felicity up. He winced, knowing how grumpy she was bound to be to be woken up earlier than usual, even though they both knew she had to head to work early.

“No,” she grumbled when he tried to call her, his hand stroking her hair.

Oliver bit his lips at the way she scrunched up her nose. “Hon’, you told me you had to go to the office early.”

“Don’t care.”

“I’ll pack you lunch.”

She mumbled something incoherent before turning away and throwing a pillow in his general direction. He caught it, dropping it to the side as he laid down next to her, gathering her in his arms.

“I’ll make sure you have chocolate. And a little note.”

“Mmf.”

Chuckling, he hid his face against her neck. “Is this a glimpse of how our life is going to be ten years down the road?”

“Better you know it before you put a ring on my finger,” she groaned, hiding her face in her pillow.

Oliver smiled, warmth spreading through his chest. “I think you’re gonna have to find something else to put me off.”

“Our kids will probably be like me. It’s in the Smoak blood.”

Leaning in, Oliver brushed her hair aside so he could drop a soft kiss on her neck. “Still not working.”

“You’re saying that now but imagine having to drag two children **and** a wife out of bed every morning.”

“We’ll get a dog to help me.”

“I want a lab.”

“Then we’ll get a lab. They're good with children.”

“Also, I want us to adopt, not shop.”

Oliver paused, raising his head to capture her eyes. “You’re still talking about the dog, right?”

Felicity let out the cutest giggle-snort as she playfully punched his bicep. 

“Good,” he smirked. “Because I’m really looking forward to us making babies the natural way.”

“Of course you are,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes.

“And while we’re at it… I still want three children,” he murmured as he wrapped an arm around her waist and settled back behind her, his mouth trailing kisses over her shoulder and neck. “But I might let you talk me into four.”

“We’ll see how it eventually goes. I might want to stop after delivering the first one and if by then science hasn’t found a way for men to carry out a pregnancy, you’ll just have to deal with it,” she said teasingly, pinching his forearm.

“Is this how it’s going to be from now on? You calling the shots?”

“Oliver, my love… that’s how it’s always been. I was just more subtle about it.”

Oliver slapped her roughly on the butt, knowing the layers of duvet between his hand and her ass would completely soften the smack. “I’ll show you subtle,” he whispered, his palm now massaging the firm globe of flesh as he pressed his groin against her backside.

“Yeah, nope. This area is a no-go zone for Oliver for the next five days or so, remember?” Felicity said with a laugh, removing his hand.

Groaning, he dropped his forehead against her shoulder. “Before I listen to my inner self and complain about what is going to be a serious case of blue balls, do you want me to get you some ibuprofen?”

“That would be nice,” Felicity grinned as she sat up on the bed and switched on the light. “You already have some good instincts, you know.”

“I’m just trying to avoid a repeat of you crying your heart out in a pint of ice-cream.”

“Those were exceptional circumstances. The ice-cream was really good.”

Oliver chuckled as he stretched out to reach the night stand. He offered her the rest of the bottled water they had brought with them the night before as well as her bottle of painkillers, watching as she swallowed two down. “I’ll rub your belly tonight,” he promised when she was done.

“I made that so dirty in my mind,” Felicity said with a slow smirk, a devilish little light gleaming in her eyes.

“Babe, you’re not helping!”

“Aww. I’m such a bad girlfriend, am I?”

“Well… you’ve had better days, yes.”

“I’m sure I can fix it.”

Putting the bottle back on the night stand, she pushed on his shoulder until he was lying flat on the bed before crawling down the mattress and slowly opening the towel he still had around his waist.

_Oh yes, please, yes. Fix it all you want._

 

  


“How do I look?” Felicity asked when she had slipped her heels on.

Oliver raised his head from his phone, letting his eyes travel down her body.

_Damn._

She was wearing a deep red business suit. The pencil skirt was clinging to her curves in a way that made him swallow his saliva. She had a black turtleneck underneath, her silky hair was hanging freely and framing her face perfectly. As she turned around, he almost choke on his tongue when he saw how tight the fabric was on her ass. Not a single wrinkle would even be possible, the skirt was fitting her like a glove.

“Are you wearing stockings?” he asked in a deep voice.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I think it’s better if I don’t answer that question.”

_Fuck. She is totally wearing stockings._

“Seriously, Oliver, how do I look?”

Oliver shook his head, trying to clear his mind of all the sinful thoughts that had invaded it. He forced himself to look at her with a more critical eye, which wasn’t easy when all he wanted to do was bury his hands in her hair, tip her head and kiss her senseless, until her red lipstick was all over him. She looked strong, self-assured, confident.

“Like a CEO,” he eventually said with an adoring smile.

Felicity let out a deep breath, her stance relaxing.

“Felicity, come here,” he nudged her forward. She followed his order without complaint, stopping when he could reach her hand. “Are you OK?”

“I’m just… so nervous. And sad. I mean… it still hasn’t really sunk in, you know? That Ray is gone? And then I was getting ready and I wanted to look… you know, good. Commander in chief kinda good, and it made me realize that yeah he is gone and I was just joking around with you in bed earlier and-”

“Hey. It’s OK, baby. You look impressive and if I can be honest, also slightly scary in that outfit. Perfect choice. And it’s normal to get lost in life. It’s good. It’s healthy. That doesn’t mean you don’t take this seriously.”

Felicity nodded, a small smile stretching her lips. “You know, what we were talking about, earlier…”

“Hum… yes?”

“I just… I do want that one day. I know we… kinda had a few words about that a little while ago but we never really talked seriously about the future. For us, I mean.”

Oliver remained silent, encouraging her with his eyes. This was important and he didn’t want to influence her.

“It’s just… now really isn’t the time for me, you know that, right? There are so many things I want to do and now I have Palmer Tech on top of it and-”

“I know. I know, honey. Now isn’t the time. And it’s good. We both have our hands full and we haven’t even had the time to go on a vacation together so… maybe we should first try to find time just for ourselves before picturing adding other members to our family. Whether they have two legs or four,” he smiled as he picked up her hand to drop a kiss on her knuckles.

“I do want that, though. I don’t want you to doubt it.”

“I want it too. But I don’t think you have any doubts concerning that,” he chuckled.

“Well, yes, your baby fever hasn’t been exactly subtle,” she teased him, poking one of the dimples on his cheek.

“But I want to enjoy what we have first. I really do. I’m just also really looking forward to the moment when we’ll start a family.”

“I’m still not there yet,” Felicity admitted, biting her lower lip. “It kinda mostly makes me nervous when I really think seriously about it.”

“Tell you what. From now on we’ll only mention it **jokingly** until you feel comfortable talking about it seriously.”

  
  


When Oliver and Felicity walked into the dining room for breakfast, they weren’t surprised to see that only Walter was already up. It was very early, but the three of them had a lot of work ahead of them and knew the next few weeks would probably follow the same pattern.

Oliver pulled out a chair for Felicity, who glanced at him in surprise. He shrugged, knowing it seemed slightly too ceremonial for a simple breakfast but being in this dining room, with Walter and Raisa, had awaken some deeply rooted reflex.

“What do you want to eat, hon’?”

“Errr… I don’t know. I don’t want to be a burden, what’s ready?”

Oliver smiled, understanding how strange it must be to have someone ready to prepare whatever she felt like having. But he also knew her tastes well enough.

“She’ll have french toast with warm syrup. Fresh fruit would be perfect as well. I’ll have eggs, with bacon or sausages, some toast,” Oliver said gently to Raisa. “Coffee for the both of us.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that,” Felicity mumbled from the corner of her lips as she unfolded her napkin, putting it on her lap.

Oliver chuckled before pouring her a glass of apple juice, watching her sip it delicately while making small talk with Walter.

“Oliver, there is something I wanted to talk to you about. It concerns Queen Consolidated,” Walter said as soon as Raisa had brought them their food and left the room again.

Oliver frowned, chewing on a strip of bacon. “I’m all ears.”

“Hum, do you want me to leave?” Felicity asked hesitantly, throwing a regretful look at her stack of French toast.

“No, Felicity. I believe it’s quite alright, and nothing Oliver wouldn’t share with you anyway,” Walter reassured her with a smile. “I decided to step down as CEO. I plan to resign as soon as the company is in a better state.”

“... what?” Oliver breathed.

“I don’t want to get into details about my marriage with your mother but it doesn’t feel right for me to still be leading Robert’s company in this situation. I don’t plan on leaving right away, don’t worry. But I wanted you to know before I inform the board this morning. If they agree, and if you are comfortable with it yourself, I will support you as co-CEO during the transition, which could take several months or as long as necessary, really.”

“What… what about mom?” Oliver asked, blinking.

“From what she told me, she would rather remain Vice-President for the time being.”

“When exactly do you consider making this official?”

“Not right away, rest assured. I just wanted you to be informed of it before anybody else. As I said, I won’t leave the ship while it’s facing trouble. But the time has come to consider a new career for me and this is the first step. We can first present it as you taking your legitimate place, accepting more responsibilities under my guidance. We all knew this was the plan anyway. Seeing as you’re the man of the day for Starling at the moment, it shouldn’t cause too much drama, quite the opposite.”

Oliver grumbled on that, not happy to be reminded of how every network, every newspaper had reported on how he had “heroically” stopped the mastermind behind the evil attacks that Starling City had suffered.

“Hum,” Felicity coughed, leaning in to whisper in Oliver’s ear. “Looks like our little getaway weekend isn’t going to happen any time soon.”

“We’ll visit each other to compensate. I heard office sex is pretty hot,” he whispered back, fighting back a smile at the blush that spread on her cheeks.  
  


 

 

“Walter, are you sure about this?” Alfred asked with a frown.

The board meeting had finished with the general topics when Walter had asked to make an announcement, informing the board of the decision he had made. Oliver had been relieved to see Moira had joined them, even if he couldn’t help but question the distance between his mother and her husband.

“Alfred, we all knew when Robert died that this would eventually end this way. This is Oliver’s rightful place.”

“But he’s only been back to work for a few weeks,” Denis Lewis interjected.

“Which is why the transition will take place over a few months. I am not leaving right now.”

“Is it really the right time for a change in leadership, though?”

“Oliver is seen as some kind of a savior at the moment. He’s actually the reason why the name Queen hasn’t been dragged through the mud too much, unlike many of our... friends. The citizens of Starling think he took great personal risks to stop Malcolm. Right now is the right time to announce he is stepping up, actually. Our investors will be reassured by the fact that I am not leaving the ship but will mentor him and support him for a period of at least four months.”

“What about you, Moira? You’re more experienced than Oliver, why don’t you-”

Moira shook her head. “Walter is right. It is Oliver’s rightful place. I have complete faith he is ready to shoulder this responsibility. I shall remain Vice-President for the time being but I am also considering stepping down eventually. Not right now, not when Walter leaves, but I do hope I’ll be able to do it within the year.”

“Is there something going on we should be informed Moira? Walter?” Alfred asked, pushing his glasses up his nose. “You know everything you say here will remain confidential but… are there any risks the investigation could incriminate…?”

“Alfred, may I ask you to reconsider your words? You might have forgotten but Malcolm’s plans ended up with me missing for three years, so I don’t understand how you could even think Walter would have anything to do with it, seeing how he only aimed to make sure I was ready to lead this company and he is willingly stepping down so I can take his place? Unless you think anyone could be a suspect?” Oliver asked coldly. “Therefore, maybe I should question your loyalty? Or Denis’. Or Alexandra’s. Or actually anyone around this table.”

“... no, that’s not what I meant.”

“So maybe we should get back to topic instead of wasting our time trying to find culprits within our ranks? I believe if there are any, the FBI will eventually find them.”

“Yes. Of course… yes. I am just worried because people know Moira, she has always been linked to this company and with her gone- ”

“With me gone, they’ll learn that my son got the best from his parents and is more capable than me to lead this company in the right direction,” Moira finished calmly for him.

“I guess that settles it, then. Why don’t we take a break now and we’ll discuss the legal implications once everyone has had the time to take a breath?” Alfred asked to the table, meeting nods of approbation. “Alright, let’s meet here again in thirty minutes.”

Oliver stood up, buttoning his jacket as he walked to his mother. “Mom-”

“Not now, Oliver,” Moira cut him off, waiting until everyone had left the room. “I thought a lot about this and it’s for the best. You have what it takes to restore Queen Consolidated to what it was. I know you can do it, and I know it’s time for you to start your new journey. You’ve been handling this crisis perfectly and I honestly don’t think it could get any worse. We’re not abandoning you and I will always be there if you need any help, even after I resign. But this is for the best.”

“Mom, tell me the truth. Are you concerned some things might come to light?” Oliver asked softly.

“It played a part in my decision. I am ready to face whatever the consequences are for my silence and I think it’s better for you, for Thea, for QC, if I slowly start to distance myself in case something does happen. My conscience is not clear, Oliver. It was easy to fool myself before everything happened, and to turn a blind eye as it unfolded but… I made a choice. Had I made a different one, people might have survived.”

“Mom you were… you were scared and…”

“Yes, Oliver. Yes, I was. I still am. But at least now, I know I am doing the right thing and I am on the right path. I plan on taking the time to rebuild the hospital that was destroyed. I already unblocked funds from the Dearden estate.”

Oliver nodded, seeing in his mother’s eyes that she wouldn’t change her mind. Truth be told, he was relieved to see her struggling so much with what had happened. That meant she would do everything she could to try to fix what could be fixed.

“Mom,” he asked suddenly remembering his talk with Felicity. “Do you know if Denis has any links to the private agency, Jones and Lewis?”

“Yes. Yes, I believe it was founded by his cousin a decade ago or so but they lost touch. Why? Do you think he could be the mole? Denis?” she asked with wide, surprised eyes. “Oliver, I know Denis, it’s not like… well he doesn’t hold much power does he? What would be… the point? And he never said anything when I hired them either.”

“I know but isn’t it a weird coincidence though? If he hadn’t been at the mansion Saturday night, I probably wouldn’t even consider it but… he was.”

“I know but… he is in charge of Public Relations, doesn’t own stock, I don’t think he even knew Malcolm that well. Have you told the FBI?”

“I gave them a call, asking if they had checked a potential connection, they said they were on it but so far nothing incriminating had been discovered. Maybe Malcolm used blackmail on him like he did for you, you know.”

Moira sighed, briefly closing her eyes. “Yes, that I could see happen unfortunately. What do you think?”

“I don’t think it’s him. My instinct is pointing me towards someone else. But we should remain careful nonetheless.”

“Who? Oliver don’t do anything that would attract attention.”

Oliver smiled, gently squeezing his mother’s arm. “You know me. I’m always discreet.”

He left before she could ask him another question, his steps taking him to the vending machine on the floor below. He knew Denis had a soft spot for pop tarts and it was the closest vending machine that could satisfy his craving.

“Denis,” Oliver said warmly as he picked up some change from his pocket, picking a granola bar.

“Oliver. Quite some news the Queens have been dropping this morning,” Denis welcomed him with a smile as he took a sip of coffee then put it down on a high table. He unwrapped his pastry, popping a small piece in his mouth.

“I know. I think QC is heading towards some serious changes in the future. You’re gonna have a lot of work. Sorry about that,” Oliver smirked as he waited for his own coffee to be ready.

“Well, it sure keeps things entertaining. And let’s be real, I’d rather deal with a change of leadership over what Merlyn Global is going through, as well as a dozen other companies here in Starling. How is your friend, by the way? Tommy?”

“He is… handling it the best he can.”

“I still can’t believe it. I mean, obviously, you’re here in front of me but to know Malcolm killed Robert, then tried to kill you. I’m… How could he fool everyone for so long?”

“How could they fool everyone for so long, you mean,” Oliver corrected. “You know, I was wondering… I heard my mom mentioning a private agency, Jones and Lewis. Are you related?”

Denis gulped down the rest of his coffee before throwing the empty cup in a nearby bin. “Cousin of my father, yes. Haven’t heard from them in a while though. Not ever since they asked my dad to loan them money three, four years ago.”

“They had financial difficulties?” Oliver asked with a frown.

“Yes. But then it got resolved. My dad couldn’t help, he had just retired and bought a new house in Florida so I guess they found another way. Why?”

“No reason. I just figured it was a small world.”

“Do you need them? They were pretty good if I remember correctly. I never really needed them myself. Your mom used them though.”

“Yes… yes that’s how I heard about them. Thanks. If I ever need to spy on someone, I know who to ask,” Oliver joked as he bit into his granola bar.

Oliver was confident Denis had nothing to do with Malcolm’s project. His instinct was telling him the man wasn’t lying, or hiding anything concerning the attacks. That left him with one potential suspect, having ruled the other ones out as well. And something was telling him that the can of worms was about to be opened.

 

 

When Oliver and Denis walked back inside the conference room, they noticed right away that something was off.

“What is going on?” Denis asked as several members were sitting, other standing nervously, all of them talking quietly or busy handling phone calls.

“The FBI just left. With Alfred,” Moira answered, keeping her eyes on Oliver.

_Bingo._

“What did they find?”

“They didn’t say.”

Oliver nodded then cleared his throat. “Alright everyone. We still have some work to do, so please go back to your seats. We still need to hear from our Finance Department. There isn’t much we can do until we have more information about Alfred.”

 

Oliver ended the meeting less than an hour later. As everyone left the room, his mother joined him while he went back to his office.

“You don’t seem surprised,” Moira said as they walked inside the elevator.

“No, mom. Remember the gala? I talked to Alfred. Something felt off to me then. Nothing big or that even really mattered but… a feeling. Then knowing he was at the mansion that night… I don’t know. Something seemed off, somehow. He was definitely in a position of power, he is wealthy and knew dad for years. They went golfing and fishing together so he must have been in contact with Malcolm as well. Not to mention, if the head of our board was indeed corrupt… then it does make for a hell of a can of worms for us. It’s a direct link between our company and the attacks, much worse than Denis or any of the other suspects we had. We were so worried about your name showing up, while Alfred was playing an active part.”

Oliver went to his office to grab a few files, knowing he could work as well from home. Debbie had already left and he was surprised when his mother told him they shouldn’t wait for Walter and could already go back home.

“You’re not going to wait for him?”

“No, honey. Walter wants… to take some distance.”

“Are you… are you alright?”

“I’m not sure Walter can get really past what happened. He always had such a strong sense of honor. It's one of the reasons I married him, after all. He is considering a separation and I can’t say I blame him.”

“Mom, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. He’s right you know. When you came back, I should have confided in him. I was afraid of losing him one way or another but it’s not right to make that kind of choice when you’re married. I repeated the pattern I had with your father and I should have never done that.”

“Is that also why he wants to step down?”

“Yes.”

Oliver sighed, rubbing his eyes as the car took them back to the mansion.

“Don’t, Oliver. Whatever happens between Walter and I… we will handle it like adults. I know Walter will never abandon the company as long as it needs him. For the rest… we’ll see what the future brings.”

“Everything just seems to be crashing down, doesn’t it? Thea is mad as hell, Tommy isn’t talking to me and your marriage is…” Oliver trailed off.

“So let’s talk about the positive in our lives, shall we?” Moira asked with a smile. “How are things going with Felicity?”

“They’re great. Better than great, actually.”

“How is she handling the news of Mister Palmer passing away? I feel… so much guilt about that, Oliver. It could have been avoided. I could have done something.”

“Mom, please. None of us exactly had proof. We also feel guilty for not doing anything sooner but rationally speaking… we didn’t have a lot of cards in our hands until Saturday. And Felicity is handling things the best she can. Which is saying something, I’m sure you know.”

“What is going to happen for Palmer Tech?”

“It’s still unofficial for the moment but Palmer left her his stock and the position of CEO that goes with it in his will.”

“Oh. Well… that certainly is something. I hope you’ll be able to find the right balance, then.”

“What do you mean?”

Moira turned around to face him. “Well, Oliver... you both are going to be CEOs of rival companies. That is never an easy situation to face as a couple.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo... are you seeing where I'm heading with Oliver and Felicity? Should be an interestinf dynamic to explore ;)  
> Alfred the Mole will definitely... have an impact. That you'll find out soon, very soon. It might put Oliver in a bad position and... well you'll see O_O
> 
> We're hitting a little series of fluffy chapters for our couple, even with the hard times they're going to savor being together (no, not that way... although yeah that way too but not just that XD) and a few moments you guys have been asking about are about to happen (no felicity is not pregnant). What happened with Malcolm is really a cataclysm that will have aftershocks with almost every character in this story. Thea, Moira, Walter, Dig, Tommy and of course Oliver and Felicity. 
> 
> OK so the sizzle reel is still not there, I'm gonna hit update XD


	35. Groovy Kind Of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!  
> So to celebrate 519 coming up, here is a mostly fluffy chapter with a bunch of domesticity. O and F finally get to explore what it's like being a normal couple - even though their lives are still a bit hectic.
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, as usual :)  
> Huge thank you to all of you who reached out via comments or through twitter <3<3<3<3  
> Song; Groovy Kind Of Love - Phil Collins

**"A Groovy Kind Of Love"**   
  


When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do  
Is take a look at you, then I'm not so blue  
When you're close to me, I can feel your heart beat  
I can hear you breathing near my ear  
Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me got a groovy kind of love

Anytime you want to you can turn me onto  
Anything you want to, anytime at all  
When I kiss your lips, ooh I start to shiver  
Can't control the quivering inside  
Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me got a groovy kind of love, oh

When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do  
Is take a look at you, then I'm not so blue  
When I'm in your arms, nothing seems to matter  
My whole world could shatter, I don't care  
Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me got a groovy kind of love  
We got a groovy kind of love  
We got a groovy kind of love, oh  
We got a groovy kind of love

 

 

"We found a phone call made from Mister Alfred Lewinski’s phone to a number that was last located at the harbour, right around the time when Malcolm was supposedly there, and when you, Mister Diggle and Miss Smoak were at your house. There were also several texts, one informing Malcolm Merlyn that, and I quote, “everyone is now home. Oliver and his little crew seem to be down for the night.” To which we have the reply from what we assume was Merlyn’s burner “are you sure about that?” and the final text says “seeing as they’re having grilled cheese sandwiches, I doubt they’re on the lookout for you.”

“How could he be so reckless though?” Oliver asked with a frown. “Using his own phone?”

“Well he knew Malcolm was using a burner, so we shouldn’t have been able to identify who he was texting anyway. Taken alone, this text doesn’t mean much. With your statement, though, and the last trace of the signal, it’s very incriminating. Not to mention, you had tightened the security so much at the mansion, there was no way he could have sneaked in a second phone discreetly. Everyone was checked upon arrival, right?”

“Yes,” Oliver nodded. “Has he said what his plan was?”

“I can’t tell you that unfortunately. We’re still regrouping the information. I only let you know about the phone because it’s directly thanks to your indications that we were able to trace it.”

“Well, I appreciate it anyway. Do you have any idea why he wanted to talk to me?”

“No,” Agent Stokes shook his head. “Just know that whatever he tells you, I probably won’t be able to use it, it will be considered hearsay.”

“Of course.”

Oliver handed over his wallet, keys and phone before being patted down. He followed another agent who took him to a big room, a typical visitation room separated by a window. He sat down, and barely a few minutes later, Alfred showed up.

Oliver blinked when he saw the man wearing the typical orange outfit and grabbed the phone that was on his left side.

“Oliver.”

“Alfred. Let’s not waste time. What do you want?”

“To deliver a friendly warning.”

Oliver raised his eyebrows.

“Oliver, if I fall… your mother falls too.”

“What are you talking about?” Oliver asked calmly.

“Come on. We both know she knew and never said anything. And Moira Queen is a much bigger fish than I am.”

Oliver stared at the man. “How long have you known? Did they also approach you after my father died? Are you the reason why they left my mother alone?”

Alfred smiled. “Oh, Oliver. I’ve been a friend of your father for so long. I knew way before she did.”

“You… you were in on his murder as well?”

A shadow of pain passed over the man’s face. “No. No… Robert was my friend. I never wanted him to die.”

“But you never said anything either.”

“You talked to Malcolm, didn’t you? There was only one way out once you were in.”

“Then explain that. Say you acted under duress. But that is something you have to sort out with your lawyer, not me.”

“I’m only letting you know out of respect. I can keep my mouth shut if you find a way to get me an advantageous deal. Testify for me. Say I tried to tell you I was being threatened… anything. Your words will have weight.”

Oliver remained silent, his jaw locked.

“Your father dragged me into this, Oliver. Then he died and it was either keep quiet or be the next one. What was I supposed to do? How is that any different from what your mother did?”

“You didn’t lose your spouse or your child, did you? **That** is why it’s different. Even when you knew the whole project had been uncovered, you kept informing Malcolm.”

“I might have done it to protect you. Letting him know you weren’t a threat anymore.”

“But it’s not the truth, is it?”

“What happened to you during those three years, Oliver? Malcolm once hinted at something but never told us.”

“I was stranded on an island where I had to learn to rely on my instincts to survive. A very useful lesson at this moment because my instincts are telling me you’re full of shit.”

“Are your instincts worth throwing your mother under the bus?”

Oliver laid back against his chair, shifting his eyes as his hand tightened on the phone.

“This is blackmail.”

“No, this is me telling you you have until Monday. I know I won’t get off scot-free. But there is a difference between being tried and convicted of conspiracy to commit terrorism and being able to claim extenuating circumstances.

Oliver shook his head. “How did you get in touch with the private agency?”

“Oh,” Alfred smiled. “Denis once talked about it, how it had financial problems. Simple as that, really. I just convinced them to keep certain things quiet, though, nothing overly dramatic.”

“Of course.”

“I’m not a monster, Oliver. I got caught up in something that became… much bigger than I expected. Like your father was.”

The mention of his father brought a question in Oliver’s mind. “Why did you support Walter so much when Isabel tried to take over?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“You must have known Walter wouldn’t get dragged into this.”

“Oh, yes, that is why Robert never told him anything. But Isabel was… the problem with her was different. She knew things. Nothing big, but she had suspicions and Malcolm knew for sure she wouldn’t be as easily convinced as your mother. See… Isabel had no family. She hadn’t seen our city slowly dying. There was very little leverage we could use to make sure she would comply. She wouldn’t have agreed, I believe she even had a fight with your father once she found out he was into something nefarious. When I found out she was pregnant, therefore potentially more… compliant, it was too late, I had already offered my support to Walter. I couldn’t switch camps without raising questions. But if Walter being CEO meant Moira as Vice-President, then… we still had the upper hand somehow.”

“Why didn’t she use that knowledge then? If you’re so convinced she knew?”

Alfred shrugged. “Maybe she didn’t want to taint your father’s memory. Isabel never was that monster you thought. Yes, she felt entitled, yes she was manipulative, yes she used shady methods to get what she wanted but… so did your father. This is the business world, Oliver. You'd better learn that lesson, and fast, if you want your company to survive.”

An officer showed up behind Oliver, gesturing that their time was up. Oliver nodded, ready to hang up when Alfred said, “you have until Monday, Oliver.”

  
  


***

 

“Alright, Miss Smoak. You need to sign this page, this one and this one as well.”

Obediently, Felicity signed the stack of papers in front of her.

“There you go. Everything is in order and you are now officially the main shareholder of Palmer Tech,” George, Ray’s former attorney, smiled at her before shaking her hand. She turned to face Radia, her own attorney who was checking the documents one last time before folding them into a file.

“So that’s it? I don’t have anything else to do?” Felicity asked, her hands playing with the pen she had just used.

“No. The rest is my job. I make sure the stocks are transferred to you and inform your accountant and your bank so they aren't too shocked by the transaction. They will probably get in touch with you to discuss potential investments. You can ask for a financial attorney from our firm that could come with you if you need to, or if you already have an idea of what you want to do and just need legal support, I can come as well. It’s up to you, really. As for the rest, we already signed your new contract at Palmer Tech, so now all that is left to do is change your office and reorganize the company as you see fit. Although… this is a lovely office, really,” Radia said dreamily, looking around her.

“Yes, I’m not sure I want to move right away,” she shrugged. “I guess I’ll focus on the company’s organization chart for now.”

“Don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions, whether it’s about your rights or obligations or if anyone starts questioning your position. Like a board member for instance,” Radia added with a wink.

Felicity laughed as she stood up and walked both attorneys out of her office. “I won’t hesitate. Thank you for your help.”

As soon as they were out of sight, Daniela jumped from her chair, brandishing what looked like a bottle of champagne.

“Are they gone yet?” a muffled voice reached her from underneath her assistant’s desk.

“Yes, yes, come on up,” Daniela said as she moved her chair out of the way, letting a disheveled Thea up.

“I am not sure I want to know what was going on there,” Felicity remarked with a snort.

“I panicked when you opened the door, OK?” Thea huffed as she smoothed her clothes.

“So when is the official statement?”

“On Monday,” Felicity replied as the three of them sat down around the table in her office.

“Aww, Oliver sent you another bouquet,” Thea squealed. “I don’t know what you did to my brother but last time I checked, he could barely remember to send flowers on birthdays. It used to piss Laurel off so much.”

“It’s the sex,” Daniela said confidently while struggling with the bottle. “I swear to God, one morning she showed up with such a glow we could have used her as back-up generator.”

“Daniela, I’m not sure alcohol is a good idea and Thea is underage,” Felicity winced, ready to grab the bottle from her hands and hoping to move the conversation away from her sex life.

“Relax, Felicity. It’s just apple cider.”

“Also, could we not talk about my brother’s sex life? It’s all kinds of… gross.”

“Go get the cake, Thea,” Daniela said with a roll of her eyes.

“Cake? Jeez, you’re very serious about this.”

“I think we can all agree that the past week has been… awful. I want us to remember this day as a new beginning.”

“White chocolate and raspberry cake,” Thea announced as she kicked the door closed. “My favorite. You’re gonna love it, I promise.”

Daniela poured the cider in three plastic cups before making a toast. “To Ray.”

“To Ray,” Felicity and Thea repeated before taking a sip.

Soon enough, they all had a big slice of cake in front of them.

“You’re right, this is delicious,” Daniela said once she had eaten half of her slice.

“Raisa makes it every year for my birthday.”

“My birthday is August 4th. Just so you know,” Daniela said innocently, licking her spoon.

“So, Felicity… what’s the plan? You’re going to need a Vice-President, any idea who?”

“I’ve thought about it, yes but I will focus on that next week. I plan on making a formal announcement that I’d rather have someone from inside the company, so anyone who wants the job and is qualified should send me their application. I’ll study their evaluations, and hopefully I’ll find the perfect candidate that way. If it doesn’t work, Oliver suggested I could always try a head hunter. He’ll get me in touch with the one QC uses if I need to.”

“And New York? And the other branches?”

“I’ll have to visit them, obviously. Feel like traveling? Because I’m probably going to need you there,” Felicity asked with a smile. “Which reminds me, we’ll have to look for an administrative assistant.”

Daniela gasped. “You mean I get to boss someone around?”

“That’s not exactly their purpose but yes they will be working under you. Ray’s secretary isn’t interested, which is understandable because it is a downgrade. He will work with us for a while though, and we’ll try to find him another position here unless he wants to quit. With a bit of luck he could work for our new VP eventually.”

“Is that why two seriously good-looking handymen showed up yesterday?”

“Yes. We’re going to need more room so they’ll knock down a wall this weekend and add two desks. Don’t worry, they won’t touch your space.”

“We’re not taking Ray’s office, then?”

“No. We’ll probably rearrange the whole floor but I have to talk with our designers first.”

“Ask for a larger bathroom.”

“Or a sauna,” Thea proposed.

“I think we should first focus on a bigger conference room,” Felicity scolded them as she finished her cake.

“So when are you going to New York, then?”

“I have… no idea. I’d like to go at the end of next week. It’s just a short visit, so I could leave on Thursday afternoon, be there for a late dinner with the executives and then spend Friday visiting the offices, Saturday in meetings. A brunch on Sunday with some of our investors, then back in the evening. If you could get on that first thing Monday morning, that’d be great.”

“Do you think you could need an extra?” Thea asked hesitantly, avoiding her eyes.

“Hum… what?” Felicity asked, confused. She glanced at Daniela whose eyes were also resolutely fixed on her spoon. “Have you guys been plotting or something?”

“It’s my fault,” Daniela sighed. “I told her that… well she still has what… six, seven months of internship with us but that doesn’t mean she has to do them in Starling. There is New York, Hong Kong, or Los Angeles even though it’s much smaller there, for instance.”

“Why, is there something wrong? Thea if you’ve been having issues with someone, you have to tell me.”

“No. No. It’s just that… it’s not exactly fun to be a Queen at the moment. Or a Merlyn or anybody whose family is wealthy to be honest. I mean Oliver is the golden child of Starling but I am just a spoiled princess, or at least that’s what people like to call me. And then there is home and things aren’t going well between Walter and mom and…”

“And she could use a break, is what she is trying to say.”

“Thea,” Felicity said, biting her lips. “I’m not sure this is… I mean, you’re not even 21 and…”

“I know. I get it, don’t worry. I thought I would ask, that’s all.”

“Sometimes, going away for a little while helps,” Daniela said quietly. “And Thea has been nothing but reliable ever since she started working here. Not to mention, if she had gone to college, she would have also probably ended up on the east coast.”

Felicity nodded, feeling torn. On the one hand, she could understand Thea’s reasons for wanting to get away and clear her mind a little. There was nothing, in her personal files, that could legitimately stop her from being transferred somewhere else. It wasn’t very common for an intern but since she wasn’t being paid, it’s not like she could be accused of being favored. On the contrary, in New York she would be evaluated by people who didn’t know her or her family. But on the other hand… it felt wrong to allow it, knowing it would take her away from her family. If something was to happen to her while she was in New York, she wasn’t sure how her mother and brother would take it. Also, wouldn’t it seem like she was siding with Thea and punishing her family in a way?

“Listen, forget about it. I understand it puts you in a bad position.”

“It kinda does, yes. But it’s not fair of me to let my personal relationship with your brother cloud my judgement either.”

“Take her with us to New York. See if they have a spot for an intern there. They probably do, corporations love free interns. Then make your decision afterwards. If you don’t think, rationally speaking, that she could benefit from the experience, or if Palmer Tech wouldn’t benefit from it then you’ll know what to do.”

“Thea, if I say yes, you realize it’s probably going to put me in a bad spot with your mother and chances are with your brother too, right?”

“I don’t want that. I’ll tell them I blackmailed you if you want to.”

Felicity let out a chuckle at that. “There won’t be any need to lie but I want you to be honest and frank with your family about why you asked to be transferred. If you want me to consider your demand as the one of an adult, then this is my condition. I don’t guarantee my answer will be yes but I will consider it seriously.”

“I will. I’ll talk to mom and Walter tonight.”

“And Oliver.”

“We both know I won’t see Oliver tonight,” Thea said cheekily. “So I’ll have to tell him on Sunday.”

“I will have told him by then. I don’t want him to think I’m hiding anything from him. But I will let you explain your reasons.”

Thea grinned, happily reaching for another slice of cake.

Felicity declined another serving, already knowing she’d take the leftovers home to share with Oliver anyway. That cake would be perfect to eat on Oliver’s chest. Or other body parts.

If he was still in the mood to play after she’d told him the news about his baby sister, that is.  
  
  


 

Felicity stopped to see Dig before heading back home. He had been discharged four days ago but unfortunately she had only managed to see him once. She felt terribly guilty, even though he had repeatedly told her that she wasn’t to blame.

“I brought you some cake,” she announced as soon as he opened the door. “And also some freshly made pasta from the Italian place you love so much.”

“You shouldn’t have,” Dig smiled as he let her in. His arm was still in a sling, and she knew he’d have to wear it for much longer than she had. Her gun wound had been superficial, a through and through avoiding bones and important tissues, but Dig hadn’t been so lucky, especially since the bullet had fragmented on impact.

“You do know we’d love to have you for dinner, right?”

“I know. You told me every night since I got discharged, and so did Oliver. You guys should enjoy your time together without trying to take down a psycho mass murderer, OK?”

“I can’t deny it’s a nice change,” Felicity grinned as she stored the food in his fridge. “But still. I don’t like knowing you’re alone here while we’re just two floors down.”

Dig coughed. “I’m not always alone, Felicity.”

“Ooohhhh,” she squealed. “Has Lyla stopped by?”

“Maybe. And that’s all you need to know.”

“I knew it.” She threw her fist in the air, finishing on a thumbs up. “I don’t want to get involved and I know I need to mind my own business but we should totally all have dinner together.”

“Felicity.” Dig rolled his eyes as he sat down on his comfy leather chair, accepting the cold pressed juice she was offering him. “We’re just talking so I don’t think going on a double date is a good idea.”

“No double date,” Felicity promised, crossing her heart. “Just a dinner at my place. Don’t worry, Oliver will cook. You can tell Lyla we want to thank her, which is true by the way.”

“Alright. That I can ask. She is leaving in ten days though.”

“I have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday available next week.”

“New CEO already hard at work?”

“You have no idea.”

Seeing it was already past six, she didn’t linger, hurrying downstairs with the rest of the cake safely tucked under her arm.

She opened the door, kicking off her shoes as soon as she walked inside and let out a sigh of relief when she finally was rid of her heels.

“Honey, I’m home,” she sing sang as she took off her coat before heading to the kitchen where Oliver was already at work.

“You look good enough to eat,” she whispered as she circled his waist with her arms, reaching up on her toes to kiss his jaw. He was still wearing his slacks, but the tie was missing and he had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows.

He smiled at her, touching his lips to hers. “I’m making chicken piccata, good for you?”

“Perfect,” she answered as she hopped onto the counter, stealing his glass of white wine before tearing a piece of bread from the fresh loaf that was beside the stove.

“So… is it official?”

“Yes. Thea brought a cake to celebrate, we had apple cider and I’m going to use all that yummy chocolate frosting all over my hot boyfriend’s body for dessert. In short, today is a good day.”

He smiled before chopping a cucumber, adding it to a large bowl where a red pepper was already thinly sliced.

Licking her lips, Felicity took another sip of wine for courage. “Speaking of your sister…”

“Yes?”

“You do know that her supervisor is very satisfied with her work, right? So am I, by the way.”

“You’ve told me that yeah. Why, is there a problem?”

“No, but as you know I offered her that internship with the promise that she would get the opportunity to try different parts of the company, see if something grabbed her interest.”

“I remember that, yeah,” Oliver nodded before offering her a slice of cucumber.

Felicity opened her lips, her teeth grabbing the vegetable obediently.

“Well, maybe now is the time to consider a change of department again,” she explained once she had swallowed.

Oliver paused, glancing at her from the side. “Felicity, why do I have the feeling that you’re trying to tell me something I won’t like and you’re looking for a way to soften the blow?”

“Because that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

He grinned. “Spill the beans.”

“She asked if a transfer would be possible.”

“And…?”

“To another branch. A transfer to another branch.”

Oliver frowned, putting his knife down and wiping his hands on a towel. He turned around, facing her to rest his hip against the counter. “What does she mean by another branch exactly?”

Felicity pinched her lips, swinging her legs before sipping yet again from his glass, absently noticing it was already almost empty. “New York?”

Oliver’s eyebrows raised almost to his hairline. “New York?”

“New York,” Felicity nodded before shrugging and gulping down the rest of his drink.

“Is there a reason why she wants to go to New York?”

Felicity shook her head. “She said she wanted to tell you herself. Sunday brunch, remember?”

Oliver let out a long sigh before shaking his head. “I’ll talk to her then.”

“That’s it?” Felicity asked, surprised.

“What were you expecting? A tantrum?”

“Well, as a matter of fact... kind of, yes.”

“I don’t like it. I especially don’t like it because the timing is… what it is. But thank you for letting me know and… I promised myself I’ll try to see Thea as an adult from now on so I’ll wait and talk with her first before…”

“Going full protective brother mode?”

“Yes.”

“Wow.”

“Now, can you move your sweet ass and set the table?” Oliver asked with a smile before going back to his vegetables.

“Yes, chef. Are we still on for tomorrow morning, by the way?”

“Yup.”

“I can’t believe we’re going to go furniture shopping. This is one of the most exciting things we’ve ever done as a couple, and that’s saying a lot seeing we just dismantled a terrorist group.”

“No Ikea, though.”

Felicity pouted, knowing she’d find a way to drag him there eventually. Ikea shopping was one of those experiences you **had** to go through as a couple. 

They sat down, enjoying their first quiet night in what seemed like forever and even though the conversation was flowing, Felicity noticed something was preoccupying Oliver. She asked him about Queen Consolidated, trying to figure out what was bothering him but eventually gave up when they started to clear the table. She did the washing up, wondering what was wrong while he packed their leftovers then went to take a shower.

When he came back, she was sitting with her legs crossed on the couch, a mug of tea in her hands as she patted the spot beside hers.

“Alright, Oliver. What’s going on?”

Oliver sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. “Alfred asked to see me.”

Felicity’s lips parted in surprise. “You? Why does he want to see you?”

“He wants me to pretend he told me he was being threatened, or that he warned me or… anything that would bring extenuating circumstances on the table. Apparently, seeing as I am the one who stopped Malcolm Merlyn from escaping, he believes my words would matter much more than if it came from someone random.”

“Why would you do that?” she exclaimed, feeling the fire rising in her blood. Hadn’t Oliver been through enough without having people try to mess with his head? Hadn’t he earned at least a little bit of peace of mind?

“He says if I don’t, he’s ratting out my mother.”

Felicity closed her eyes. “Oh my God. Have you told her?”

“No. There isn’t much to say, though, what choice do I have?”

“Well… first of all I think we’ve learned some lessons lately and the first one is: keeping secrets? Bad. Second of all what makes you think he’ll keep his word even if you speak on his behalf?”

“I just want to think things through first and… I have until Monday to make my decision.”

“You should tell your mom. Soon.”

“Felicity, she already feels guilty enough as it is.”

Felicity leaned to put her cup on the coffee table. “Yes, I know. But do you really think she’ll feel any better when she finds out what you’ve kept to yourself? She is directly involved.”

Oliver sighed, resting his head on the back of her couch. Understanding he was processing, she didn’t push, but finished her tea and got up from the couch. Leaning down, she pressed a kiss on his lips before murmuring, “I’m going to shower. If you want my opinion, you should call your mom.”

She took her time in the bathroom, shaving all she had to shave and taking extra care to make sure her skin was as smooth as possible. She even had put on a facial and filed her nails after removing the polish. Finally, after one hour of pampering, she put on a pair of red lacy panties and a camisole before covering herself with a silk robe.

Oliver might not be in the mood tonight, but if he was, she would definitely be ready.

“So…?” she asked when she sat down next to him. He had turned the TV on while she was gone.

“I called her. You were right. It’s better if she knows. She is going to get in touch with her lawyer, we’ll talk about it on Sunday,” Oliver said as he rested his arm on the back of the couch behind her head.

“What did she say?”

“She didn’t seem surprised. I guess she had been preparing herself in case it would happen.”

“I figured she would, based on what you told me concerning Queen Consolidated.”

“Yeah, it’s not really a surprise,” Oliver sighed. “Honestly, I think she was more shocked when I told her we were going shopping together tomorrow than about my meeting with Alfred.”

Felicity grinned. “Why, Oliver Queen never went shopping with his girlfriend before?”

“Mmh, yes. To buy jewelry. Or a car. Or… clothes,” he added sheepishly, making her understand he was probably talking about lingerie, not jeans. “Not to furnish my apartment, definitely not.”

“I can’t wait until you tell her I dragged you to Ikea.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“So gonna happen.”

“Nope.”

“Yes.”

“Felicity, come on, why would we bother building furniture when we can have it delivered?”

“Because you’re really good at it, in case you forgot, and I’m sure you’ll look super hot with their tiny screwdriver in your hand. Bonus points if you wear coveralls, by the way.”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “You sound like you’re writing the plot of a bad porn.”

“Coming from an expert, that's actually flattering.”

Oliver’s mouth twitched as his arm went around her neck, pulling her tightly against him until her face was almost squished in his armpit. Lowering his head, he murmured, “when hell freezes over.”

Felicity sighed, pushing on his chest until he freed her. Standing up, she put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side, glaring at him.

Oliver raised an eyebrow in defiance. “We’ll cosplay your fantasy of hot sex with a janitor if you want to but I am not going shopping at Ikea, especially not on a Saturday.  Dig is still traumatized and it’s been three and a half years, Felicity.”

Her eyes diving in his, she slowly grabbed the belt of her robe, languidly pulling on it until it opened. Her fingers reached for the sides of the silk fabric, gently lowering them until they fell from her shoulders, down on her hips and eventually to the floor.

A small confident smile on her lips, she gave him a look that dared him to say no one more time.

With a loud gulp, Oliver’s eyes travelled up her body, from her smooth legs to the V between her breasts, lingering on the hard nipples she knew he could see through the lace.

“I guess that means hell just froze over?” she teased when he stood up and placed his hands on her butt, lifting her until she could tighten her legs around his hips. He groaned in response before taking off to the bedroom. “Wait, the cake!”

Grumbling, Oliver paused, tilting his head to look at her with a “are you fucking kidding me?” written all over his face.

“I want to eat the frosting straight from your-”

Her sentence ended on a yelp when he turned them around so fast she had to grip his shoulders to stay on board as laughter started to bubble in her throat.

“Just so you know, you won’t always get your way by using your perfect little body against me,” he groaned as he opened a drawer and pulled out a fork, handing it to her before grabbing the cake from the fridge. Holding her ass with a firm hand, he walked back to the living room, pausing to check that the door was locked.

Felicity hummed as she attacked his neck with her mouth, making sure she was holding the fork away from him. “Look who’s talking, Mister I look like a million bucks when making chicken piccata.”

He dropped the cake on her night stand as soon as they made it to the bedroom, taking the fork from her hand as well.

The next thing she knew she was flying backwards, her back landing softly on the mattress. She was still bouncing when Oliver gripped her ankles, sliding her down the bed.

Giggling, she looked up at him. “There is enough cake for two, you know.”

Oliver laughed softly, his eyes crinkling with those happy little wrinkles that she loved so much. He raised her leg, bringing his mouth down to kiss the inside of her thigh, high enough to make her squirm, yet not high enough to make contact with her underwear.

“So how are you feeling tonight? Are we striking for our usual two, or do you feel ambitious enough to repeat our previous record?”

“What?” she asked with a frown, despite the smile still firmly on her lips. She let her fingers lace through his hair, her nails scratching his skull as he kissed her thigh again, just an inch higher.

“Orgasms, baby. Two, three or four?”

“I get to choose?” she beamed, almost clapping her hands in excitement.

Oliver chuckled, dropping his head against her hip. “Seeing as this is a special day for you? Yes.”

“Three, then.”

“Three?”

“Yes. It’s been almost a week, after all.”

“Not four?” He teased her by trailing a finger just over the hem of her underwear, letting his nail create a trail of goosebumps.

She sucked in a breath when he reached the sensitive part between her thighs. “No, four are a special treat that makes me walk with bowed legs the next day. And we have a big day planned tomorrow.”  
  
  
  


 

“God, you really made a mess,” Oliver snorted as he dug his fork into what was left of the cake. “It barely looks edible now.”

“Hey! You try scooping up small pieces of cake when your mouth is full and you can’t turn your head properly for fear to, and I quote, “twist your boyfriend’s dick”!” Felicity protested, her mouth still half full of cake.

Oliver chortled at that, remembering how Felicity had, literally, eaten cake straight from his cock, smearing a little at a time before sliding her mouth down, then up, swallowing around his head and…

He shifted, groaning when he felt a flash of arousal heat up his lower abdomen.

“Seriously?” Felicity asked with a laugh when she felt him squirm under her.

“Yeah well, you didn’t see it. It was fifty shades of hot.”

She grinned smugly before opening her mouth and accepting the fork he was offering her. They were sitting in bed, Oliver’s back against the headboard, Felicity sitting between his thighs, her side resting on his chest as they shared what remained of their dessert.

“You do realize that now I’ll get a hard-on every time we’ll celebrate my sister’s birthday, right? There is no way I can even see that cake without remembering what we did.”

Felicity patted his cheek. “I’ll make sure to always ask for an extra slice to take home then I’ll take care of you.”

“Oh God. I created a monster.”

Biting her lower lip, Felicity took the fork from his hand before cutting the remaining piece of cake in two and slipping it between his lips.

Oliver’s hand lowered to her thigh as he chewed and swallowed, his eyes soft as he watched her eat the last bite.

With a sigh, she dropped the fork in the empty box, letting Oliver put it back on the night stand before dropping her head against his shoulder. His lips brushed her forehead as he started to lace through her hair lazily.

God, she felt amazing. Great sex, Oliver naked against her, cuddles and cake.

What more could a girl ask for?

“Sometimes I still can’t believe it’s real,” he eventually murmured after a few minutes of silence.

She blinked, but didn’t move from her spot as her fingers started to trail down his bicep. “What?”

“You. Me. Us. Even before everything, I don’t think I would have ever dreamed it could be this good. This deep. This… solid. I’ll always regret these three years we’ve lost but… if it was the price to pay to have what we have right now, I think I’ll learn to live with it. Because now I know… I know that yes, I can survive without you. I can exist. But that’s all there is. Living… living is with you. I didn’t know that before. I felt that way but I didn’t **know** it, Felicity. And now I do. ”

She smiled, finally raising her head to meet his eyes. Her hand reached out, her index finger slowly tracing his lips then cradling his jaw before leaning in for a soft kiss. “I love you,” she breathed when they broke apart, her words almost muffled by his mouth.

  
  


When Felicity woke up, it was dawn. Days of waking up before the sun had taken their toll on her. Moaning, she turned on her back, stretching her arms until she could touch the headboard. She could sense she was alone in the bed, Oliver probably already gone for a run or for his usual work-out session.

She already had had her work-out session the night before when Oliver had kept his promise and delivered three very satisfying orgasms. Her stomach growling, she pushed back the blankets then slipped on the shirt Oliver had left for her before taking his shower last night. He knew she either liked to wear his clothes to sleep, or use them as a robe the next day, and always made sure to leave whatever he had worn on the rocking chair.

She could hear small muffled noises coming from her living room and she tiptoed, hoping to surprise him while he was doing his push-ups, one of her favorite sights in the morning. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw he was searching one of the drawers of her secretary.

He suddenly let out a curse before closing it and moving to the next one.

“Hum, Oliver?” she cleared her throat.

Oliver started, his eyes moving to her before straightening up with a sigh. “Hi, baby.”

“What… I don’t mean this accusingly or anything but why are you rummaging through my drawers?”

Her eyes narrowed when she saw the guilty expression on his face.

“Oliver?” she insisted, feeling less and less amused by the second.

“Fuck,” he muttered before leaning against the secretary and rubbing his hands over his face.

She padded to him, her brow furrowing. “What the hell is going on? Since when do you snoop through my stuff?”

“I wasn’t… I mean yes, I was but it’s not snooping,” he mumbled cryptically which did exactly nothing to help her rising temper.

“I’m all ears, then.”

“I was looking for something.”

“I figured that part, yeah. Maybe you could have asked instead of sneaking behind my back while you thought I was asleep?”

Oliver nodded, avoiding her eyes as he moved from the secretary and went to the couch. With a small wince, he pulled off the table cloth, revealing the puzzle.

“I want to take you out on a date,” he blurted out.

She blinked, her eyes going from her coffee table to Oliver. She probably should have had coffee first before confronting him because her brain didn’t seem able to make sense of what he had just said. “OK…”

“Fuck,” he said again before dropping his shoulders. “I planned everything, OK? I’ve been preparing it since Monday and… we had a bet. The one who finishes the puzzle gets to pick the date. I have the date but I haven’t found that bloody last piece.”

Felicity’s mouth finally opened on a “o” of surprise when she finally understood. “You were looking for the last piece of the puzzle so you could ask me out on our first date?”

“Yes,” Oliver gritted through his teeth. “I know I’m like three years and at least three months late but I still want to do it properly.”

Her throat suddenly tight, Felicity blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall. She sniffled, wiping the one tear that had managed to escape. He had remembered their silly little bet. “It’s in my bedroom,” she eventually said in a small voice. “But… you won’t be able to use it.”

“Why?”

Felicity shrugged, forcing herself to move so she could get the small piece of cardboard. She had left it in an envelope in the back of the drawer of her night stand and Oliver looked at her with confusion when she handed it to him.

Opening the envelope, he tipped it down, his palm open to receive the small piece.

“What… why is it like that?” he asked in a low voice.

She didn’t have to look at what he was holding in his hand, knowing the little piece of cardboard was completely ruined and barely recognizable.

“I came home that day,” she started, knowing he would probably understand exactly which day she was talking about. “I took off my shoes, like I always do, walked past the couch to go to my bedroom and stepped on something. I stopped, picked it up and... ”

Oliver visibly swallowed, his eyes still glued to his hand.

“I held it so tightly in my hand all day and all night, until my mom forced me to let it go,” Felicity explained, her voice breaking. “By then… it was ruined. I bent it too much, my nails dug in it too and… it was ruined,” she repeated.

“Felicity,” Oliver breathed, his eyes finally meeting hers.

“So you can’t finish the puzzle. I’m sorry.”

With one step, he was by her side, pulling her in his arms. “Don’t.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again, her voice muffled by the way her lips were pressed against his chest.

Oliver’s lips crashed on her head. “Every time I’ll look at that puzzle and see that little missing piece, I’ll remember how I almost lost everything. I’ll remember how it felt. I’ll remember how it left a scar on the both of us. And then I’ll remember we still have each other and even if things aren’t perfect, we’re still the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me. **You** are still the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me.”

Felicity smiled, burying her face in the crook of his arm. “We can still consider you won, you know.”

“Phew. I would have hated cancelling our table at the strip club. It was a nightmare to get a reservation on a Saturday night.”

Felicity playfully punched his bicep. “Your idea of a perfect first date is to go to a strip club?”

“My perfect idea of a first date is to get a private show of **you** in the strip club,” Oliver answered with a pinch on her butt.

“Keep going and I’ll consider you lost just so I can take you to the Ikea restaurant for our first date.”

Oliver leaned back as she tilted her head. With a teasing smile, he carefully pushed her hair behind her ears before dropping a kiss on her lips.

“So where are you taking me?” Felicity asked with a smile, unable to contain her excitement now that the small emotional moment was gone. She was going on a date with Oliver. A real date. “Oh wait! First you have to ask me!”

“Seriously?”

“Yes! I deserve to be asked out. I want to remember what it felt like to be asked out for my last first date.”

Grinning, Oliver huffed out a small laugh before shaking his head. “Felicity…”

“Yes?” she prompted encouragingly.

“Will you go on a date with me? Tonight? Let’s say around 7?”

“Yes! Where?”

“Well… I’m taking you out for dinner.”

“Going with the classics, I see. I approve. Much better than the strip club, by the way.”

“I’m a classy man.”

“But you need to give me details. Do I need to dress nice, or very nice or nice and casual?”

“You always dress nice, Felicity,” Oliver grinned. “But we’re going to Table Salt. You told me you’ve never been there.”

“OK so I have to dress **very** nice, then.”

“I’ll have to head to work for a couple hours in the afternoon, so I’ll come pick you up.”

She squealed, rolling on the balls of her feet. “Even better. It really is like a real first date.”

  
  
  
  


“White,” Oliver said firmly, crossing his arms on his chest.

“You can’t…” Felicity let out a frustrated breath, unable to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “You can’t have white towels, Oliver!”

“What do you mean? This is a towel, and it is white,” he said as he held up a towel in front of her eyes.

Felicity licked her lips, counting until ten. “Oliver, I’m a girl. We don’t like white towels.”

“Why do you even care? It’s just a towel, babe!”

She glared at him before lowering her voice and gritting through her teeth, “Sometimes I get my period unexpectedly and I. Do. Not. Want. White. Towels. Get it?”

Oliver slapped his mouth shut. “Oh.”

“Yes. Oh.”

“Oh… OK. I… OK, yeah. But white towels look manly. They just scream “my owner doesn’t care about colors, he cares about efficiency” and… and they’re manly.”

“You said that twice, Oliver.”

“Just making sure,” he replied with a lopsided grin.

“What about grey? Surely, grey screams “my owner is an alpha male”, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah… I could work with grey.”

“Awesome. Grey and pink, perfect choice of colors.” Felicity grinned, patting his cheek before pushing the cart to further down the aisle. “See, it’s all about compromising.”

“Wait, what?!”

“You said you wanted me to have stuff I liked too. I like pink! Also it’s going to be in your bathroom, it’s not like people will see.”

“I get to choose the towels for the downstairs bathroom then?”

“Yeah, no, Thea already told me she wanted to do it,” Felicity waved him off before grabbing four grey bath towels and four pink ones.

“So I’m gonna have girly colors in both bathrooms?”

“No, don’t worry, she told me she was going with turquoise.”

Oliver paused, his hands full of bath sheets. “Oh yes, a color that I’m not sure I can spell properly is the definition of manly. God, is it always this crowded?”

“Yes,” Felicity mumbled, checking her list. “OK, we have all the bathroom textiles, we need to buy pillows now.”

“We already have two pillows, hon’.”

“How many do I have at my place?”

“... Pillows, then.”

“I like to buy all my pillows, duvet and sheets here because they all have the exact same size. How do you manage at the mansion? Everything fits perfectly too but nothing comes from Ikea that’s for sure.”

Oliver looked at her, blinking. “They’re all made according to our needs.”

Felicity stopped, blocking a couple behind her. “Sorry,” she muttered before moving to the side. “You mean you actually have people who take measurements of your duvet then make the sheets?”

“Yeah?”

“Oh my God.”

Oliver shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “I don’t care though. I mean my mom orders them twice a year but I couldn’t care less.”

“Twice a year?! You get custom made sheets for the entire house twice a year?” she screeched.

“My mom does,” Oliver corrected her again.

“Oh God. I’m almost afraid to ask about the washcloths.”

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck, keeping his mouth tightly shut.

“Right,” Felicity said. “Pillows.”

Felicity eventually took pity on Oliver and after grabbing four pillows and several sets of sheets, she dragged him to the exit. They had compromised while having breakfast, going to Ikea for the small objects and then they would head to a big furniture store for the bigger pieces. Oliver was driving an SUV she had never seen before and it made her wonder how many cars he even owned. The answer left her speechless.

Five. He owned five cars. His Corvette, the SUV, a convertible Audi, a sedan and an Aston Martin.

The best part of the day was definitely trying the chairs that would go in the living room. Oliver had already bought the couch, but also wanted a pair of big, comfy leather chairs. They also picked his dining room set, and enough to furnish his office, as well as the small work area Oliver had reserved for her in the living room. Several cabinets, drawers, and other tables were also picked and would be delivered within the next two weeks. They stopped for a quick lunch before heading to Home Depot, another compromise. It was past two when they walked back into her apartment, carrying groceries that they had stopped to buy on their way. They had been gone since 7:30AM and Felicity barely took the time to get rid of her Converses before dropping on her bed.

She heard Oliver’s chuckle when he stepped inside her bedroom. He gently took off her glasses and covered her with a blanket before whispering that he’d pick her up at seven sharp. Then the door closed on a little click and she fell asleep.  
  
  


 

***

 

Oliver smiled as he walked into her bedroom, seeing her spread out on her bed, diagonally. She hadn’t even taken the time to take her glasses off. He put them on her night stand then picked up the blanket at the end of the bed and covered her before brushing a kiss on her cheek, murmuring he would pick her up at seven. He made sure to set the alarm clock on her phone so she wouldn’t oversleep, knowing the past week had been beyond exhausting for her.

He leaned against the doorframe, watching her as she drifted into sleep, feeling utterly at peace for the first time in… forever. He felt free and young, and despite everything that had happened, despite Alfred’s threats and Malcolm’s death, he couldn’t keep the smile of his face. They had bickered all morning over the stupidest things and it had made him happy like a fool that they could take the time to just **be**. Everything else around him could crash, as long as she was there, he’d be alright. The problems seemed small now, for a reason he still didn’t really understand. He should be worried about his mom, about Tommy, about Thea, about a million other things but… he couldn’t bring himself to. Today, he was going to be selfish and enjoy his time with Felicity like his mother had told him to.

And he had to begin with their date. He still had a lot to plan so everything would be perfect for her. A date three years in the making had to be special and even if he hadn’t had as much time as he had hoped, he still wanted to make sure she would remember it.

He softly closed the door, then put away the rest of the groceries that Felicity hadn’t bothered with once she had made sure the fresh products were safely in the fridge or the freezer.

Picking up his car key, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, dialing Thea’s number.

“Ollie?”

“Speedy. Before you wonder, yes Felicity told me and yes we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

There was a little pause, then a surprised “okay?”

“I kinda need your help though. Do you have a few hours to spare for me?”

“Sure. What do you need?”

“Candles. And also those lantern thingies, you know the ones you love.”

“Oh my God are you proposing?!” she squealed so loud that he had to move the phone from his ear.

“What? No! Felicity and I are going on our first date.”

“Right. I forgot about that. Jeez, talk about taking things slow. I’ll be sixty by the time you guys start talking about maybe possibly adopting a dog.”

Oliver rolled his eyes then gave her the address where he needed everything to be delivered. “Can you also make sure everything looks nice? I trust your good taste and I told them someone would stop by.”

“Hum, sure, but Ollie I just GPS-ed the address and is this really a-”

“Yes.”

“Why on earth are you taking her there?”

Oliver grinned as he slipped behind the wheel. “Because Felicity loves it.” 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are finally going on their first date together :'( :'(  
> ANy idea where he is taking her? ANd yes it is something you can guess/find out if you've read their story from the beginning :p
> 
> I think you can see that the tone is getting lighter - not having a sociopath who might or might not be plotting to kill you does that to you. I think I've really explored how much Oliver and Felicity Love each other- and yes the cap is justified there - so I figure now it was time to see them... in love. A bit more carefree. Relaxed. Yeah there are still a bunch of things that aren't right around them (Tommy, ALfred the Ass -thank you Beta for the nickname, suits him like a glove-, work about to get very heavy and so on) but they're clearly in that celebrating life stage and since they're finally allowing themselves to be out in the open, it also frees them emotionally.   
> Not everything will be perfect though, because there are still lingering issues and, as usual, things will come to a head at some point but it's definitely going to be more hopeful as we go on :)


	36. Love Is All Around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So here is *the* date chapter and I hope you will enjoy it as much as Oliver and Felicity did ;)  
> Special thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka for their help <3<3
> 
> Song: Love is all around - Wet Wet Wet

**"Love Is All Around"**

 

 

I feel it in my fingers  
I feel it in my toes  
Love is all around me  
And so the feeling grows  
It's written on the wind  
It's everywhere I go, oh yes it is  
So if you really love me  
Come on and let it show  
You know I love you, I always will  
My mind's made up by the  
Way that I feel  
There's no beginning,  
There'll be no end  
'cause on my love you can depend  
I see your face before me  
As I lay on my bed  
I kinda get to thinking  
Of all the things you said, oh yes I did  
You gave your promise to me and i  
Gave mine to you  
I need someone beside me  
In everything I do, oh yes I do  
You know I love you, I always will,  
My mind's made up by the  
Way that I feel  
There's no beginning,  
There'll be no end  
'cause on my love you can depend  
Got to keep it moving  
Oh it's written in the wind  
Oh everywhere I go, yeah, oh well  
So if you really love me, love me, love me  
Come on and let it show  
Come on and let it show  
Come on and let it  
Come on and let it (come and let it show, baby)  
Come on, come on, come on let it show baby  
Come on and let it show  
Come on and let it show, baby  
Come on and let it show

 

 

When Felicity woke up, it took her a few seconds to remember where she was. Apparently she had collapsed in a matter of minutes, barely taking the time to take off her shoes. With a yawn, she sat up then stretched, picking up her phone and seeing it was almost 5PM. She had slept more than two hours and finally felt a little bit more human. Running on caffeine could only work for a few hours, unfortunately and by the time they had left the last store, she had battled to keep her eyes opened.

The past week had been exhausting to say the least, with very short nights on top of the extra long work hours she was pulling. Most of the nights, she had left work way past seven, only to be back in the office by eight at the latest the next day and that was without counting the work she did at home. She hadn’t gone to bed before midnight once.

There had also been Ray’s funeral, where Oliver had joined her. It had been a small, intimate ceremony. Malcolm’s funeral still hadn’t taken place and no one knew what exactly was going on. Tommy had spoken to Thea, informing her that his father would probably buried somewhere else, fearing that his tombstone would be vandalized.

He still declined to speak with Oliver. She knew it was weighing on him, but he also understood Tommy’s need for space.

There was a newfound lightness in Oliver now, one that mesmerized her. He was more teasing and playful, the burden of his father’s death having finally almost lifted from his shoulders. The sense of security they were now living in had also allowed him to relax, even if he still wasn’t completely there. There were still moments of tension, moments where he would retreat inside himself. She knew he was still struggling with his PTSD but they were working on it and they’d get there eventually.

Her hand untied her ponytail, scratching her skull to soothe the little ache. It was a good thing she hadn’t washed her hair since Wednesday - not by choice but by lack of time. She had a little over two hours to get ready for her date and she would start with a nice warm shower. Padding to her small walk-in closet, she went straight to the back where she kept her “classy” outfits. The space was getting too small, and she knew she’d have to buy even more clothes now. As a Vice-President she had had to get more cocktail dresses and business suits, but as a CEO, she would be expected to leave on longer business trips. Shopping would definitely be needed and her closet was already reaching its full capacity.

Seeing as Oliver had told her she could leave some clothes at his place, she would probably have to make some kind of a selection so she’d have several outfits at his apartment instead of dragging a bag every time. It was saying a lot that she still hadn’t had the time to even do that.

Her lips stretched on a wide smile when she pulled out the deep red dress she had never worn before. She had bought it a couple weeks ago, once she and Oliver had started dating again. She knew how much Oliver liked her in red and hadn’t been able to resist when she had seen it in the store and had bought it on an impulse.

Great impulse, apparently.

 

One hot shower later, she was sitting at her work table, wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe, her hair in a towel and a big mug of coffee in hand as she checked her emails. As agreed, she transferred all the ones concerning financial questions to the board, knowing they were planning a meeting in ten days to let her inside the loop of this particularly tedious aspect of her job. The inquiries for an interview or statement went directly to the PR department as well. She confirmed with New York that she would head there at the end of the week, asking them to get in touch with her assistant for more information. She specified the departments she really wanted to see and what she was expecting of her visit, then sent an email to their branch in Los Angeles, setting a similar visit within the next month. Hong Kong was the next one but seeing as it was abroad, she would probably stay there much longer and she couldn’t afford to leave Starling for such a long period of time so soon. They would have to wait.

After spending all this time with Oliver, it almost felt weird to be in an empty apartment but she couldn’t deny it felt good to be able to get ready alone. There was something very romantic and nerve-wracking to know he was probably doing the same thing in his own apartment.

They were finally going on their first date, she thought with a smile as she went to rinse her coffee cup. Finally, finally, after all this time, they were granted the chance to be together for good, out in the open, and she couldn’t wait.

She blowdried her hair, using her iron to define every curl before pinning them in a low bun, leaving her neck bare. She took extra care with her makeup, picking a deep red for her lips and a touch of eyeliner for her eyes. Thankfully, her nap had helped fade the dark circles under her eyes and a little touch of concealer took care of the rest. The dress she had picked couldn’t be worn with a bra, so she took the time to carefully pick her panties, a tiny piece of black and red lace with a small keyhole right above the cheeks of her butt. Before putting her dress on, she fished out a nude clutch that would go well with her pumps, filling it with the essentials. She mentally noted that she also definitely needed to buy more shoes and hoped she might get a couple of free hours in New York to hit Fifth Avenue.

A black and red pashmina was dropped on the bed with her coat and she shimmied inside the dress, hoping it would fit as well as it had in the shop. Twisting around, she flattened her hands on her hips, adjusting the skirt and the strap around her neck.

There was a knock on the door just as she was slipping her heels on and she quickly put her coat on, grabbed her clutch and the pashmina and hurried to the door with a bounce in her steps and probably the widest smile on her face.

Opening the door, she let out a giggle. “Oliver, you and I both know you have a key.”

“I just wanted to play by the rules,” he shrugged sheepishly, his eyes travelling down her body. Her coat was open, and as he leaned down to press a kiss on her cheek, he let his hand sneak to her hip. Her breathing hitched when his warm palm found the small naked patch of skin there. His thumb stroked her waist as his nose nuzzled her jaw and neck. “You look stunningly beautiful.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Felicity breathed in a strangled voice once he took a step back. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a crisp white shirt and a black and gray tie.

With a smile, Oliver took the keys from her hands as well as the bag of clothes she had packed to spend the night at his place.

“Isn’t it slightly… awkward?” she asked with a smile once they were in his car. “I mean a good kind of awkward, just that… this should have been step one.”

Oliver chuckled at he started the car and she had to bite back a moan at the way he handled the wheel. She had never noticed it but there was something so incredibly sexy with the way he was turning the wheel one-handed, his other hand resting confidently on the gear shift, inches from her leg. He had picked his Aston Martin, a car she had never been inside but which was oddly similar to a Porsche or any other sport convertible. To be fair, she didn’t know much about cars, apart from how to sabotage them.

“If I can be honest, I really liked our first step. I believe it was dry-humping in the archive room. Pretty hard to top,” Oliver said with a teasing glance.

Felicity groaned. “Couldn’t you mention the Christmas in July party instead? It’s a little bit more romantic.”

“My bad. It was our first kiss, indeed. Then we jumped to dry-humping, then we spent a weekend together in Vegas with… more dry-humping and then I was a jerk.”

“But you apologized and got me a potted plant so it was all good.”

“I did. Then we had sex for two, three days straight and then I took you home, where we had more sex.”

“And three years and a couple months later, you’re taking me out on a date.”

“I fully plan to have a lot of other dates to make up for the lost time, though.”

They arrived at Table Salt a few minutes later and Oliver jumped from his seat to open her door, letting a valet handle the car for him. He guided her with an arm around the waist as they walked up the few stairs leading to the restaurant, then took her hand in his, entwining their fingers before resting them against his stomach as they made their way inside.

“Mister Queen, your table is ready,” the maître d’ told them as soon as they entered the restaurant. “May I take your coats?”

A host stepped behind Felicity, only to be stopped by an abrupt “I’ll do it, thank you.”

Felicity bit back her laugh at Oliver’s gruff voice as she felt him take a hold of her coat. He gently pulled and she let him, changing her clutch from hand to hand to get rid of the sleeves.

Oliver froze behind her.

She sensed his hands gripping her coat tighter as it fell and exposed her back, heard his small intake of breath then waited.

And waited some more.

“Hum, Oliver?” she eventually prompted as the maître d’ and the host were awkwardly waiting next to them.

“Yes, sorry,” he coughed before finishing the job and handing the coat to the host, his hand automatically reaching to rest on her lower back.

Her very, very naked lower back.

Turning around, she offered him a small mischievous grin. He tilted his head with a look of warning, but the heat in his eyes confirmed she’d be in the best kind of trouble later.

“Jesus Christ, are you trying to kill me?” he whispered in her ear as they followed the maître d’ to their table.

“Is it working?” she whispered back.

“No. I feel very much alive right now if you know what I mean.”

She sat down, putting her clutch on the table and her pashmina on the back of her chair while Oliver took his own seat. “I figured you’d like it,” she said innocently as she accepted a menu.

Oliver waited until they were alone again to lean in. “Like is a weak word to express how I feel right now. Those bands of fabric criss-crossing are just… oh God you’re braless.”

Felicity giggled, hiding her face behind the menu. “Well, duh, obviously. I am wearing panties though.”

Oliver choked before leaning back in his chair, a finger tapping against the smile on his lips. “I’m going to spend the night wondering which ones, you know that, right?”

“Of course I do. Hint: They’re tiny.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh before picking up his own menu. “You little vixen.”

It was only when their waiter came to take their orders that Felicity finally took the chance to take in their surroundings. They were in a secluded area of the restaurant, the dim lights providing even more privacy. Everything was cream and beige colors, with hints of crimson. A giant chandelier was hanging above a large round table that could hold at least twelve people but the rest of the tables more modest in size. The place was full, unsurprisingly, and she wondered again how Oliver had managed to get a table.

“How did you get a table on such short notice?”

Oliver smiled as he took a sip of water. “Mom. She knows the owner.”

“Of course,” Felicity let out a small laugh. She could feel her nerves starting to tingle, for a reason that made little sense. Except for the fact that they were more used to pretending not to be a couple rather than actually date, of course.

“You OK?” Oliver asked.

“Yes. Just… a bit nervous? I know it’s stupid because, well, it’s not like we never ate together or talked or spent time or… well. I can’t help it.”

“I’ve been pretty nervous most of the day too,” Oliver grinned. “I’m a bit rusty when it comes to dates and the little I remember about first dates clearly can’t help for us.”

“You mean like the usual questions? Where did you study, do you have any siblings, tell me about your job, do you like dogs?”

“Yes, those ones.”

“Yes, we’re very far ahead on certain aspects and so behind on others.”

“There are still a million things I want to know about you.”

“Really? Shoot then,” Felicity encouraged him, playing with the rim of her glass.

“Alright. What countries would you like to visit?”

“Oh, good one. England, for sure. Italy. Turkey. Peru. New Zealand. Belgium.” 

“Belgium?” Oliver grinned, nodding at their waiter who was back with a bottle of wine.

“Of course, Belgium,” Felicity told him sternly. “The chocolate, Oliver. The chocolate!”

“You do know you don’t have to actually go there to get some Belgian chocolate, right?”

Felicity sighed. “Of course, but one of my friends in college went on a trip to Europe after high school and she told me that in Brussels, there is this street with small chocolate factories and shops and I swear to God, the way she described it, it was heaven on earth.”

“And Bali?” Oliver asked quietly, putting his glass of wine down after having tasted it.

Felicity waited until the waiter had poured their wine before answering. “Yes. I’d love to go to Bali. But that's more of a… romantic, lazy vacation? Like sea, sex and sun kind of vacation, with cocktails and walks on the beach, sunsets,... I mean it’s a “couple” vacation and, well, I never really… You know, it’s more of wanting to visit it with the right person. So if we’re playing the first date game, I’m not going to mention it and freak you out. If we’re not playing the first date game, then you have no idea of many times I’ve dreamed we’d go there.”

Oliver smiled, his hand lingering near his glass until his pinky finger grazed hers. She felt her cheeks warming up as she forced herself to hold his eyes, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach at the simple gesture.

“Let me guess…” he said pensively. “England because of London and it also probably has to do with Harry Potter. You would also love to visit Scotland, I’m sure, right?”

Felicity grinned. “Busted.”

“Italy is for the food mostly but I’m sure you want to visit Rome, Firenze, and Tuscany. Also for the wine.”

Felicity blinked in surprise. “Right again.”

“Turkey has to have something to do with Istanbul. I think you mentioned the Blue Mosque once.”

“Dig told me he and Lyla had gone there after their tour in Afghanistan and it sounded so beautiful.”

“Peru is Machu Picchu?”

“Damn. But that was an easy one, I have a framed picture of it at home.”

“New Zealand is because of the Lord of The Rings.”

“God yes, everything looks breathtaking over there. OK, you got me good there. Your turn.”

Oliver smiled again and she couldn’t help but notice that he had relaxed, too. “I think I’m game for almost everything, apart from Russia and mostly-deserted islands in the China sea.”

“Sick of the vodka?”

“And the ushanka-hats really don’t fit me that well.”

Felicity giggled, taking another sip of wine before letting her hand rest against Oliver again. She liked the contact. The table was between them and they were in public, but having their fingers grazing was warming her much faster than the wine ever could.

“But Bali?” she said with a small smile.

“Can’t even imagine never going there with you, now. Greece as well, now that I think of it.”

“Unfortunately, I doubt we’ll manage for a while,” she sighed with a little grimace. “But God I want to go to Greece too, now.”

“Weekends are good too. We’ll make time,” Oliver shrugged. “I’d love to go to San Francisco. Or New York. New Orleans?”

“Yes to all above.”

“See? We can take three days every once in awhile.”

“I think we’re kinda skipping steps again,” she giggled suddenly. “We’re not supposed to be planning our future vacations on a first date.”

Oliver laughed. “Damn. OK. Back to basics. I know you want a lab, so you obviously like dogs. So do I, which you also knew.”

“Oh, wait, I have a good first date question! How was it growing up with a sibling?”

“A pain in the ass,” Oliver deadpanned.

“Now, come on, seriously,” Felicity grinned, absently wondering if after tonight she’d have a permanent smile on her face.

“Well Thea arrived when I was ten so most of my childhood was as an only child. I was mostly indifferent when I was told I’d get a little brother or sister.”

“So what changed?”

“Well, a few days after she was born, we had this photographer at the mansion to take pictures of the happy family. It lasted a few hours and I was so sick of it. They made me change clothes so many times, and we travelled all around the house, inside and out. Then in the end, the photographer asked for a picture of me holding her in my arms. We were inside, I was sitting on the floor with some… old wooden toy trains or something, my parents behind me. And they put her in my arms.” Oliver laughed, shaking his head. “I was so out of my league. I was wondering if I should hold her like a football or a puppy. But then I looked at her and she opened her eyes and… I realized I was a big brother and she was a part of my life. Watching her grow, seeing her first steps, hearing her first words and the way she kept following me around... it was like I was her hero which is basically catnip for a boy.”

Their waiter arrived with their appetizers. Felicity had picked the scallops and leeks and Oliver a goat cheese toast with a crispy green salad. Their conversation flowed easily after that, once they had found their footing in the unusual circumstances - unusual for them at least. By the time they were done with their main course - Wellington beef for Oliver and seabass for her, Felicity felt almost sad that the night was coming to an end.

As Felicity was unable to choose her dessert, they ended up ordering a chocolate soufflé and a lemon meringue pie, setting both plates in the middle of the table and sharing them. As she was more and more relaxed, she couldn’t help but notice it was completely the opposite for Oliver who had checked his phone several times during their meal.

“Everything alright?” she eventually asked as she finished their soufflé.

“Yes. Yes, it’s all fine, don’t worry.”

“Work? We can leave right now if there is a situation,” she offered, already reaching for her pashmina.

“No, baby, nothing like that, don’t worry,” he reassured her with a gentle smile, pulling her hand to his lips.

Oliver eventually asked for the check, guiding her towards the exit. He helped her back into her coat, throwing a dirty look at the poor host who was about to help her.

“The weather is pretty warm tonight, isn’t it?” he asked as they stepped outside.

“Yes. Hard to believe it’s November actually.”

As he started the car, she noticed he wasn’t going in the direction of his apartment - quite the opposite.

“Hum, Oliver? Your place is that way,” she said, pointing backwards.

A mysterious smile grew on Oliver’s lips. “I know. I just thought we could go on a little walk, enjoy the weather.”

“Oh… OK. But we could have done that from the restaurant, you know. Not that I’m complaining but I thought we were heading to your apartment.” Where you have this king-sized bed and an amazing mirror above it, she added in her mind.

He turned his head to look at her as he stopped at a red light, then pulled her hand to his thigh. “I have a better place in mind.”

Felicity tried to figure out where he could be taking her as they drove through the city but the usual destinations got ruled out one by one. The park. The harbour. The little neighborhood full of narrow streets and old houses. The stadium. The observatory.

“I give up,” she finally said as they passed the city limit. “Are you kidnapping me?”

Oliver laughed, refusing to answer. Instead, he asked her to reach into the glovebox and retrieve a black scarf.

“Seriously? Again?!”

“Yup.”

Grumbling, she put the scarf around her eyes. “We’re gonna have to talk about your fetish one of these days, Oliver Jonas Queen.”

“You’re only saying that because you’d rather I blindfold you in the bedroom and not just in my car.”

She didn’t answer because he kinda had a point.

Except she was hoping he’d be the one with the blindfold and not the other way around.

Finally, she felt the car slowing down until it stopped completely. Oliver turned off the engine and for a small awkward moment, there was only silence in the car.

“I wanted it to be special,” he eventually said. “But now it seems a bit…”

“A bit…?”

“Silly?”

“Oliver, I’m sitting here with a blindfold, turning my head left and right even though I can’t see, I don’t think anything can get any more silly than that,” she laughed.

“Right,” he answered before opening the door. She waited patiently until he helped her out as well, buttoning her coat for her.

“I don’t want you to get cold. If you need to change, don’t forget you have clothes in the car.”

“Hum. OK. Are you taking me for a hike or something? Because then I should change right away.”

_Is he taking me back to the small park by the lake where we had a picnic?_

“No, no hiking, I promise.”

He guided her gently, one arm around her waist, the other holding her arm to steady her. She couldn’t hear a sound around her and the ground was flat and firm under her feet, so she ruled out the park.

Eventually he stopped and turned her around. She halted his hands before they could untie the scarf. “Just so you know… it’s already the best date I’ve ever been on.”

She felt Oliver’s lips on the back of her neck, then his warm breath brushing her ear. “It’s mine as well.”

She blinked when he released the blindfold, even though it was dark. Well, not exactly. They were still outside, and it was night time, so yes it was dark.

But there were candles and lanterns everywhere she could lay her eyes on.

And…

“Oh my God. A mini-golf course?” she squealed once she realized that the little flickering lights were tracing a pattern. She could see trees not far from them, and an old building on their left, but they were completely alone, surrounded by hundreds of candles and a few stars and the moon in the sky. It was... absolute perfection.

“Yes,” Oliver said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck as she turned to face him. “You remember, Ivy Town, you… well you were so bloodthirsty-”

“Enthusiastic,” she corrected.

“... right. Enthusiastic. You told me you loved mini-golf so… I figured we could play again, but just the two of us this time.” 

“So you, what? Booked an entire mini-golf course, made them stay open late at night and decorate the place with a gazillion candles?”

“Basically. Thea helped and made sure everything was ready, though. But yeah… that’s the idea.” He shifted on his feet, obviously unsure and slightly uncomfortable as if he was waiting for something from her.

“This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me,” she smiled as she reached on her toes to throw her arms around his shoulders and kiss him. “It even beats the fountains in Vegas.”

“It does?” he asked against her lips.

“Yes,” she beamed as her hand stroked his jaw. “That day will always hold a special place in my heart. And to know that it does for you too is just… I love you.”

Oliver smiled, obvious relief showing on his face and she shook her head. Sometimes she forgot that Oliver, despite being more than experienced with the other sex, also had severe deficiencies when it came to romance and love. Seducing? No problem. But wooing? He was much less confident because he never really had to do it before. Or wanted to do it, she didn’t really know for sure, even though she had her suspicions. So it wasn’t that much of a surprise to see him so hesitant, unsure of his idea. She’d have to teach him that there was nothing more romantic than a man who remembered every detail of their love story and tried to commemorate the important moments in his own way. Any man could have taken her to the observatory to gaze at the stars and yes, it would had been romantic in itself. But this? This was just them. Something they could never do with anybody else because it was only meaningful for the two of them.

“I hope you’re ready to get your ass kicked, though,” she teased him, not wanting to dwell too much on how much it meant to her that he would go out of his way to make their first date as if those three years had never happened. She was already close enough to tears as it was.

The mini-golf course was spread out in the grass, and she didn’t hesitate before taking off her heels. Oliver wrapped her pashmina around her neck as he shrugged on the coat she hadn’t even noticed he had carried with him. “You tell me if you get cold, OK?”

She hummed in agreement, already heading to the bench where two clubs and golf balls were waiting, as well as the usual papers and pens. There were blankets and two thermoses as well and she raised an eyebrow in question.

“Hot cocoa and tea. There should also be marshmallows.”

She almost jumped him. 

“Ladies first,” he said as he handed her a club.

“How did you even think of doing this?” she asked as she took position. “I didn’t even know of this place.”

“First, I just wanted to do something that you really like and don’t get to do often. And something that brought back good memories. And...”

Felicity aimed then hit the ball, smirking when it went straight inside the hole. “And?” she then prompted Oliver.

“I already told you that it was in Ivy Town that I realized… there was something more. I wanted to kiss you so badly while we were playing, you know.”

“Really?” she asked in surprise. That she hadn’t realized back then. At all.

“Yup,” Oliver nodded before sending his own ball into the hole as well, looking at her with a little smirk. “You were so… passionate. All riled-up. It was pretty hot. Then you suggested I take off my shirt to distract the ladies and I almost choked on my tongue.”

“Truth be told, I also kinda wanted to see you half-naked again.”

Oliver grinned, grabbing her waist and pulling her to him before lowering his mouth to hers, murmuring against her lips. “I hope I’ve satisfied that particular craving ever since.”

“That depends if you’re going to satisfy it again later tonight.”

Without her heels, she had to reach on her toes to get a comfortable angle to kiss him but truth be told, she couldn’t care less. He tasted like wine, chocolate and Oliver and it was intoxicating her senses. They were all alone in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, the sky was pitch dark with the moon and a few stars for witnesses and it was one of the best kisses of her life. Third only to their first kiss at Tommy’s party, and their second first kiss when he had gotten back from his three years away.

“I love you,” she whispered as they broke apart, unable to tear her eyes from his.

His eyes softened at her words, and he let out a deep happy sigh. “God, I love you too. I don’t know where I would be right now if it wasn’t for you.”

“Definitely not playing mini-golf in the middle of the night, that’s for sure.”

It took them much, much longer than it should have to finish the eighteen holes. Between the kissing, the gazing, and the talking, they were going at a snail’s pace. And neither of them could care less. It was the very first time they were allowing themselves to just **be** , to enjoy what it meant to be together, not just the deep, meaningful part of it but also the fun, the silly bits. Felicity could feel herself falling even more in love with him by the minute, this amazing man who had only wanted to please her, whose sole purpose tonight had been apparently to make her as happy as possible, not caring if it implied a stupid mini-golf game in the middle of a November night.

Because that was the man Oliver Queen had become. A boyfriend, and a hell of a good one at that. A partner, in what she suspected would eventually be every meaning of the word.

 

Felicity won, unsurprisingly.

To be fair, they were tied until the last hole where she had dropped her coat then pretended to pick up something from the ground just as Oliver had hit the ball.

Of course, he had missed by five feet.

She was still laughing when she put her coat back on, shivering. Oliver glared at her, leaning on his club and slowly shaking his head. She walked up to him, snuggling her arms around his waist.

“All is fair in love and war, right?”

“That was a very dirty move and you know it,” he replied as he wrapped her in his arms, his hands rubbing her back once he noticed she was cold. “Hot cocoa?”

“God, yes.”

They walked up to the bench where Oliver spread a blanket before they sat down. He then covered her legs and wrapped another blanket around her, putting her legs over his lap. He handed her a cup of hot cocoa where he had sprinkled a generous handful of marshmallows, then got himself a cup of tea.

“This is so beautiful,” she said dreamily as she gazed at the stars and the lanterns around them. Some of the candles had already died out, filling the air with the typical smell of burnt wax. Her hands wrapped tightly around the cup, she let the hot liquid warm her freezing fingers, her head dropping against Oliver’s shoulder as his hand started to rub small circles on her back. “Do we have to blow out the candles?”

“No. There is someone in the building, they’ll make sure everything is back in order when we leave.”

Felicity finished her cocoa in silence, enjoying the peaceful night and the absolute perfection that it was to be in Oliver’s arms. The air around them had gotten chilly but she was safe and warm and she honestly didn’t want to move.

“You’re not falling asleep on me, are you?” Oliver suddenly whispered, his lips pressed against her forehead as he took her now empty cup out of her hands.

“No. I just don’t feel like moving.”

The low rumble in Oliver’s chest made her smile, raising her head to meet his lips. It was a slow, languid, lazy kiss that finished warming her up all the way down to her toes.

“Your nose is ice-cold,” Oliver said as he pressed a little peck on it. “Come on, let’s go home.”

She pouted, letting him put her on her feet but kept the blanket around her. Oliver picked up her shoes, holding them with the other blanket as they slowly walked back to the car. Before opening her door, he gently turned her around to face him, his hands cradling her face before pressing a soft kiss on her lips. He lingered, breathing her in, then eventually moved away after another kiss, just as delicate as the first one. He let her sit down and put her seatbelt on before wrapping the extra blanket around her legs and rounding the car.

Oliver paused just as he was about the start the engine, huffing a laugh before dropping his head against the wheel.

“What?” she asked as she got more comfortable on her seat, slipping her feet underneath her legs.

“It’s just… believe it or not but this is going to be the very first “first date” that is going to end up at my place.”

“I’m very honored to be your first. I’ll be gentle,” she answered with a smirk.

Oliver shook his head before turning the music on as well as the heater. She remained silent during their trip back, too busy drinking him in. The streetlights were passing on his face and he was painfully handsome, especially with this strong, focused look on his face. He cast a few quick glances at her at every red light, occasionally squeezing her thigh or pressing a kiss on the back of her hand.

Again, that feeling of intense security invaded her and she closed her eyes, letting herself savor that quiet moment that had been so hard to earn.

She put her heels back on before leaving the car once they had made it to the garage of Oliver’s building, letting Oliver carry her overnight bag and the blankets. They were quiet when they walked inside his living room, Felicity stopping to get a glass of water while Oliver went to the bathroom. She had just gotten barefoot when he entered the bedroom, the jacket of his suit long gone, and he toed off his shoes before sitting down on the bed, watching as she took off her earrings, dropping them on a dresser. She then stepped between his knees, her hands going straight for his hair as her thumbs pressed little circles over his temples.

Oliver’s hands circled her hips before he pulled her close, burying his face in her stomach, and he let out a groan when she started to scratch his skull. Eventually he raised his head and gently turned her around until he was facing her back, his hands gliding along the fabric of her dress, until they met her naked skin. He let them travel down her legs and her knees buckled when he reached their insides, slowly going up - this time underneath the skirt of her dress.

A deep shiver ran through her when she felt something warm and wet sliding across her lower back, following her spine, stopping at the first criss cross of the top of her dress.

She let out a small yelp when there was a sudden pinch on her butt, where Oliver had bitten a globe of flesh through the fabric but the tiny pain was quickly forgotten when his devilish hands brushed the hem of her panties.

“Are those the red and black ones? The pair I begged you to wear I don’t know how many times?” he asked softly.

“One way to find out.”

Gently pushing on the small of her back, Oliver made her take a step forward, giving him enough room to stand up. He then grabbed the hem of her dress, pulling it up. Felicity raised her arms, letting him undress her.

The dress fell carelessly on the floor, and she closed her eyes, dropping her head back to let it rest against Oliver’s chest while his hands were stroking her sides, going up until they could tease her breasts. His caress was soft, delicate and light, just like the kisses he was peppering on her neck and shoulder. Everything in his touch was loving, tender and almost venerating.

“Are you tired?” he asked quietly, his fingers stroking her lower stomach.

She shook her head, biting her lower lip as she turned around to face him. “Are you?”

“Nope,” he smiled, his eyes holding about a hundred promises.

“Great. Because I think this mirror of yours needs to see some action. And you’re the one doing all the work tonight.”

 

***

 

“The washing machine should be done, can you put the laundry in the dryer?” Felicity asked from the shower. “By the way, thanks for the hickeys on my hips!”

“Yup,” he replied as he finished drying his hair. “And you’re welcome! I thought they’d go well with the ones on your ass!”

He chuckled at the outraged gasp he heard despite the water running and ducked just in time to avoid his bottle of shampoo flying across the room. He picked it up with a smirk, promising himself that by the end of the day, she’d have new hickeys. On her thighs, this time.

Walking back inside his bedroom, he got dressed into a pair of navy jeans and a dark blue thick cotton shirt, smiling smugly when he felt a pinch on his back - where Felicity’s nails had left long marks. He rolled up the sleeves then went to the small laundry room, loading the dryer with the towels Felicity had washed first thing in the morning.

He went back in the bedroom afterwards, knowing Felicity shouldn’t be much longer. He stopped in front of the dresser where she had casually dropped her earrings the night before and he smiled, taking the delicate pieces of gold in his hand, so feminine and delicate, the clear proof that she had taken up residence in his home.

And God he loved it.

“Just so you know, I’m starving,” Felicity said as she walked in the bedroom, a towel wrapped around her, interrupting his thoughts.

“Good. Raisa always makes enough food to feed an army.”

“What should I wear?”

“Casual,” Oliver shrugged as he plopped back on the bed, watching her getting ready.

“Casual, casual, or Queen mansion casual? ‘Cause I doubt it’s the same.”

Oliver grinned lazily. “Casual, casual. It’s just family. Usually Thea is in a pair of jeans.”

“Jeans, good.” Felicity nodded, rummaging through the clothes she had brought. She was already in her underwear and he watched her as she shimmied inside a pair of black jeans and a soft-looking pale pink sweater with a scoop neck.

“I think I left a necklace here last time,” she mumbled, looking around her. “Can you check the night stand?”

Oliver leaned over, opening the drawer, and grinned when he saw a package of kleenex, painkillers, a necklace and another pair of earrings as well as a thick pair of socks.

“White gold?” he asked when he found the fine piece of jewelry, letting it hang from his fingers. It was a delicate chain with a simple triangle in the middle that he remembered he had seen on her earlier that week.

“Yes,” she answered from the bathroom where she was vigorously brushing her hair into submission.

“Hum, can you also check if there is a hair tie?” 

Oliver stood up, picking one of the hair ties that were hiding underneath the socks and brought both objects to her. She was braiding her hair into a side braid and he watched her fingers play with the thick strands, leaning against the counter.

She quickly smiled at him before picking up a lipstick from a small basket they had bought the day before. Applying it to her lips, she then put on a thin layer of mascara.

“Ready,” she eventually announced as she slipped on a pair of boots.

“You need to start leaving more stuff here,” Oliver said as they stepped inside the elevator.

“I already am. Which reminds me, we should take an hour to pack some stuff from your bedroom today. If you tell me what, I’ll do it while you talk to Thea and your mom?”

“Probably books and DVDs, it would be a good idea to have something to put in all these cabinets you made me buy.”

“You’ll thank me one day.”

“If by “one day” you mean the day you and your Doctor Who anthology move in and need three shelves, then yeah you’re probably right.”

Felicity stopped suddenly just as they were reaching his car.

“You OK?” he asked as he opened her door.

“Hum, yes,” she mumbled, sliding in and buckling her seatbelt. “Just… just wondering if Raisa is going to make her banana bread.”

As he slipped behind the wheel, he took a second to make sure she was alright. She smiled reassuringly, patting him on the thigh.

They arrived ten minutes late, and he winced knowing his mother would probably scold him about his lack of manners.

“So sorry to be late, mom,” he apologized right away as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“Don’t be silly, you’re barely late at all,” she waved him off before welcoming Felicity with a hug.

Oliver’s eyebrows reached his hairline. He caught Thea’s eyes who just shrugged hopelessly, apparently as confused as he was. Sunday brunch was usually sacred in the Queen mansion.

They all took place around the table, Walter and Moira at each end, Oliver and Felicity on Moira’s left, Thea opposite them.

“So I heard that Thea told you the news,” Moira started the conversation as soon as their glasses were full of mimosas.

“Actually, Felicity did. But she didn’t tell me the why or the how. Just the what,” Oliver answered, resting his hand between Felicity’s back and her chair.

He noticed the small encouraging look that Felicity threw to Thea and he gave his full attention to his sister.

Truth be told, when Felicity had mentioned Thea’s desire to move out of the city for the remaining time of her internship, he had been taken completely off guard, his feelings way too confused to think rationally. There was fear, worry, suspicion, but also a little bit of admiration at the way Thea was trying to grab her future.

“I think your sister needs a little change of scenery,” Moira said gently.

“You mean… you’re OK with that?” Oliver asked, surprised once again.

“Yes. I would have had an issue if she had told me about this project some seven months ago, I won’t lie. But your sister has proven that she is mature and responsible and I’m willing to act on the trust she has earned. If this is what she wants, I will fully support her. There are a few conditions, of course. Do you remember Millie? We used to go to the country club together when you were a teenager. Well, she does live in Manhattan as well and there is an apartment for rent in her building. I would like for Thea to live there. Millie has a daughter of the same age, so Thea won’t be completely alone. I will feel better knowing there is a responsible family living a few floors down too.”

“I think all these demands are perfectly reasonable,” Oliver said with a frown. “I was also mostly worried about your safety Thea. Living on a campus is one thing but it is quite different to live alone in the city.”

“I don’t really care where I live to be honest so either way works for me,” Thea grinned.

“I also suggested to your mother that Thea register for a few classes at Columbia. Nothing much, just to give her an idea of what college is about. She could study business, or anything else that floats her boat,” Walter added. “She could start with the next semester, I have a few friends who teach there, it should be no problem.”

“That’s actually a pretty good idea,” Felicity nodded. “I am not positive our New York branch has the exact same work conditions for their interns, but you should be able to manage your hours around your classes.”

“Does that mean everyone agrees with it?” Thea eventually asked.

“... yes. As long as you come home for the holidays and let me visit whenever I can,” Oliver answered with a smile. He had thought about it a lot ever since Friday night. First of all, legally speaking Thea was an adult and he intended to treat her as such. She had earned that right and was much more responsible than he had been at her age. But there was no denying that her living accommodations would be paid for her, so their mother also had her word to say about it. Second of all, there was, in his mind at least, very little difference between leaving to go to college, and leaving for an internship. And finally, he could understand that she might need a change of scenery. Her parents’ mistakes were weighing heavily on her and it wasn’t right or fair. If what she needed was distance, then he’d gladly give that to her.

“It looks like it’s settled then,” Walter smiled, raising his glass to her.

“Well, it also looks like you’ll come with me next week then. We’re leaving on Thursday, we’ll be back Sunday night-ish. We’ll see while we're there if there is a spot available for you. If not, there is always Los Angeles.”

Oliver looked, amused, as Thea and Felicity started to talk about their upcoming trip. He knew Felicity would get very little free time, but he still hoped they’d manage to at least have a good time together. He shared an amused look with Walter as the conversation started to drift to their hope of finding a couple hours to hit the stores, his mother joining in with them. It felt good to have a normal family meal. Relaxed… or as relaxed as can be in a mansion.

He was actually slightly surprised to see that Walter was even there, seeing what his mother had told him earlier that week. Maybe they both had managed to find a common ground, which was all Oliver could wish for them.

As Raisa put the platter holding a freshly baked loaf of banana bread down, he thanked her, then pushed it towards Felicity whose nose must have informed her that one of her favorites was within distance because her eyes suddenly danced across the table until they paused to observe him as he was reaching for a slice and putting it on her plate.

She smiled at him, mouthing a thank you. His eyes darted to her lips, her full, red lips and he was already leaning towards her to steal a kiss when he suddenly remembered where he was.

With a discreet cough, he changed course at the last minute, pretending to grab for her hand instead, pulling it to his lips.

The teasing smile Felicity was sporting told him she wasn’t fooled.

Neither was his mother judging by her amused look as she took a sip of coffee.

Clearing his throat, he shifted on his chair, reaching for the baked ham. Felicity finished her slice of bread then reached for another one.

“Felicity don’t you want to try the eggs benedict?” Moira offered when she saw that Felicity was mostly eating sweet dishes.

“Oh, no, thank you but I don’t eat pork,” Felicity said with a little shrug, barely looking up from her french toast casserole.

Moira paled at her words. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I should have known. I am positive we have turkey bacon or sausages in the kitchen, do you want Raisa to fix something for you?”

“No, no. Don’t worry, I’m all good.”

“Felicity has a sweet tooth, mom. I’m even surprised she had scrambled eggs to begin with,” Oliver grinned as he stole a mushroom from her plate.

“Oliver,” Moira scolded him gently. “I believe we have enough mushrooms to feed everyone, there is no need to steal them from our guest.”

Thea snorted, then pretended she was coughing when Moira tilted her head in her direction.

“Anyway, I was wondering if you were planning a small reception to officialize your new position at Palmer Tech?” Moira continued.

Felicity cleared her throat and took a sip of mimosa before answering. “I wasn’t sure actually. It feels like we have so much work to do and it might seem weird given the circumstances.”

“Well, if I may give you some advice…”

“Yes, please. I’m willing to take anything at this point.”

“Your investors and partners are used to this kind of decorum. They’re going to expect it. Showing them you understand their expectations and are willing to play the game might do wonders to keep them in check.”

“I hadn’t thought about it that way, actually,” Felicity frowned. “I was mostly concerned about our employees and Starling’s predicament.”

“As you should. But having partners on your side will make your life much easier,” Walter interjected. “They’re like cats. Keep them fed, and they’ll be happy to live their own lives on their side.”

“I do agree with you that it shouldn’t be too ostentatious. Does Palmer Tech have a large reception room?”

“Yes, we do, on our first floor. We mostly use it for employees' meetings but also whenever the occasion rises.”

“Do it there. I would also suggest inviting a few journalists, only the most serious ones who write about economics and finance, of course. Don’t bother to try and earn the approval of the other ones, you won’t, especially not nowadays,” Moira explained gently. “Your PR team will probably want you to be as public as possible but if I may…”

“Yes?” Felicity encouraged.

“Don’t always listen to them. They do know what they’re doing, don’t get me wrong but they don’t realize there is a price to pay and  their names will be safe and protected. Not yours. So don’t hesitate to stand your ground when something’s telling you a decision is not right. They are more experienced than you, but you need to trust your instincts.”  


 

Oliver and Felicity went on a walk after the meal was over, enjoying the crisp fall weather.

“You know… that was actually a pleasant meal,” Felicity said with a small laugh as they walked leisurely through the gardens, her hand safely tucked underneath his jacket while his arm was around her shoulders.

“Yes… mom was weirdly…”

“Normal? And by normal, I mean very mom-like and not just… the Queen matriarch,” Felicity rushed to explain.

“Yeah, actually that’s exactly it,” Oliver chuckled. “We were late, she didn’t even mind.”

“Well maybe she is just happy her family is safe and sound? And Walter is still around so hopefully they are working through their issues too.”

Oliver hummed as he pressed his lips against her hair before guiding her back to the house. They headed straight to his room where a couple of boxes had been delivered.

“You sure you’re OK doing this without me?” he asked again as he was about to leave her. She had already sat down on the floor and grabbed a box, shoving DVDs to the bottom.

“Of course, Oliver. Even though you seem to have dreadful tastes in movies,” she grimaced, holding up a DVD. “The Nutty Professor”, for real?”

“I was young and drunk,” he said with a sheepish shrug before heading to the door.

“What the…” Oliver heard her horrified gasp and he winced, wondering if he had ever gotten rid of the few porn movies he used to hide in the back, courtesy of his 18th birthday.

With a grimace, he turned around, facing what was probably the most reproachful look Felicity had ever thrown at him. Which was saying something.

“Oliver, what happened to this tablet?” she gritted through her teeth, holding out what used to be his tablet.

Oliver bit his lips, shifting on his feet. “Someone threw a knife at it.”

“A knife.”

“... a knife,” he confirmed sheepishly. “Technically the knife was aimed at me. I just used the tablet as a shield.”

“And you were hiding it because…”

“Because I knew you’d be pissed if you saw it… then I forgot about it.”

“Who threw that knife?”

“The guy who attacked me in my room. The one who fell through the window.”

Felicity narrowed her eyes at him then eventually let out a sigh. “Well. I can see this is not technically your fault. I’m taking it back home so I can dismantle it though, no need to throw everything away. At least she died a noble death.”

Oliver raised his eyes to the ceiling, battling with a smile. Only Felicity.

“Please tell me you’re not hiding a bullet-riddled laptop or something underneath your mattress.” 

“I promise the tablet is my only dirty secret.”

He was pretty sure Felicity would prefer to stumble upon porn movies rather than destroyed tech.

“Oh my God! Dude, Where’s My Car?!” he heard Felicity’s screech just as he was closing the door and he pinched his lips, tempted to get back inside just to see her outraged eyes glaring at him.

With a final shake of his head, he eventually walked away, whistling.

 

“Ah, Oliver, we were waiting for you,” his mother said as soon as he entered the library. “I’ve told Thea about your visit to Alfred.”

“Oh. Good.”

“I talked with my attorney, and we’ll handle this from now on,” she continued with a smile.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Thea asked with a hint of suspicion.

“That I refuse to let my son to be blackmailed for my mistakes. If you do as he wants, Oliver, you’ll never be free from it. He’ll always use you because he will hold something over you.”

“That doesn’t tell me what you have in mind,” Oliver answered with a frown.

“I can’t say for now, but I want you to know that it is going to be taken care of. Don’t visit Alfred, I’ll do it.”

“Mom…”

“No, Oliver. You shouldn’t get dragged into this anymore. I will handle it, but don’t worry I do have a plan in mind.”

Oliver eventually nodded, understanding that his mother wouldn’t change her point of view on the matter.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” he asked nonetheless.

“No, honey. You keep doing what you’ve been doing, as if nothing happened. Take more responsibilities from Walter, learn as much as you can and I pray that you will be able to leave this all behind you once and for all. They took so much from you already, I don’t want them to hold anything against you that could jeopardize your future in any way.”

Oliver furrowed his brow, something nagging at him about the whole situation. He had a feeling things were not going to take a turn for the best.

She must have sensed his unease because she smiled warmly. “Stop worrying, Oliver. I won’t be seeing Alfred alone, my attorney will be with me. I am only trying to do the right thing.”

 

 

 

Felicity's dress (picture it in deep red, of course). Thank you all for your help when I made the polls on twitter <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was nice enough to avoid the interruption during the date (kidding... they deserve a romantic night just the two of them).   
> Oh and thank you for all of you who tried to guess, and some were super close when they said "the mini golf tornament" but technically, it's wasn't exactly that... 
> 
> Next chapter will be long, with smut, but I kept this one on the romantic side ;) (exception is for the butt hickeys of course)
> 
>  
> 
> Oh and... Moira is taking charge and forcing Oliver to sit down... hum not sure how it's going to end up O_O
> 
> xoxo


	37. Addicted To Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So, here comes a NSFW chapter with smut and more smut and yes a little bit more smut again. Let's celebrate 520 bunker sex, shall we? ;)
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, as usual, and to all of you who took the time to reach out to show your support. You guys rock :'(
> 
> Song: Addicted to love- Robert Palmer

**"Addicted To Love"**  


 

Your lights are on, but you're not home  
Your mind is not your own  
Your heart sweats, your body shakes  
Another kiss is what it takes  
You can't sleep, you can't eat  
There's no doubt, you're in deep  
Your throat is tight, you can't breathe  
Another kiss is all you need  
Ohh oohh

You like to think that you're immune to the stuff...oh yeah  
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough  
You know you're gonna have to face it  
You're addicted to love

You see the signs, but you can't read  
You're runnin' at a different speed  
You heart beats in double time  
Another kiss and you'll be mine, a one track mind  
You can't be saved  
Oblivion is all you crave  
If there's some left for you  
You don't mind if you do  
Ohh oohh

You like to think that you're immune to the stuff  
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough  
You know you're gonna have to face it  
You're addicted to love

Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love

Your lights are on, but you're not home  
Your will is not your own  
Your heart sweats and teeth grind  
Another kiss and you'll be mine  
Ohh oohh

You like to think that you're immune to the stuff  
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough  
You know you're gonna have to face it  
You're addicted to love

Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love  
Might as well face it, you're addicted to love

 

 

 

 

 

“So, the reception introducing you formally as Palmer Tech’s new CEO will be held on Wednesday night, here. As you wanted, I asked for a simple, sober event with our partners and executives. Are you still sure you also want to invite employees?”

“Yes. Just… I don’t know but pick about twenty of them, from all of our departments. I want them to feel involved. Either pick them at random or ask heads of service, do what you think is best,” Felicity answered as she moved past Daniela’s desk. “Just let them know that they will have the opportunity to relay any questions they might have. Starting next week, I’d like to visit our departments one by one, by the way.”

It was Monday morning and she knew she had a busy week ahead of her.

“I’ll get on that. I also booked the jet for the end of the week, it’s all in order. Who is coming with us?” Daniela followed her, closing the door in her office as Felicity got rid of her coat.

“Thea,” Felicity smiled. “I also asked Louisa and Elvis from the board. And we should also have Gavin, Ray’s administrative assistant to help you. His secretary will remain here. Could you also find tasks for Thea while we’re there? At least for Friday and Saturday?”

“OK, good, I’ll send the list as soon as possible then. And yep, don’t worry, I’ll keep her busy as a bee!” 

“Awesome.” Felicity sat down on her chair and took a long sip of her latte. “PR should be in touch with you, they will send you a selection of journalists to invite to the reception so I can approve them. As soon as you get it, we’ll go through it together.”

“Perfect. Your schedule today is…” Daniela hissed in a breath as her eyes looked down at her tablet.

“I figured.”

“Ready? So you have about one hour to catch up on the 26 messages I sorted for you. About 15 emails as well. Marketing department was supposed to get their budget approbation last Thursday but-”

Felicity groaned. “Seriously? And they’re only waking up **now**?”

“Exactly what I told them. With a few more expletives though. I told them you’d get on it as soon as possible but your day was packed.”

“Alright,” Felicity said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Can you send an email to all departments, saying if they had a prior deadline with Ray, they must absolutely get in touch with us as soon as possible and give us a freaking warning. No need to mention freaking in your email, though.”

“I’ll get on it,” Daniela nodded nervously.

Felicity paused, realizing her assistant’s schedule was as heavy as hers. “OK, change of plan. Where is Thea right now?”

“Still working with PR.”

Felicity nodded silently then picked up her phone. Thirty seconds later, she was hanging up. “They will send Thea as soon as she starts her shift, which should be another hour unfortunately. I’ll go through the journalist list with her and have her handle the phone so you can focus on other things. Even if she can only take care of one phone call out of two, it still should lighten your load.”

“Oh my God, you’re already my favorite boss, you know that?”

“Don’t flatter me yet, we’ve only been through ten percent of what we have to do today.”  


 

When she left the board meeting, Felicity was hungry, already exhausted, and had the beginning of what she suspected would be a killer headache. It was almost two in the afternoon, and she hadn’t even had the time to eat. On the bright side, since she had sacrificed her lunch, she was right on schedule.

“There is a roast beef, mustard and rocket sandwich on sourdough bread waiting for you in your fridge,” Thea said as soon as she walked in.

“Oh thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Felicity moaned, accepting the cup of coffee Thea was handing her as well.

“And a cup of fruit salad, too, by the way. It kinda looks like you need the vitamins.”

“And an aspirin,” Felicity sighed as she sat down at her desk.

“In your drawer,” Daniela mouthed as she closed the door of her office, giving her a little bit of calm and privacy.

She gulped down two aspirins then unwrapped her sandwich, her stomach growling. It was only once she was half-way through that she picked up her cellphone, scrolling down her texts until she reached the ones she hadn’t been able to reply to sooner, confirming with Dig that dinner would be on Tuesday at seven and asking Oliver to be her plus one on Wednesday night.

She was about to start her dessert while reading the budget she needed to approve when a small knock on her door interrupted her.

“Come in,” she said without raising her eyes from the file.

“You have a visitor,” Thea’s unusual cheery voice made her lift her head in surprise.

Her mouth popped open when she saw the young woman walking inside her office.

“Oh my God! Sara!” she screamed, standing up and almost tripping on the heels she had taken off. She rushed to her friend’s side, holding out her arms.

“Felicity,” Sara grinned as she hugged her back.

“What… what are you doing here? When did you arrive? How… Explain!” Felicity said as she led her to the couch.

“I know you don’t have much time, don’t worry. I’ve been warned I had about fifteen minutes to catch up at most,” Sara started with a smile. “My plane arrived on Friday night and I wanted to surprise you. Thank God Thea let me in or I’d have never been able to. This place is like Fort Knox.”

“Are you back for good? Or for a vacation?” Felicity asked, since Thanksgiving was only two weeks away.

“I’m back for a little while. I’m not sure how long though but it’s not a vacation.”

“Why? Is there something wrong with Nyssa? Things seemed to be going great for you.”

“They are. Nyssa found a job in Los Angeles, for six months at least. When I found out what happened in Starling, I wanted to make sure everyone was safe. So I’ll be staying here for a while. I’ll see Nyssa during weekends… I need to catch up with my family a little bit.”

“God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think… is everyone safe on your side?”

“We lost a cousin and his wife,” Sara said quietly. “But I know it could have been worse. I’m sorry about your boss.”

Felicity smiled, squeezing her hand in comfort. “Enough with the sad things. What are your plans? Did you surprise your family too?”

“I did,” Sara grinned. “I thought dad was about to pass out. Mom has been making my favorite foods all weekend long.”

“And Laurel?” Felicity asked hesitantly, noticing the way Sara had avoided mentioning her.

“Well… let’s just say she was very clear about what she thought of the way I lead my life,” Sara shrugged. “No big change there. She thinks I’m immature and irresponsible because I refuse to settle down somewhere.”

Felicity grimaced, unsure of what to say. Her only interactions with Laurel had been tainted by the fact that they both had had a relationship with the same man - Oliver - so she wasn’t exactly the most impartial person to give her opinion.

“Don’t worry though. I’ve told you before, Laurel and I have never been that close.”

“What are you going to do during those six months then?”

“Well… mom and dad want me to stay with them. I know I should rent something but… it feels good to be home, you know?”

“Understandable,” Felicity nodded. “They haven’t seen you a lot in four years, so it will be good for all of you. It’s only for a limited time too so they shouldn’t drive you crazy either.”

Sara laughed. “Not sure about the other way around, though. Enough about me though… so you and Oliver...?”

Felicity blushed, lowering her eyes. “Well… yes.”

“You sneaky little thing. You kept repeating me in your emails that no, you weren’t sure and it was complicated and he had changed a lot and so had you and bla bla bla.”

“Well we kept things under the radar for a while. I’m sure you know now that the Gambit’s accident was no fluke and Oliver was really worried that-”

Sara’s face darkened. “Yeah… of course, yeah. But even if you had, you know… lied for another reason, I understand. I’m sure it must have been hard at first.”

“It wasn’t exactly easy for sure but… worth it. Very worth it.”

“And now you’re CEO. Jesus, woman, my main achievements in four years are that killer tattoo on my back and finally succeeding to hold the handstand scorpion pose.”

“Well needles freak me out and we both know yoga isn’t my thing, so I had to find something else,” Felicity laughed. “And believe me, right now, the whole CEO thing doesn’t seem like much of an achievement.”

“It’s the first days. It will be hard for a couple of weeks, then it will be much, much easier,” Sara assured her as she patted her arm before standing up. “Well, seeing as you’re uber busy, I’ll let you finish your lunch. We should try to see each other next week, though.”

“Would a lunch work?”

“Sure. I have to see Oliver, do I need to pass a little message?” Sara asked, wiggling her eyebrows. “Just please keep it PG-13.”

Felicity glared at her. “We’re a little past that stage, don’t you think?”

“Girl, I might have only been back for three days but I’ve already heard that, apparently, you clearly are not past that stage at all.”

Felicity frowned.

“Condom wrappers on the kitchen counter, for real?” Sara asked with a smirk, crossing her arms on her chest.

Narrowing her eyes, Felicity muttered. “Thea…”

“I forced it out of her, don’t worry. Nice flowers, by the way,” Sara added innocently as Felicity walked her to the door. “I’ll tell Oliver he has great taste.”

“You do that. Why… sorry, nevermind.”

“Why am I seeing your boyfriend?” Sara finished for her.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean… it’s not my business, you’ve been friends with him for a long time.”

“He has one or two openings at QC for me. I kept working for their branches abroad whenever it was possible,” Sara explained gently. “Also, I kinda want to catch up with Robinson, you know.”

With promises of getting in touch and planning something for the next week, Felicity closed the door and went back to her budget. She only had twenty minutes left before her appointment with the head of their PR department and still hadn’t managed to go through the ever-growing mountain of emails in her inbox.

 

This was **really** going to be a long week.

  


***

 

Oliver sighed, dropping his head on the back of his chair. Sara had just left with an appointment set with HR to see if one of the available positions could fit her. Checking his watch, he saw he had ten minutes before his next meeting and picked up his phone. He had tried to get in touch with his mother most of the day, to no avail.

Fortunately, this time she picked up at the third ring. “Oliver.”

“Mom? I’ve been trying to reach you for hours now. Is everything alright?”

“Yes, honey don’t worry. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer my phone earlier.”

“Did you… did you go see Alfred?”

“Yes. I made my point clear. You don’t have to worry about him anymore. It’s handled.”

“Mom…”

“Oliver, I mean it. Stop worrying about this. I took care of it.”

Oliver bit his lips, not really reassured. The last time Moira had said she would take care of something, Felicity had ended up with the Russian mob on her back. Nonetheless, he let it drop. She had assured him her attorney was advising her so hopefully, there would be no mafia involved.

“So it’s all good?”

“Yes, sweetheart, it is. Really.”

“Are you coming to work tomorrow?”

“No. Probably not. There are a few things I need to do at home. If you need help though, I’ll make sure to keep my phone near me, don’t worry.”

“Mom, I just think we could use your help here, at QC,” Oliver said quietly, swinging in his chair to face the windows.

“I think it’s better for everyone if they start seeing you as the family member in charge of the company, Oliver. The best way to do that is to not be in your way.”

“If you’re sure?”

“I am. Now, I’m sorry but I have to go, Thea is going to be back from work soon and I wanted to ask Raisa to make her favorite meatloaf.”

“Sure. Take care, mom.”

“You too, Oliver.”

Oliver hung up, his eyes frowning. Had his mother really taken care of things with Alfred? Did she hold something against him that she had waited to use at the perfect moment? Knowing his mother like he did, chances were that was exactly what she had done.

Chances were also that she’d never tell him.

  
  
  


“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Felicity said as soon as she closed the door behind her. “Just give me two minutes so I can get rid of these heels from hell.”

Oliver shook his head with a small smile, not glancing up from the pasta sauce he was currently stirring. He shut off the stove, filled a big saucepan with water, added salt and set it aside. He then proceeded to make a spinach and artichoke dip, which only took a couple of minutes in the new mixer he had bought a few weeks ago. Sprinkling parmesan on top of it, he put it in the oven, knowing it would be ready just about the time when Dig and Lyla were supposed to arrive.

“Alright, I’m here, I’m ready, what can I do?” Felicity said in a rush as she literally slid in the kitchen. She had changed into leggings and a short-sleeved sweater.

Glancing at her feet, Oliver saw she was only wearing socks. “Maybe put on some shoes?”

She blinked, her mouth slightly ajar as she followed his eyes. “Right. Be right back.”

Oliver chuckled once he saw her rushing back to her bedroom, coming back with her feet covered in a pair of small boots.

“OK now I’m here and ready,” she said. “What can I do?”

“Maybe kiss the cook hello?”

She bit her lips, her eyes twinkling as she reached on her toes to brush a kiss on his lips. “I’m sorry.”

“You better be,” he scolded gently as he slapped her butt. “Can you finish setting the table?”

“Sure,” she replied as she grabbed the wine glasses he had left on the counter.

“How was your day?” he asked as he started to grate carrots and a piece of celeriac for their salad.

“Exhausting. Slightly better than yesterday though. I have four people working directly under me at the moment and we still barely manage to keep up. Between the board, the partners, the investors, the employees, the journalists, PR, HR, our legal department… it’s a circus. You?”

“Better than yesterday too. I’ll have to wake up early tomorrow though, I have a business breakfast with a partner. I should leave before 6:30.” 

“Before 6:30 **AM**?! Does that partner sparkle in the sun or something??” Felicity asked in shock.

“Hum… what?” Oliver asked, confused.

“Sparkle in the sun, Twilight…?” Felicity asked.

Oliver looked at her, a frown between his eyes, and shrugged helplessly, having no clue what she was talking about.

“Vampire,” she eventually explained. “Twilight is a saga about vampires who sparkle in the sun.”

Oliver laughed, shaking his head as he gathered her in his arms. “No, he doesn’t sparkle in the sun. But he has a plane to catch so it really was the only time.”

“So what’s for dinner?” Felicity asked after dropping a small kiss on his chin.

“Seeing as John can’t use his left arm properly, I made rigatoni pasta with a tomato, broccoli and chicken sauce. Appetizers are just a dip with tortilla chips and some baby vegetables. Dessert is pear and chocolate almond crumble with vanilla ice-cream.”

“Did I buy everything you needed?”

“Yup,” he murmured before dipping his head low enough to kiss her. “When am I supposed to show up tomorrow?”

“Seven. Which reminds me I need to make sure I pack my dress tomorrow morning.”

“Please have mercy on me and avoid the red.”

Felicity grinned. “I try to keep that color for you. Or for when there is an occasion where we could… play. So, no, no red dress tomorrow night.”

“Thank God.”

“My underwear, though…” she trailed off innocently.

Oliver was about to reply when there was a knock on the door. “You are saved by the bell, you know that?”

“Yup,” she smiled smugly, grabbing his hand to pull him to the door.

  
  


“So, Dig told me you were leaving next week, right?” Felicity asked once they were all seated around the table, each with a drink.

“Yes, I’m heading back to DC.”

“Do you travel a lot for your work or mostly stay there?”

“I’m part of a mobile unit so there is a lot of travel involved, depending on where we are needed.”

“We didn’t have the occasion to thank you for your help,” Oliver said as he brought the baby vegetables and the platter with the dip and the tortilla chips.

“Actually, I should be the one thanking you. I was praised for my quick work, all thanks to you. John told me how you spent weeks investigating on the side. I’m actually amazed you managed to find out so much under the radar.”

Dig reached for a couple of baby carrots, popping one in his mouth. Felicity grinned, grabbing a chip and dunking it into the creamy dip.

“I think we were honestly a good team,” Oliver said as he sat back down next to Felicity, his hand resting on her thigh underneath the table.

“If you ever consider a change of career, you know where to find me,” Lyla joked before bringing a tortilla chip to her mouth. “Oh wow, this is delicious.”

“Well, I’d like to say likewise,” Felicity said smoothly. “I mean if you ever consider coming back to Starling, and are looking for a job, I’m pretty sure someone with your experience wouldn’t have any trouble finding a position in a security department.”

Oliver glanced at her with a small warning in his eyes as he mouthed, “behave.”

Dig rolled his eyes. “Don’t pay attention to Felicity. She just inherited a multi-billion dollar company and she is recruiting left and right.”

Oliver smiled when he caught the glare Felicity threw at Dig. He coughed, clearing his throat before taking a sip of wine. “Anyway, John. What about your arm?”

“At least another four to five weeks in a sling so the bone structure can solidify again. Then I should be able to head back to work but unfortunately, my supervisor will have to find me a desk job. And in the security department, that means mostly approving trips or checking camera feeds.”

Oliver frowned, knowing that it would be a waste of an employee like Dig to stick him with that kind of work. “You know I was considering creating a small, **very** small department. More like a service with just one office, actually. I want Queen Consolidated to be concretely involved in the rebuilding of the Glades. I have several ideas but honestly right now I don’t have the time to deal with it anyway. I need someone who knows the city and its needs, not a white collar who would only approve or disapprove expenses. I’d also like to put in place a new internship program that would give advantage to kids from poor backgrounds and so on.”

“That would be… perfect for you, Johnny,” Lyla nodded as she reached for the cherry tomatoes. “You know this city inside and out, you know the people, you know what needs to be done and… I don’t want to offend anyone,” she added sheepishly, “but Oliver is right… someone like you will be listened to by the people of the Glades.”

“I don’t have any experience in that area, though.”

“Now that is ridiculous. You were a sergeant in the army, so you obviously have leadership qualities and you know the field,” Felicity added. “And most importantly, Oliver can trust you 100%. He won’t have to supervise you. And there is no risk you will turn this into a PR stunt either.”

“It’s still a vague project at the moment, which is good because you’re unable to work for another month anyway. At first I considered two employees, one in charge of the project and an administrative assistant. We’ll get someone from the finance or accounting department so they’ll handle the budget. Problem solved.”  


 

When Felicity walked out of the bathroom, later that night, she was rubbing lotion on her hands. Oliver was already in bed, checking a report he had brought back from work.

“You know… that was actually a pretty good idea you had.”

“Which one? The ground almonds in the crumble?” he answered distractedly.

Felicity snorted as she pushed back the sheets and sat down on the bed. “No, you dummy. That project for the Glades.”

“Oh,” he said, raising his head to meet her eyes. “I just feel like we need to do something. Not just to rebuild but… to make sure we don’t recreate circumstances where there is so much inequality that it leads to this kind of situation again. I know it won’t be much at first but it’s a start.”

“I kinda want to steal your idea,” she admitted.

“Don’t you dare. Well… yes. Dare all you want. But please at least let me get started on it first.”

“Fair enough,” she nodded with a grin. “Not to mention, I don’t think I could give it as much time and care as it needs at the moment anyway. But just so you know… eventually I might follow your lead.”

“Hopefully you won’t be the only one,” he smiled as he put the report down on the floor before laying on his side, leaning on his elbow. “Do you have any work to do?”

Felicity smiled cheekily. “I should but… do you have a better offer?”

“Damn right, I do.”

“Please tell me you’re talking about the crumble leftovers?” she asked with hopeful eyes.

His face fell as his hope of a little round of tumbling between the sheets faded away.

Snorting, Felicity pushed him until he was resting on his back. She then threw a leg over his hips, straddling him while getting rid of her top.

He let her use him first, his hands on her hips, hypnotized by the pleasure he could see building in her eyes until her muffled cry made him snap.

She was still climaxing, her breathing short and ragged, when he flipped her over, covering her body with his and his lips seeking hers. He was craving the taste of her mouth, craving her softness around him, the way her silky thighs felt against his skin. Her body was still shivering from the pleasure, small tremors massaging him deep inside her as he kissed the side of her jaw then down her neck until he could bury his face in her hair.

His brain wasn’t in charge anymore. All he was was a body, and there was a fire running through his veins as he was chasing his own pleasure. The fire focused on his lower back, and deep inside his abdomen as Felicity’s hands slowly encouraged him, stoking the flames that were already burning right underneath the surface.

“Felicity,” he panted against her ear. “Oh, God… Felicity.”

She moaned in reply, her teeth digging into his shoulder as his pace increased, his hips now snapping against hers, her bed protesting loudly underneath them.

“Yes… yes,” she whispered softly. “Yes, Oliver.”

His name on her lips was enough to make him lose whatever hold he still had on his control and he gripped her thigh, tightly, pushing it up so he could reach deeper inside her, thrusting harder, the sound of the bedsprings turning him on and reminding him it had been awhile since he had completely lost control with her that way.

Felicity’s tongue traveled from his shoulder to his neck just as her fingers started to dig into his back, little whimpers spilling from her throat, reassuring him that she was enjoying it as well. He raised his head, his lips chasing hers to swallow her moans of pleasure and drown them in a deep kiss. It was sloppy and messy, lips parting, tongues slipping, but the taste of her was like rain after a drought and he couldn’t get enough of her and of the way she made him feel. Their bodies were slick with sweat, both panting, their hands squeezing tight whatever part of each other’s body they could reach. Felicity’s nails were leaving welts on his back, the burn feeling so incredibly good that it pierced through the fog of tension he hadn’t realized was surrounding him, allowing him to let go of everything that had been weighing him down, allowing him to bare himself in front of her.

“I love you,’ he whispered into her mouth, making her open her eyes. The love he saw in them took his breath away, the tenderness being such a stark contrast with the nails digging in his back that it made the heat in his abdomen grow until his thrusts turned into an uncontrolled jerking. His body was taking charge again, despite what was left of his brain was trying to say.

With a groan, he let go, seeing a burst of white light behind his closed eyes as he emptied himself inside her. He thought he heard her cry out his name but the buzzing in his ears was so loud that he wasn’t sure it wasn’t his imagination.

He dropped heavily against her, trying to catch his breath, his head buried in her neck. As he slowly started to regain sense, he noticed the way she was softly stroking his hair, her inner walls squeezing him with aftershocks as she hummed distractedly. It felt like his bones had melted away, only leaving behind a deeply-rooted satisfaction and pure, utter contentment. He let himself savor Felicity’s soft touch, let her slowly bring him back to reality as if his body was floating back down to earth.

Pressing a small kiss on her shoulder, he finally raised his head to meet her eyes. She was smiling contently… obviously sated.

“You good?” he asked nonetheless.

“Perfect,” she grinned lazily. "It totally beats the crumble."

Oliver let out a small smile. “I’m sorry I don’t… did you…” he trailed off, mildly embarrassed about how he had completely disconnected towards the end. Losing control was one thing, but he knew Felicity had been near her own completion and even though her body seemed satisfied, he needed to know so he could fix things if necessary.

She giggled, stroking his cheek. “Yes. It always turns me on like crazy when you come. It’s usually enough to make me go too.”

Nodding, feeling relieved that at least he hadn’t completely turned into a selfish lover, he eventually slid to the side, freeing her of his weight. She turned to face him, linking their hands between their chests. Needing to feel close to her, now that their bodies had parted, he leaned in, pressing their lips together in a slow kiss, his tongue gently asking for entrance. She let him in, her hand squeezing his even tighter until he finally let her go and dropped back against his own pillow. They gazed at each other, their noses only inches away, and he saw the little hint of concern in her eyes, knowing she could probably read his face just as well. A part of him wanted to put a mask on but he just… couldn’t. He didn’t have the strength to.

“Are you OK, Oliver?” Felicity eventually asked quietly.

“Yeah… yeah. Why?” he frowned, his thumb tracing little circles on her knuckles. He might have been trying to sort some things in his head, but he didn’t want her to worry.

“You seemed… very… tense.”

Oliver sighed, briefly closing his eyes, understanding it would be pointless to pretend it was just work related. “I think I feel a bit under pressure. Not just work but… I’m sorry, baby.”

“You don’t have to be sorry, Oliver. What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… Mom is… it seems like she is walking away from Queen Consolidated and I’m worried about what she did to stop Alfred. I don’t want to screw things up at work either. And I want to be there for you too.”

“Oliver, you can’t…” Felicity started before shaking her head. “You have been the best boyfriend a girl could dream of having lately. You’re always there for me and your support is unconditional.”

“It’s the way it should be. You have this giant company that literally dropped onto your lap, and you’re its sole leader now. I know you’re alone to handle responsibilities, while there are three of us doing the same thing at QC. I obviously can’t help you on that aspect except be there for you and make sure it’s the only thing you have to worry about. I used to be so lame at relationships and I really, really don’t want to screw this up.”

“You can’t, Oliver. The way you are… you’re like a different person. I thought you knew that?”

“Yeah… I did, I **do** but… mom told me she repeated a pattern with Walter. One that she had learned with dad, and one that wasn’t really good or healthy.”

“And I can safely say that you aren’t exactly dealing with stress or frustration the same way you used to,” Felicity smiled. “You’re not ignoring me, pushing me away or worse.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh. “Well… I guess you can say that yeah.”

“Does that worry you? That you might go back to your old… habits?”

“I don’t want to. I love you and I can’t even wrap my head around the idea of hurting you but I know my mom never thought about hurting Walter either. I know I’m not her, our relationship is completely different from theirs but… it doesn’t worry you, sometimes? That I might… turn out like my father?” His voice was so quiet on the last sentence, he wasn’t sure Felicity had heard him.

She remained silent for a few long seconds before shaking her head. “You’re not like your father, Oliver. I’m about to be a little bit harsh, here, so I hope you’re still swimming in endorphins and won’t hold it against me.”

That brought a smile on his face. “I’m very much swimming, yes.”

It wasn’t a lie. His body was utterly relaxed, his heart was calming down, and his brain was purring like a kitten just by hearing her slightly hoarse voice.

“Oliver, your father took part in this project. He wanted out in the end, yes, because he was human and he realized there are lines you do not cross. But the thing that made you start to take your job seriously in the first place was the gas explosion, remember? What your father had helped create is actually what made you realize how important it was to preserve your company. It gave you a sense of right and wrong. You came back to try and put a stop to it, something your father was partially responsible for. You were ready to put your entire life on hold, and maybe forever, to fix his mistakes. And that’s just about Queen Consolidated and Starling City. Privately, yes you were clearly walking in his footsteps at first. I’ll never be blind to that I… witnessed it enough as it is. But I will not doubt you for something that happened before we were together, Oliver. You never, **ever** have given me any reason to believe you could be that man again. And it’s not just about our relationship and how you wouldn’t cheat on me. It’s about you, as a man. I don’t think you were really happy when you used to do that.”

Oliver gulped, drinking in her words. “I wasn’t. I thought I was living the bomb but… I was just using sex to deal with everything that rubbed me the wrong way.”

“You’re different now, Oliver. So no… I might worry about you struggling with what happened during those three years, but I do not worry about the man you were when I first met you.”

Oliver smiled, nodding as he processed everything she had just told him.

“It really worries you, right? The situation with Alfred, I mean?”

He nodded, taking a deep breath. “She wants to keep me out of it and-”

“And mister control freak doesn’t deal well with that,” she finished for him.

“Am I that obvious?”

“Kinda.”

“I have to let it go, right?”

“I’m afraid so. You can’t always control every little thing, Oliver. If your mom wants to deal with Alfred, you have to let her. She wants to be in charge of that, so let her. It’s probably her way to try to make up for the whole situation. Focus on Queen Consolidated, **that** is your responsibility now.”

Letting go of her hand, he put his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him to peck her nose. “I guess I’m just nervous about what the future holds.”

“I am too. But whatever it is, we’ll face it together. And your mom would never let you deal with everything on the QC front. I’m ready to bet she thinks it’s best to let you and Walter find your footing but you would just have to ask her for help and she’d be there.”

“You’re probably right,” he admitted. He knew he had to learn to let go, but it was hard for him to accept this lack of control.

“And, please, don’t… don’t minimize what’s going on in your life just because I’m in a rough patch myself. I’m here for you too. Always.”

He smiled before pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll remember that.”

“Good,” she breathed before leaning in to kiss him.

He loved every type of kiss with Felicity. Every single one. The rushed ones in the morning, the passionate ones when they were having sex, the angry ones when they were working on their frustration, the little pecks when they were in company and the deep, wet and languid ones when they were building up the heat. He loved them all.

But the lazy kisses after they had just made love and were still basking in the afterglow would probably always remain his favorite.

Before her, post-coital cuddle was always a price to pay for some - hopefully - good sex. Or a way to show that it had meant something deep to him, even if it hadn’t really. With Felicity though, it was a way to keep their souls joined even after their bodies had separated. It was warm, so warm that he could feel it in every cell of his body. It was a way to stay in their bubble, where only the two of them existed.

Those were the kisses he had missed the most.

  


***

 

“I know the news of Ray passing away has been a shock for all of you. I know it, because it’s been a shock for me too. For many, myself included, he was more than a boss. He was a friend. He was devoted to this company in a way I hope I will honor. The path ahead of us might seem unclear for some but for me it is the opposite. I plan to take Palmer Tech exactly where Ray wanted to lead it. We’ll have burdens facing us ahead, but our company has proven time and time again that we actually thrive in those circumstances. This won’t be any different.”

Felicity paused, taking a small breath as she let her eyes travel across the little crowd in front of her. PT employees, partners, investors, journalists… and Oliver. He winked at her when their eyes met and she continued:

“I will expect from all of you exactly what Ray expected from you. And I made myself a promise that I would be exactly what Ray expected me to be as well. Thank you for coming here tonight and showing your support and your friendship in these emotional times. As for me, I can’t wait to start working more closely with all of you. Thank you.”

With a final smile, she stepped off the stage, releasing a relieved breath.

_Speech, done. Just keep smiling now. Just… keep… smiling._

“Good speech,” Oliver’s voice murmured in her ear.

“Thank you. Your sister helped me write it by the way.”

“Really?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes,” she smiled as she accepted the glass of sparkling water he was handing her. “I think growing up in your family, she probably heard more speeches than most people her age. She seems pretty good with words, you know.”

“Miss Smoak, I am happy to finally meet you,” a man, probably in his sixties, interrupted them. “Oliver, what a surprise to see you here.”

“Aston,” Oliver nodded politely. “Felicity, this is Aston Branford. An old friend of my father.”

“We lost touch more than ten years ago when I moved most of my business to the East Coast, unfortunately. We moved back last year and we invested in some of Palmer Tech’s advanced technology in… I’m sorry Miss Smoak, I shouldn’t talk about this with one of your competitors.”

“Please, call me Felicity,” she grinned as she shook his hand. “Ray mentioned you several times. I’m glad to finally put a face to your name. And no worries, I doubt Queen Consolidated is as advanced as we are in… you know what.”

“Very well, then call me Aston as well,” he laughed. “I just wanted to introduce myself. I had an appointment with Ray in two weeks and just wanted to make sure I would still get someone to talk to.”

“Of course,” Felicity reassured him. “Don’t worry, Ray’s former secretary is currently contacting everyone to reschedule or confirm their appointments. It’s a tight fit at the moment to juggle everything but I can assure you he will be in touch with you by the end of the week at the latest.”

“Understandable. It was so unexpected. I have to admit that I’m actually quite impressed. Everything seems to have been handled smoothly.”

“It is. We were very fortunate that Ray had been so straightforward in case something would happen to him. We are mostly still adjusting.”

“If there is anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate. But if I dare… how do the two of you know each other?”

“Felicity used to work for Queen Consolidated,” Oliver explained with a smile, his hand resting lightly on her elbow.

Which didn’t escape Aston’s attention. “Oh. Wow. I had no idea.”

“Yes,” Felicity confirmed. “Oliver was my first boss, actually.”

“You used to work in Marketing? I seem to remember Ray mentioning you went to MIT.”

“Well… I ended up working as Oliver’s assistant, waiting to find the right job. It was my first serious position after finishing college.”

“Well, it sure seems like you definitely picked the right job in the end.”

“I clearly did.”

“Anyway, Oliver, give my best to your mother, shall you?”

“I will,” Oliver promised before drinking from his glass of water.

“Good guy, bad guy?” Felicity asked from the corner of his mouth as they watched Aston walking away.

“Good guy last time I checked. A bit of a… gossip, though. I think he’s telling everyone we’re dating.”

“Well, most people probably put two and two together by now. Why else would you be here?”

“I don’t know… Booty call?” Oliver asked with a smirk. “I used to have a reputation, you know.”

“OK, first of all, you of all the people should know that this is not how a booty call works.”

“Well if it’s **your** booty we’re talking about, I’ll take it anyway I can,” Oliver interrupted her.

“And second of all,” Felicity continued with a glare, “I remember your reputation very well.”

Oliver winked at her before leaning in to whisper in her ear, “Didn’t you tell me once that there were benefits to dating a reformed playboy? Such as, and I quote, mind-blowing orgasms?”

“Oliver, don’t… smooth-talk me into… just… don’t,” Felicity struggled to say, her heartbeat already accelerating with the way his hand was innocently lingering on the inside of her elbow, his thumb stroking lazy circles.

With a smirk, Oliver straightened, abandoning her arm. She saw Daniela waving at her, and she understood that she had more duties to perform.

“I’m gonna have to mingle a bit more,” Felicity sighed with an apologetic look.

“I’ll go talk with Thea, don’t worry about me.”

“You’re OK?” she asked nonetheless, resting her hand on his arm. “Here and with your mom and everything?”

“Yes. Don’t worry. I’m going to spend a part of the weekend at the mansion with mom. I’ll pack what I still need to pack and we’ll go through a few of her files with her.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Although if I get some naughty time in your office if I’m stressed, then I’m totally under pressure at the moment.”

She quickly glanced around them, her hand soothing the lapel of his suit before murmuring, “keep working on that pressure and I’ll take care of it as soon as we’re home.”

Felicity spent the next couple of hours talking with so many people, she was pretty sure she introduced herself twice to the same couple. Everyone seemed to have a question for her and in the end, Daniela had to stick with her everywhere she went to write a few notes on every person she was meeting, mostly to fulfill a request for a meeting.

They were so deep in talk, going through their schedule for New York, that she hadn’t even noticed the room was starting to empty. It was only when she felt something heavy on her shoulders that she realized most people were gone.

“It’s almost eleven,” Oliver said quietly.

“I take that as my cue to leave,” Daniela said with a smile as she picked up her things and left. “See you tomorrow, Felicity.”

Felicity let Oliver help her into her coat then turned around with a small pout on her face. “I’m sorry we barely had the time to talk. I made you come for support and-”

“And everyone wanted a little piece of you,” Oliver finished for her with a gentle smile. “It’s OK. I get the real deal for the night.”

“Thank you for coming,” she said nonetheless as she pressed a quick kiss on his lips.

“Anytime. Come on, let’s go home. I’ll help you pack.”

“Ugh. I forgot about that,” she whined as she rested her head on his arm while he guided her to his car.

Oliver smiled, brushing a kiss on her forehead. “You did good tonight, Felicity.”  
  
  


 

Felicity sighed, rolling on her side. A quick glance at the alarm clock told her it was past one in the morning.

And she just couldn’t sleep.

The bed was comfortable, the pillows soft and feathery just like she liked them and despite her very, very long day, she couldn’t relax enough to fall asleep.

She missed Oliver. She had lost the habit of sleeping alone, and during the few occasions where she had indeed spent the night by herself, at least her pillows smelt like him or he was sleeping on the couch, just a few feet away from her. Emotionally, she knew he was right there. But here, in New York, she was all alone and he was on the other side of the country.

Biting her lips, she reached for her phone, hesitating. It was a little after ten on the west coast.

Not wanting to look too desperate or alarm him, she decided to text him.

**Miss you.**

His answer was almost instantaneous.

**Oliver - 1:16 AM - _Not as much as I miss you. Shouldn’t you be asleep?_**

**Felicity - 1:16AM - Can’t. What are you doing?**

She waited for a reply and saw he wasn’t even typing. A few seconds later his picture popped up on her screen.

“You didn’t have to,” she said as she picked up, a huge grin on her face.

“You’re awake, I’m awake… How is it going? Your text was brief.”

“Sorry, I was feeling so icky that I just jumped into the shower then I had this report to check because I really wanted to catch up on sleep and… now, here I am.”

“What are you wearing?”

She paused, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. “Oliver, I didn’t call you so-”

“Technically, **I** called you.”

“Still, I wasn’t looking for some… phone-sex.”

“It’s past one in the morning, you’re tired and need some sleep.”

“... so?”

“So, I know the perfect way to relax you.”

“That is… totally beside the point.”

“Come on, honey. We’ve done this before, haven’t we?” he asked softly.

She blushed, remembering that he had slowly, but surely, talked her into masturbating for him one day via Skype session. It was when he was on the boat, and they had been separated for longer than twenty-four hours. It had been really hot, watching him pleasure himself while he guided her to completion.

But no.

“Doesn’t mean we have to do it again.”

He took a deep breath, then released slowly and she bit her lip. “Oliver… what are you doing?”

“Trying to convince my cock to wait until I can take a shower,” he answered unabashedly.

The phone slipped from her hand.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she picked it up again. _Do not think about Oliver naked in bed, aroused, willing and… Oh God I’m so thinking about it._

“Felicity?”

“Still here,” she squeaked.

“What are you wearing?” he asked again, his voice dropping.

“What are **you** wearing?” she asked in return, trying to buy some time.

“Boxers. You?”

Wincing, she stared at the ceiling above her. “Your t-shirt,” she eventually said in a small voice.

“Nothing underneath?”

“No.”

And God help her but the way his voice had altered at his question had her squirming in the bed.

“Take it off.”

“Oliver…”

She honestly didn’t know why she was resisting. Was it a way to prove to herself that she still had at least a little bit of willpower left when it came to him? Or because she wanted to see how Oliver would work to convince her?

… Probably a little bit of both.

“Do you remember what happened the first night you slept at the mansion? You woke up in the middle of the night.”

Felicity gulped. She remembered that night very well.

“You woke me up,” Oliver continued. “Pushed your ass against me. I lowered your pants and I slipped inside you from behind. Remember how you touched yourself for me? I was holding your hip, you had your hand between your thighs. It was pitch dark but I can still hear the way you whimpered. I can still feel how soft your thigh was underneath my hand. Then you told me you needed me deeper.”

Unable to stop herself, Felicity’s hand travelled down to her chest, pausing to tease her already hard nipples, then down her stomach until it reached the apex of her thighs. She was already wet, the memories Oliver was conjuring making her blood rush inside her veins.

“So I pushed you on your stomach. And I fucked you deep. Do you remember how hard you came around me?”

“Yes,” she murmured, her fingers sliding down her folds. The heel of her hand grazed her clitoris and she sucked in a breath.

She could hear Oliver’s own rapid, short breathing and she bent a leg, spreading her knees as she pictured him on his bed, his hard length in hand. Pumping and pumping, much rougher than she dared to be with him ,his swollen head a dark, angry red. Was there a bead of pleasure already leaking there? If only she was there with him, she’d lean in, peeking out her tongue to taste him before letting him inside her mouth.

“Oliver,” she moaned as she slipped a finger inside her, her muscles gripping it tightly, sucking it inside hungrily.

“I’m right here, baby. Put me on speaker.”

Shakily, she pressed a button, dropping the phone next to her and letting her free hand slipped underneath her top to palm a breast, using her thumb to circle the tight little bud the way Oliver would do if he were here.

“Do you have a finger inside you?” Oliver asked.

“Yes.”

“Use another one. Mine are much bigger than yours. Rub the heel of your palm against your clit.”

She moaned when she slipped another finger inside her, a flash of pleasure erupting in her lower abdomen when she made contact with her clitoris.

“Oliver…”

“That’s it baby. Keep saying my name,” he said roughly, the tension clear in his voice. “Fuck, you have no idea how much I want to eat you out right now.”

Felicity rubbed harder, unable to hold back her moans as she thrust her fingers inside her. “We still haven’t… haven’t…”

“Haven’t what baby?”

She tried to ignore how his voice was turning into a groan, but all she could see was Oliver’s face before he reached an orgasm, the way he would wince as if he was in pain, then relax blissfully right after he came, letting out that low, throaty grunt that was often enough to push her over the edge. She was aroused beyond words.

“Gone down on each other at the same time,” she explained in a rush, picturing Oliver’s face between her thighs while she had him in her mouth, the slow torturous strokes of his tongue while she would suck him deep.

“When you come back. Oh fuck, yes, when you come back,” he groaned. “Babe, please tell me you’re close.”

“Yes… yes,” she whimpered as she thrust faster, rubbed harder, feeling her wetness on her hand.

“You won’t sleep much Sunday night,” Oliver hissed. “First I’m going to lick you until you beg me. Then you’ll suck me. Round two, I’ll make love to you and kiss every inch of your body.”

Pictures of Oliver bending her over the bed, his hands near her face as he supported his weight, his knees nudging hers apart a few seconds before he would slam inside her, or Oliver making her lie flat on her stomach, covering her body with his, his legs between hers as he entered her from behind in one swift, powerful thrust…

She came with a loud cry, her thighs closing on her hand as she rode it out. “Oh… oh yes…”

She heard Oliver’s loud grunt then his panting breath and she rubbed her thighs together as the sound brought back little sparks of pleasure.

“Felicity… one of these days, you’re gonna kill me.”

Smiling, she closed her eyes and turned on her side, facing the phone. “That was so good.”

“See? You need to trust your boyfriend more.”

She giggled, savoring the warm sensation spreading through her body, her brain now deliciously foggy as the aftermath of her orgasm gently washed over her.

“You think you’re gonna be able to sleep now?” Oliver asked gently, his voice now much softer.

“Mmmh.”

A low chuckle answered her. “Goodnight, Felicity.”

“G’night Oliver. Love you,” she mumbled, reaching blindly to hang up.

  
  
  


“Soooo… what happened?” Thea asked with a nervous smile.

Felicity grinned as she climbed into the car next to her and Daniela. “Well… they’re going to look into it, and I’ll know by Sunday if there is a position for you.”

“What’s your take though? Did they seem like they would look into it just so you wouldn’t be on their back or was there a real possibility?”

Felicity hummed innocently. “I don’t know?”

“Come on, stop torturing the girl,” Daniela said as she put back her phone in her purse.

“I don’t want to get her excited if it turns out to be nothing!” Felicity defended herself.

“I promise I won’t. I swear it on my favorite pair of stilettos.”

“The Manolo Blanhicks? With the straps?”

“Yes, those!"

“Well if you’re swearing it on the Manolo Blanhicks,” Felicity sighed in fake defeat. “They have an intern leaving at the end of the month. And another position will open in January. Depending on if you’re wanting to leave early or not, you’d get priority.”

“Which departments?”

“First one is in the IT department,” Felicity replied.

Thea grimaced, her shoulders slumping.

Giggling, Felicity explained. “They run the newsletter, the website and so on. You would handle the company’s newsletter, under supervision of course. You’d get to interview employees for instance, which would give you a unique chance to really see it all. It has very little to do with IT but you will still report to our webmasters. You’d also get the chance to go to official events so you could write about them. Again, everything would be supervised of course and you’ll also have to fetch coffee or sort mail and you would start small at first. The other intern was good so they gave her more and more to do. I have no doubt you’ll be just as good, though.”

“Ooooh,” Thea’s eyes lit up. “I don’t even care about the coffee. I got used to it now. What about the other position?”

“It would be for PR department. Similar to what you’re doing now. Fewer responsibilities but the department is probably more exciting.”

Thea bit her lip nervously. “What do you think?”

“That’s not my decision to make. You can already start thinking about it. I will confirm with you tomorrow if both possibilities are still open. Then I’ll need your answer by Monday.”

It was Saturday and they were done with their meetings for the day. She had met former colleagues, visited the offices again, talked with union representatives, and generally speaking introduced herself as the new leader of the company. Daniela had managed to arrange their schedule so they’d be done by late afternoon. It was a little after four so that left them with a few hours to hit the stores.

They first stopped in Bloomingdales where Felicity bought a few dresses for the office, as well as a couple of cocktail dresses. New slacks, two business suits, dress shirts and blouses. Then, Thea made them hit the lingerie department.

And it was turning into a bloodbath for her credit card.

Felicity thought no one could be worse than her mother in a lingerie store.

Boy, was she wrong.

“You can’t have all those new outfits and old underwear, Felicity,” Thea scolded her when she tried to resist.

“Old under… they’re not old!”

“Come on, spoil yourself a little. Outfits for work are great but also buy some stuff for yourself. You’re a billionaire, Felicity. You can afford it.”

Felicity sighed, knowing it would be a waste of time to try to explain to Thea that one didn’t get rid of more than two decades of counting pennies just like that.

And she loved lingerie.

“Look at this,” Daniela said as she held out a lacy black bra and the assorted panties. Some of the fabric was just mesh, completely see through, but the cuts were obviously picked so it would tease rather than reveal any… important parts. “It would be perfect with your boobs.”

Felicity put it in her basket, along with a dozen others then made her way to the fitting room, leaving Daniela and Thea to continue their own selection.

She first slipped on the ensemble Daniela had picked for her. As she had thought, the see-through fabric was carefully placed. The top of her breasts, the side of the panties and the upper backside, just enough to tease the cheeks. Turning around, she looked at the way the bra was, indeed, complimenting her small breasts.

She wondered if Oliver would like it and on an impulse, she grabbed her cellphone from her purse then took a quick picture, making sure her face wasn’t visible. It wasn’t something she had ever done before but the picture was clearly tame, just showing off the bra and her stomach. Sure it was lacy, but the most important parts were perfectly covered. Also, she couldn’t help but giggle picturing Oliver’s face when he’d see her message.

With a little smirk, she sent it to Oliver with a caption saying “what do you think, yay or nay?”

She barely had the time to unhook the bra before her phone started buzzing.

**Oliver 5:45PM - Holy shit what… what the hell, where are you??**

**Felicity 5:46PM - _Should I buy it or not?_**

**Oliver 5:46PM - What kind of question is that?? YES!!!!!!!!**

She didn’t reply, undressing instead, and put on another bra, a deep green one this time. The matching panties were a pair of boxer shorts, perfect to wear on a more casual day.

She was changing into her third outfit when her phone buzzed again.

**Oliver 5:50PM - I’m serious, you better buy it.**

Smiling mischievously, she decided to let him simmer a little and grabbed another bra. Light blue, this time. Mostly satin.

**Oliver 5:53PM - Seriously, babe. Don’t make me ask my little sister where you went lingerie shopping so I can order it for you.**

**Felicity 5:54PM - _I’ll buy it. Want to help me pick something else?_**

**Oliver 5:54PM - Yes. YES. Please, YES.**

She tried on the rest of the lingerie, sending a picture to Oliver every time - still without her face even though he had sworn he would delete them later. Unsurprisingly, Oliver said yes to all her suggestions. He had taken a couple minutes before replying to the extremely racy corset ensemble that she had picked right before stepping into the changing room. It was red, with a corset that tied up the front, leaving patches of skin naked. The corset was made to go with a pair of stockings, which she had also grabbed, and the panties were nothing more than a small triangle on the front, held by two strings on her hips, a barely bigger triangle covering her butt.

He had eventually replied, only to ask her to take a pic of the back. After much contortion, she had finally managed to take a decent one and had sent it to him.

His next text had been to tell her to take two or three of them.

Then she had received another one as she was heading towards the stockings and garters section.

**Oliver 6:18PM - Can you also get one in black?**

She was about to reply when she saw he was typing again.

**Oliver 6:18PM - And white? Maybe also pink or purple?**

**Felicity 6:35PM - _I just want you to know that the cashier thought I was nuts with my five identical corsets. And I just spent more than two thousand dollars on lingerie. I feel like getting drunk._**

**Oliver 6:36PM - Oh thank God. You took pink or purple?**

**Felicity 6:36PM - _Did you even read what I said about the cashier or the two thousand dollars?_**

**Oliver 6:37PM - Hum. Yes. Sorry? You couldn’t honestly expect me to say no to any of the things you’ve tried on, though.**

She sent the rolleyes emoji, feeling like he didn’t deserve a proper answer.

**Oliver 6:40PM - We have to do this again though.**

**Felicity 6:40 PM - _Next time, you pay._**

“Tell me you’re not teasing my brother about how you just went lingerie shopping?” Thea asked suddenly as she walked out the store with her own bag of clothes.

Felicity blushed, averting her eyes. _If only you knew, Thea…_

  
  


***

  


Oliver waited patiently, leaning against the hood of his car. He saw the plane landing on the private airstrip, then slowly drive down the runway until it eventually stopped. The door opened and he saw several people walking down until he finally spotted Thea who was yawning like a bear.

“Ollie,” she smiled before rushing to him for a hug. “Felicity will be right here, she wanted to thank the crew. I assume you’re here to drive her home?”

“Hopefully. How was it? Felicity told me the good news. Have you made a decision yet?”

“Yes,” Thea beamed. “Believe it or not but I’m going to follow in Felicity’s footsteps and bury myself in the IT department.”

Oliver laughed. “Well you could do much worse.”

“I know. It just sounds so different from what I used to do. I honestly can’t wait. I also saw the apartment, it’s gorgeous, Ollie.”

Smiling, Oliver couldn’t resist ruffling his sister’s hair. She huffed out a frustrated sigh, slapping his hand away.

“Please, give me that. My baby sister is going to move to the other side of the country in a couple of weeks.”

“I’m going to New York, I’m going to New York,” Thea started to sing, pumping her hands up in the air.

“Maybe you shouldn’t let your boss see you display so much… maturity, though,” Oliver said with snark.

Thea glared at him but dropped her hands. “I’ll ask the driver to take me back home. I’m sure Felicity will be happy to have you to herself as soon as possible.”

Thea was just walking away to collect her luggage when Felicity finally walked down the few stairs leading to the tarmac. She paused when she saw him before smiling broadly, walking to him and dropping her bag at his feet before throwing her arms around his shoulders and pressing her lips to his.

He smiled in the kiss, his arms circling her waist even though he knew they couldn’t get too carried away. Eventually he pulled away, chuckling when she pouted and moaned, trying to steal another kiss.

“Baby, a few of your employees are still around,” Oliver said quietly.

“Oh. Right. Are you here for Thea or…?”

“For you. At first I thought I’d drop Thea home first but she said she’d go with the driver.”

“Let me just say goodbye then we can go.”

  
  
  


“Just do it, Felicity,” Oliver grinned as he laid flat on his back.

“Just do it, Felicity, just do it, Felicity… it’s easy for you to say, you’re just… lying there,” Felicity mumbled as she shifted on her knees.

Oliver tried to hold back his laughter, staring at the mirror above him. As soon as they had walked into his apartment, they had made a beeline for his room. As promised, he had stripped Felicity naked, pushed her on the bed and buried his face between her thighs. He had started slowly, building up the fire patiently, a few gentle strokes of his tongue at first until she had started to squirm underneath him and only then had he opened his mouth wide, his tongue relentlessly licking her clitoris. Up and down. Up and down. A small circle. Pressing hard on it. Then up... and down.

She had come fast and hard. He had let her recover, stripping out of his clothes as well then had lain down next to her, his hand tracing soft circles on her stomach before teasing her breasts. Eventually, she had had enough of his teasing and had pushed on his shoulders then dropped to her knees on the floor. He had pushed up on his elbows to watch her take a hold of his cock, her little tongue circling the head before lowering her mouth on him, sucking him deep.

His head had dropped back at the pleasure and his eyes had caught their reflection above him. He had watched, fascinated as her head bobbed up and down, drowning in the wet heat of her mouth as she pushed to take him deeper and deeper, her little moans vibrating along his cock. When he had seen the way her hips were rocking, her thighs squeezed together, he had known she was aroused and ready for more.

But even though they had talked about it before, Felicity still felt a little bit unsure concerning, as she said, the logistics.

“Up… up…. up again,” Oliver gently encouraged her. “Perfect. Now face my feet.”

Felicity blushed deeply but did as he asked.

“Now you straddle my face, like when you’re on top of me.”

“Oh God,” she mumbled, so low that he barely heard it. She took a deep breath then eventually moved a thigh, resting a hand on his chest for leverage. Oliver gripped her thighs, balancing her and helping her find the right position.

“OK, now, lean down. Rest on my chest.”

She did as he asked but kept her knees too close to his face. There was no way he could lick her if she didn’t get any lower.

“Felicity…”

“What? I’m against your chest!”

He bit the inside of her thigh, earning a loud yelp in the process and took advantage of her distraction to force her knees apart until she was snug against his face.

_Holy fuck._

“Oli-”

What had started as a loud scream of protestation ended in a long moan when his tongue licked a long, torturous trail from her clitoris to her entrance. He lightly shifted her until he could reach and focus on her clit more easily, one arm around her lower back to keep her tight against him, the other lowering until he could reach the back of her neck, wordlessly encouraging her.

“Oh, sorry,” she said suddenly. The next thing he knew, his cock was bathing in her wet heat, her tongue stroking the little crown at the head.

He waited until he was sure she was into it, even though the way she was gripping him in her hand and the enthusiastic movements of her mouth were enough proof.

She lost her rhythm when he pressed his tongue against her clit, gently massaging it, making sure to keep the friction smooth and wet.

Hearing her muffled moans of pleasure around his dick, tasting her on his tongue was turning him on violently. And when he peeked up, seeing her perfect ass on display, he almost came at the sight. He focused on her to keep control, sucking the little bud inside his mouth, teasing it with the tip of his tongue, becoming impossibly hard at the way her hips were jerking against him. He could feel the nails of one of her hands digging into his thigh and he welcomed the slight pinch of pain that helped him ground himself.

Her hips were rocking in rhythm with the strokes of his tongue now and he knew she was close when his cock popped out of her mouth when she gasped a particularly loud moan. Her forehead dropped against his thigh, her hand still stroking him as she started to lick his shaft while she obviously fought for control herself. He felt her hand reach down to massage his balls, rolling them in the palm of her hand and he groaned in pleasure, tilting his hips up.

The way she was licking him, like he was her favorite lollipop and she couldn’t get enough of his taste was enough to maintain his arousal at its peak and he was actually thankful to not be in her mouth when she came, shuddering violently above him, her teeth clamping down on his thigh.

He expected her to pull away after her climax, because she was always sensitive, but she pushed her hips back again, seeking his mouth even though he could literally see she was still riding out her orgasm. The mewls spilling from her lips, barely muffled against his cock as she tried to put it back in her mouth made him realize they needed to get to step three or he wouldn’t be able to make it.

He rolled her to her side then stood up and circled the bed.

“Oliver why did you stop?” she whined, arching her back.

“Shh,” he hushed her before grabbing her ankles and twisting her on the bed. “I need to be inside you.”

She bit her lip then rolled onto her stomach, and he groaned when he realized how she wanted it. Grabbing her knees, he pulled on her legs until they were hanging from the bed then let his hands travel up the back of her thighs, stroking the delicate skin. He squeezed the cheeks of her butt, his thumbs so, so close to where he was dying to be and she tilted her hips up, pushing on her toes to let him know she was more than ready for the main course. Taking his cock in his hand, he pressed his stomach against her ass then pushed inside her. She was so, so wet for him that he had to pause, gritting his teeth to keep the pleasure at bay. He absolutely loved making love to her without a condom but he couldn’t deny that sometimes, the fine barrier was actually helpful when it came to keeping control.

Felicity gripped the sheets in her hands as Oliver leaned above her, resting his hands near her shoulders.

He didn’t start slow like he usually did but set up a punishing rhythm with his first thrusts, hitting hard and deep, knowing the position they were in was perfect for her. He searched for the right angle, pushing on her hips, then on her lower back to make her arch it them just an inch and-

“Yes!” she cried out suddenly, letting him know he was reaching the right spot.

He could already feel her muscles tightening and the sounds escaping her lips were getting louder and louder, almost drowning out the sounds caused by their love-making. His hips were relentless, determined to take her to the edge and send her flying over. She was panting his name, sometimes letting out a groan on a particularly hard thrust that would have her squeeze her muscles reflexively.

“Oh, God, Felicity,” he moaned when her inner walls gripped him tightly, bringing the pressure to its boiling point and he couldn’t help but pick up the pace, trying his hardest to ignore the intense pleasure he was feeling every time he would thrust in, the sensation of gliding up along her warm, wet tight muscles enough to make him lose his mind.

With what was left of his brain still functioning, he saw that Felicity was almost there too with the way she was desperately trying to arch her hips to meet his thrusts, the tension in her back letting him know she was reaching her climax as well. She let out a loud moan then bit on the blanket as her hands lost their hold and slid across the bed almost desperately. He was deep inside when she came, violently. He closed his eyes, savoring her tight walls squeezing him hungrily as she literally pulled the orgasm out of him. With a grunt, he let go, feeling his pleasure escape his body as she milked him for all he was worth.

His shaky legs forced him to lower himself on her, resting some of his weight on his forearms. Keeping his eyes closed, he rested his cheek against her back, listening to her short, ragged breathing.

“I hate it when you go away. But damn if I don’t love it when you come back,” he eventually said once he had managed to get a hold on his own breathing, peppering kisses all over her back, his hand lovingly caressing the back of her thighs.

He rubbed the stubble of his chin against her spine and Felicity let out a breathless laugh, making him whine when it caused small tremors in her body, sending aftershocks to his dick.

“I missed you,” Felicity whispered as he eventually slipped beside her and gathered her in his arms.

“I saw that,” he chuckled.

“I’m serious,” she smiled, pinching his butt. “I don’t like being away from you. It brings back bad memories.”

Oliver’s mood sank with her words and he tightened his arms around her before rolling on his back until she was lying on top of him. He gazed up at her, his fingers trailing her spine almost lazily. “You’re here now.”

“Yeah,” she whispered before kissing him softly. “So are you.”

“Yeah,” he murmured with a soft smile, his finger stroking her cheek and his eyes drifting to her full lips. “Kiss me again.”

  
  
  


Felicity was eating breakfast when Oliver walked in the kitchen, already dressed for work. “I forgot a file at the mansion, I’m going to stop there before heading to Queen Consolidated. Are you ready to go soon or…”

“Just let me brush my teeth and get dressed,” she said as she finished her glass of apple juice.

Oliver cleared the table while she got ready and grabbed a yogurt and some granola, storing them in Felicity’s tote bag along with the salad he had prepared for her. A little more than five minutes later, she was already back, her hair in a low bun and holding a little pouch with what he knew was some emergency makeup.

“I could still come pick you up after if you want to?”

“Don’t be silly. I’ll finish getting ready in the office,” she smiled as he helped her put on her coat. She was wearing a pair of dress pants that day, with black heels and a little white blouse with polka dots.

“Busy day today?” he asked as they were in the car, heading to Palmer Tech.

“Yes and no. Yes because I have all these emails and messages to go through. No because my first meeting isn’t until the afternoon. You?”

“Meeting with Walter and our financial director. Then we need to approve a new ad campaign which is probably going to take most of the day.”

“I’ll stop by my place tonight, do some laundry and pack some things to leave at your place since you generously offered your closet space.”

“I’ll meet you there, then. Order something will you?”

“Sure. Do you want something in particular?”

He shrugged, turning to face her as he stopped the car in front of her building. “No, not really.”

“OK, then I’ll surprise you,” she beamed before leaning in. He met her halfway, giving her a slow, long kiss to hold them all day before unbuckling his seatbelt and opening his car door. Circling the car, he saw her amused look through the window as he opened her door.

“Now, really, Oliver. You’re in a hurry, I could open my own door you know.”

He winked as he handed her her tote bag, dropping one last peck on her lips before slipping back behind the wheel. She waved at him then turned around, walking up to the entrance of PT. He watched her, only leaving once he was sure she was safely inside.

He knew it was ridiculous to still behave that way but somehow he couldn’t help it. Being unable to make sure she was safe and sound had been extremely hard on him the last few days. He had felt powerless even though, rationally speaking, he knew she was in no danger at all.

 

When he walked inside the mansion, he heard Thea’s animated voice coming from the dining room and stopped to greet her.

“The apartment is gorgeous, mom. I have this view of Manhattan, it’s not too far from the office, or well you know… not too far for New York standards at least. A walk-in closet which is always a plus. There are two bedrooms and it’s all furnished. Very classy and modern too.”

“I’m glad you like it. I’m sure you’re going to have a wonderful time there,” Moira said with a smile. “Oliver, what a good surprise.”

“I forgot a file here,” he explained before leaning in to kiss her and Thea’s cheeks.

“Have you had breakfast?”

“Yup,” he said, stealing a slice of apple from his sister nonetheless. “Walter already left?”

“You missed him by a few minutes. He had a meeting very early.”

“Right. With the union reps.”

“Thea, do you need me to drop you off?”

“Oliver, I have a car and my driver's license,” Thea sighed.

“Don’t remind me,” he smirked as he stole another slice of apple, earning himself a glare.

“Well, you are particularly joyful this morning. It’s a pleasure to see after witnessing you moping for days,” Moira said with a teasing smile as she folded the newspaper she had been reading.

“Oliver is in looooove,” Thea sing-sang.

“Haha, very funny,” he said as he walked out of the dining room, heading to his room.

He quickly found what he was looking for, then was taking the steps down two at a time when the doorbell rang.

He opened the door, stopping when he saw who was on the other side.

“Agent Stoke?”

“Mister Queen. We have an arrest warrant.”

His breath caught in his lungs and his heart dropped to his stomach. He froze, still on the threshold. “What?”

Had they found out about the Bratva?

“Oliver?”

He turned around, trying to clear his thoughts, and faced his mother. “Mom, I think we should call a lawyer.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...  
>  It's been a while since I left you hanging, right? O:-)  
> I wonder what happened at the end... yeah, kidding, I know and it's already written, pretty sure you guys can guess though ;)
> 
> Also, yeah a lot of smut... because I really wanted to end the chapter here, and didn't want to divide it into two... so I had to delete a few scenes (like Oliver helping Felicity pack her stuff for NY *sigh* we all have to make sacrifices).
> 
> And let's not forget Dig whose career might have taken a different path... we'll see how it goes, as well as how Lyla will fit into this ;)


	38. Cocoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :)  
> Thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda, I get to update before leaving for a few days so you also get to find out what happens with the FBI...
> 
> Special thanks as well to pidanka as always ;)  
> Song: Cocoon, Milky Chance (it's apparently a german band? I had a very hard time understanding the lyrics when I heard the song on the radio, but I really liked it nonetheless and when my friend Google helped me, I found out it was perfect for this chapter.

**"Cocoon"**   
  


Eh-ah, eh-ah, eh-ah, eh-oh  
Eh-ah, eh-ah, oh  
Eh-ah, eh-ah, eh-ah, eh-oh  
Eh-ah, eh-ah, oh

I know that you must feel like facing with a ruin, facing with a ruin  
I messed it up as always, I'm afraid of losing, I'm afraid of losing  
I made you thinking oh so wrong  
I made you feeling the worst  
And I don't how to get along  
With myself when I'm weakened  
When I'm weakened

So let's go back to our cocoon  
On the blackened afternoon  
I see your heart is bleedin' too  
Let me bleed instead of you  
So let's go back to our cocoon  
On the blackened afternoon  
I see your heart is bleedin' too  
Let me bleed instead of you  
Let me bleed, let me bleed  
Eh-ah, eh-ah  
Let me bleed, let me bleed  
Eh-ah, eh-ah  
Instead of you

I've been always playing  
Solid as I'm waving, solid as I'm waving  
So I became a liar, I've been underrating  
Overestimated  
I made it really hard for you  
Hard for you to love me  
But there's so many things we could do  
And all we need is escaping, escaping

So let's go back to our cocoon  
On the blackened afternoon  
I see your heart is bleedin' too  
Let me bleed instead of you  
So let's go back to our cocoon  
On the blackened afternoon  
I see your heart is bleedin' too  
Let me bleed instead of you  
Let me bleed, let me bleed  
Eh-ah, eh-ah  
Let me bleed, let me bleed  
Eh-ah, eh-ah  
Instead of you

Eh-ah, eh-ah, oh  
Eh-ah, eh-ah

So let's go back to our cocoon  
On the blackened afternoon  
I see your heart is bleedin' too  
Let me bleed instead of you  
So let's go back to our cocoon  
On the blackened afternoon  
I see your heart is bleedin' too  
Let me bleed instead of you  
Let me bleed, let me bleed  
Let me bleed, let me bleed  
Let me bleed, let me bleed  
Instead of you

 

 

 

“Mrs Queen? You are under arrest for terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you.” 

“It’s alright, Oliver,” Moira repeated as she turned around, holding out her wrists for the handcuffs.

“Mom?” Thea cried out and Oliver automatically reached for her, holding her against his side.

“I want you both to stay calm. Everything is OK. Call Richard, my attorney, he will explain everything.”

“Mom, what have you done?” Oliver asked, the deep nagging feeling he had had for a week concerning his mother rising up with a rage.

“What I should have done a long time ago.”

“Ollie, what’s going on?” Thea said weakly as they watched the police officers escorting Moira to a patrol car, both completely powerless.

“Shh. I need to call her attorney first, Thea.”

They ended up meeting the attorney at the police station. Oliver recognized him as one of the lawyers who had been at the mansion the day Malcolm had died.

 

 

“Not here,” was the first thing he told them before leading them to a park on the other side of the road. “Don’t worry, your mom knows not to talk until I’m there and she wanted me to explain things to you first and foremost.”

“What… what did she do?” Oliver asked as he wrapped a protective arm around Thea’s shoulders.

“When you told her that Alfred Lewinski was trying to blackmail you she came to see me and told me everything she knew. Legally, as an attorney, it is my obligation to encourage her to come forward. But I didn’t need to do it. She just wanted to know the best way to proceed. She had already made her decision.”

“She told the FBI everything she knew?”

“Yes. Mister Lewinski wouldn’t be able to used her as bargaining chip if she was coming forward of her own free will.”

“But… they arrested her for murder!” Thea cried. “She didn’t kill anyone!”

“Conspiracy. Not murder exactly. Listen, we spent the week getting ready for this. We called in every favor we could get to buy her some time so she could straighten out her life first. They wanted to check her information and… we might have had a bit of luck with the arrest warrant that was delivered so late. We are going to argue coercion. There is a heavy chance the penalty will be small, seeing the circumstances of your father’s death and your own disappearance, Oliver. What is important now is that none of you talk to the police without me or one of my associates. You don’t talk to the press either. We have a very solid case.”

“You think she could be acquitted?” Oliver asked.

“I wouldn’t go that far… there is hope, yes. But a more reasonable goal is to get a minimal sentence.”

“When will we be able to see her?”

“I’ll try to arrange something as soon as possible. Now, excuse me, but I need to go,” he said as he handed Oliver a business card. “Don’t worry I already have both of your phone numbers.”

“What… what are we supposed to do?” Thea asked, confused.

“Go home. You won’t be able to see her until the ADA is done interrogating her anyway so that will be a few hours at least.”

“Come on, Speedy,” Oliver said quietly as they watched Richard walking up to the police station.

They drove back to the mansion quietly, both still in shock. Oliver informed the staff of the situation then brought a cup of tea to his sister who was sitting at the dining table.

“Why… why would she do that, Ollie?”

“I don’t know. I… she was safe. I don’t understand either. We’ll know soon enough when we get a chance to speak with her. I gotta call Felicity, do you want me to tell her you won’t show up to work today or do you have to inform someone else?”

“Felicity will… she’ll do it for me,” Thea answered distractedly.

Oliver nodded then stood up, heading to the hallway. Felicity didn’t reply on her cellphone and he called her direct line instead.

“Office of Felicity Smoak. Daniela speaking.” 

“Daniela? Hi, it’s Oliver.”

“Good morning, Oliver. Trying to reach Felicity?”

“Yeah she’s not-”

“She forgot her phone. At your place, I believe. Hold on and let me put you through. Have a nice day.”

For once he was thankful for the speed of Daniela’s speech because his patience was running thin.

“Thanks.”

“Oliver?” Felicity’s voice reached him a few seconds later.

“Felicity…” he started.

“... you don’t sound good. Is there something wrong?”

“Mom got arrested. She told the FBI everything and… they came to arrest her this morning.”

There was a long silence on the phone, then a short intake of breath. “Oh my God. Where are you?”

“Back at the mansion. Her attorney told us we wouldn’t be able to see her until later today. Listen, Thea won’t be able to come today and-”

“Of course, don’t worry I’ll take care of that. I’ll be there in thirty minutes, do you need anything?”

“You don’t have to come, there isn’t much we can do anyway,” he felt obligated to say.

“Thirty minutes,” she repeated before disconnecting.

As Oliver stepped back inside, he saw that his sister was still staring through the window.

“Oliver, she’s probably going to be gone for years. How could she do this and not even let us know??”

He wished more than anything else that he had an answer for her. Unfortunately, he had none. They waited in silence, the tension growing thicker and thicker around them. He texted Debbie to tell her he wouldn’t be available today due to a family emergency, then called Walter, who said he had just talked to one of Richard’s associates who had come to deliver the news himself.

“Oliver?” Felicity’s voice echoed loudly in the hallway and he jumped to his feet, rushing to meet her.

She walked straight to him, holding out her arms and he allowed himself to sink into her embrace. “Are you OK?” she murmured. “Thea?”

“Yeah we’re both still a bit shocked,” he whispered into her neck, taking a few deep breaths before letting her go.

She cradled his face between her hands, meeting his eyes. “We’ll get through this.”

He nodded, not trusting his voice as he led her to the dining room.

“Thea,” Felicity said quietly as his sister walked to her, sniffling.

“She didn’t even tell us, Felicity. She has known all week,” Thea burst out in tears.

Just like she had done with him, Felicity went to his sister, taking her in her arms.

Oliver started to pace, trying to calm his breathing down but the whole situation was starting to sink in and seeing Thea breaking down that way was tearing him apart as well. She had already lost her father at a young age and now her mother would be in jail for God knew how long - it wasn’t fair. How much will their family have to pay for his father’s mistake?

“I should have never told her,” he eventually said as Thea and Felicity sat down at the table.

“Oliver, you can’t say that… she might have still-”

“You told me to tell her!” he roared, feeling his control snap. “I shouldn’t have listened to you, I should have just done things my way and we wouldn’t be in sitting here, with my sister seeing her only remaining parent getting locked away for years, probably!”

Felicity startled at his sudden anger but didn’t say anything, keeping wary eyes on him. He saw her gulping, her eyes flaring up but she kept her attention on Thea, her hand stroking her hair.

Thea looked up at him in surprise, gaping at his brutal outburst. “Ollie! This is not Felicity’s fault!”

“I… it’s…” Oliver stuttered, rubbing his forehead. His heart was beating wildly, part of it was fear, other was anger. A small part of him knew it wasn’t right to lash out that way but it was like he couldn’t control himself at the moment. Everything had seemed to settle down for him, while in reality everything had been slowly slipping between his fingers. And there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t threaten anyone, he couldn’t climb a building to find intel, couldn’t exactly kill the people who were holding his mother seeing as they were the good guys.

Nothing he could do could fix this mess.

Thea would end up with a dead father and a mother in jail for God knows how long because he had selfishly wanted to unburden himself.

“I should have gone with my plan, do as Alfred wanted and we wouldn’t be in this mess,” he eventually said, forcing his voice down. “See, Felicity, this is why I need to have control. So stupid shit like this doesn’t happen!”

Felicity remained quiet, her arm still around Thea’s shoulders but her eyes remained fixed on him, a glint of anger shining in them.

“I need to get out of here,” he eventually said, feeling like he couldn’t breathe properly. The house was too quiet, too calm and cold and empty. And he knew if he’d stay any longer, he wouldn’t be able to control himself.

“Oliver-”

“Just drop it, Felicity,” he said harshly before leaving the dining room and rushing outside. He headed straight for the woods at the back of the property, not caring that it had started to rain. He needed to get away, away from the guilt that was eating his insides, the anger that was burning through his veins and that utter feeling of helplessness that was slowly but surely suffocating him.

He walked straight to a small meadow, standing in the middle of it and letting the rain fall on him, taking a few gulps of breath in an attempt to calm his thundering heart. Eventually, he sat down, dropping his head between his hands as he tried to retrace where he had gone wrong, where he had screwed up.

He kept coming back to the same conclusion. He should have never told his mother about his visit to Alfred. He shouldn’t have listened to Felicity. He should have handled it himself.

He didn’t know how long he stayed there, focusing on his breathing the way Dig had taught him to do whenever he would feel the pressure rising too high. He was drenched to the bone when he finally got up. As he started to slowly walk back to the mansion, he stopped suddenly, recognizing the meadow.

It was where he and Felicity had made love for the last time before the Gambit.

Felicity.

God, he had been unfair. And harsh. She hadn’t deserved any of it.

He jogged back to the mansion, knowing that Thea needed him and that he had to talk to Felicity. When he opened the door, he saw that Felicity was waiting on the staircase with a towel in hand. Wordlessly, she rose up as he walked inside then came to him, offering him the towel so he could at least dry his hair.

“Thank you,” he said as he toed out of his shoes.

“Walter and Thea are upstairs, in the library. You should get changed first, though,” Felicity said quietly, avoiding his eyes.

“Felicity, I’m sorry.”

“No, Oliver… it’s OK.”

“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.”

“I… I did tell you to call her,” Felicity raised a shoulder with a contrite look. “I thought she deserved to make the decision too. I... I had no idea she would…”

“I know. I’m really sorry. I lashed out at you because… I felt so fucking lost but it wasn’t right. It’s not your fault.”

“Oliver, it’s not yours either. You know that right?”

Oliver locked his jaw, this time being the one to avoid her eyes. “I’m the one who made the decision.”

“No. **Your** **mother** made the decision, Oliver.”

He shook his head, knowing she wouldn’t understand. “I need to get changed.”

Felicity sighed, stepping aside. “I’ll let Walter and Thea know you’ll be with them shortly. Is there anything I can do? Anyone I need to call or…?”

“No. I just hope Walter knows a bit more than we do,” he said as he started to walk up the stairs, Felicity in tow. He quickly changed his clothes while she sat down on the bed.

“Baby… I’m sorry. I know I…” he started, unsure of how to express how he was feeling. “Thank you for being here. But you should go back to Palmer Tech, there isn’t much we can do anyway.”

“Oliver, no.”

“Your place is-”

“By your side,” she finished for him with a warning look. “Do you remember?”

He let out a small smile then nodded before walking to her and crouching down so they were at eye-level. “I would understand if you wanted to leave.”

“Never,” she smiled as she stroked his jaw. “It’s going to take more than a little lashing out to send me running, Oliver.”

  
  
  


Unfortunately, Walter barely knew anything more. He and Moira had been talking and she had told him she considered going to the FBI herself. He had told her it was her decision, and that he would try to support her. She had made him keep it a secret, not willing to burden her children with her decision. They had managed to find some kind of peace in their marriage as well, willing to try to push through but Oliver knew this might change everything.

It was hard to push through when one spouse was in jail.

They finally got a call from Moira’s attorneys during their lunch, which Felicity had forced on them. The news of Moira Queen having been arrested had leaked, and Oliver was gathering himself to face the media circus that was about to drop on them as well.

“Babe, you have a meeting with your board, you should go,” Oliver said as they all put their coats on.

“Oliver are you sure…”

“Yes. Thank you but you just got the position, we don’t need you struggling with your board on top of everything. I’ll call you as soon as I know more,” he promised with a quick kiss on her lips.

“Ollie is right, Felicity. You won’t be allowed to come in with us anyway. You might as well wait for more news at Palmer Tech,” Thea said as she hugged her. “Will you come for dinner though?”

“Of course.”

  
  
  
  


Oliver, Thea and Walter were all sitting on one side of a table, next to Richard, when the door opened and their mother walked in. She was wearing a beige prison uniform and Oliver sucked in a breath at the view. He should have expected it, but somehow it was still a shock.

“Mom,” Thea cried out, rushing into her arms.

“Honey, it’s alright. Don’t worry,” Moira soothed her, slowly caressing her hair.

“Thea I’m sorry but you shouldn’t… it’s best if you don’t give them any reason to come in here,” Richard said delicately.

Thea sniffled, taking back her seat across from Moira.

“Mom… what happened?” Oliver asked as soon as everyone had sat down.

“Oliver. This was the only way.”

“No, it wasn’t and you know it!”

Moira looked at him with hard eyes, something she hadn’t done in a long time. “Oliver it is not your responsibility to fix my mistakes. I made a choice years ago and now I’m ready to pay the price for that choice.”

“But, mom, you didn’t do anything wrong and they’re accusing you of murder and-”

“Thea I’ve had to live with this for a while now. I used to pretend there really was nothing I could do. They were too powerful, too strong. But your brother did something. He stopped what I should have stopped. Coming forward protects you, Oliver, from anyone wanting to blackmail you for protection for my name.”

“Mom I can handle-”

“I’m not finished,” Moira cut him off. “I didn’t do it for that reason alone.”

“Then why?”

“The guilt is eating me alive. It’s the simple truth. I am done letting guilt and fear run my life. All those people died and I did nothing to prevent that. I have to live with that. The least I can do is be honest about my complicity, as small as it was.”

“It won’t change a thing apart from the fact that I won’t have my mom anymore!” Thea said, her voice rising in anger.

“I’m sorry, honey. Believe me… knowing I would have to leave the two of you, possibly for long years, has been the hardest decision I ever had to make. But… I also know that I never made a decision more right than this one. Oliver is there for you. You two have each other and I know Walter will be there for you as well. You just need to let me do whatever I can to make sure that one day, I’ll be able to look at myself in a mirror again.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Oliver asked quietly, his mother’s words starting to sink in. Felicity had been right. Even though he hated it… that decision had been his mother’s to make all along. Not his.

“Because I didn’t want to taint our last days together for… God knows how long. And because I’m not sure I would have been able to go through with my plan if you had asked me not to. I’m not as strong as you, Oliver. I shared with Walter but it was the most I could do. For this, I am sorry. I did blindside you both. I hope you will forgive me and understand I only wanted to savor these past few days with each of my children.”

“What are the odds?” Walter finally asked quietly. “I know you told me you had high hopes but…”

“Still the same. The ADA knows that we only need to remind the jury that Moira lost her husband and her son in a matter of months to believe she was justified in feeling threatened. The fact that she also came forward plays in our advantage. We might strike a good deal.”

“How long?”

“Maybe a couple of years. We’re confident we can get the terrorism charges dropped. Hopefully we’ll only get complicity with extenuating circumstances or, even better, obstruction of justice.” 

“Now, there are a few things you both need to know. Oliver, it’s important for you to step-up as co-CEO. I left a few suggestions for whoever will take my place as Vice-President, Walter will tell you and you can discuss it together. I named you responsible for my shares, you will have a few papers to sign. Oliver, it is very important you sign those papers, it’s to protect you and Thea.”

Oliver nodded even though QC was far away from his mind at the moment.

“Thea. You’re going to take that internship in New York. The one that starts at the end of the month.”

“What?! Mom, no! I can’t go while you’re here and… I can’t!”

“Yes you can, and yes you will. You are not going to put your life because of me. When we thought Oliver was dead, I saw you slowly lose yourself. I tried to help, in every way, but I wasn’t what you needed and I didn’t know how to reach you. I had lost my son and I was seeing my daughter in terrible pain and anger and I didn’t handle that well. At all. But now I see you and I see a young woman who is happy, and confident, and hopeful. You’re not going to throw that away. You’ll come back to Starling as often as you can, and visit me. I would also love to get letters, by the way.”

“Mom, please…”

“Thea. I’m asking you this as a favor. Do this for me. Make the upcoming years easier on me, knowing you’re out there building your own life and becoming the woman I know you are destined to become. I won’t make the same mistake with you as I did with Oliver. Find your own way. I have no doubt that you’ll eventually make it where you belong. Wherever that is.”

“I feel like I’m abandoning you,” Thea whispered.

“You’re not. You’re making me proud,” Moira choked out before taking a small shaky breath. “Now, Oliver… don’t do anything reckless. When I got you back, it was a miracle. Losing you was like losing a limb and one day, if you have children, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. I made so many mistakes with you as well, both before your father passed away and after. But you’re in a good place right now. I have never, in my entire life, seen you as happy as you are today. It’s the most beautiful gift you could ever give me. Don’t let this stop you. You and Felicity have something special. You need to focus on that. And… I know this is soon but… Walter has legal authorization to let you access the Dearden’s vault. You know… if you ever need a ring.”

Thea quickly glanced at him and Oliver couldn’t help but smile. It was a sad smile, but it was a smile nonetheless. “I just… I’m afraid you might be missing out on some things and you’ll regret your decision, mom.”

“I know I won’t, Oliver. I am finally on the right path.”

  
  


Oliver let out a deep breath when they stepped outside the county jail. He felt… weirdly better.

Talking with his mother had helped him realize that she had made that decision after some serious thinking. And he had seen the guilt in her eyes, but also the way she had held her shoulders straight. Straighter than she had in weeks. Doing this had helped her regain some self-esteem. He would still struggle with her decision for a long time, he knew that without a doubt, but their conversation had helped him see things from her point of view.

“You OK, Speedy?” he asked as he rubbed a hand on her back.

“Yeah… I’m still in shock but… she seemed so… calm and collected. She really made that decision with her soul and… I don’t know. I guess it helps.”

“You’re gonna go to New York, right?”

“Ollie,” she winced. “I can’t…”

“Yes. Yes, you can. You thought that being a Queen was hard before? It’s going to be a nightmare now. And you heard mom. She wants you to go there. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for her.”

“You don’t think I’m giving up on her?”

“No. Never. If you really don’t want to go, I’ll support you. But I don’t want you to stay here for the wrong reasons.”

Thea nodded before glancing past Oliver’s shoulder. She opened her mouth in surprise and he turned around, going still when he saw Tommy heading their way.

“Tommy,” Thea breathed as she walked to him, letting him engulf her in a hug.

“I heard about Moira. I was told you were visiting her and…” Tommy trailed off, shoving his hands in his pockets.

He had lost weight, Oliver saw right away and he was now sporting a short beard.

“Thank you,” Oliver said in a rough voice. “We… we just got out.”

“How is she?”

“Good. She went to the FBI on her own so… she knew it was going to happen.”

Tommy raised his eyebrows. “She did? Why?”

“Someone wanted to blackmail me by using her,” Oliver answered curtly.

Tommy nodded. “I just… I wanted to make sure she was OK.”

“Why don’t you two… talk? I’ll wait in the car with Walter,” Thea said smoothly before leaving them standing in the parking lot.

“Tommy, how are you?” Oliver asked in concern.

“How do you think I am? My father is dead, his company is on the edge of bankruptcy. I’m peachy, really.”

Oliver closed his eyes. “I’m sorry about how things happened. That wasn’t the plan at all.”

“What was the plan, then Oliver?”

“I was going to tell you. But we ran out of time.”

“Yeah we did,” Tommy spat. “Instead of, I don’t know, confiding in your best friend who maybe could have talked to his father before he shot himself in the head. Maybe I could have changed something, somehow. But we’ll never know, will we?”

“I’m sorry it ended that way. I just couldn’t take the risk to-”

“To trust your best friend? Now I only have other people’s opinion about my father, Oliver. That’s all. I’ll never get the chance to hear him, to understand. I’ll never get the opportunity to see if maybe I could have done something about what happened. I don’t even know what his last words were.”

“He… he talked about your mother,” Oliver said quietly, leaving aside Malcolm’s vow to evade justice.

“But not me?”

Oliver folded his lips behind his teeth. “Not at that moment. Before yes. But he was mostly… he wasn’t making a lot of sense.”

He couldn’t tell Tommy how Malcolm had seen his own son. Weak. Useless.

“If there is anything I can do, please tell me,” Oliver pleaded.

“Can you go back in time and give me the chance to have final words with my dad? Can you make me sure that there was nothing I could have done to avoid what happened to all those people?”

Oliver sucked in a breath. “No. You know I would if I could but I can’t do that.”

“Then that answers your question. At least… you get an answer. I never will. And it’s thanks to you.”

Oliver gulped. “I understand.”

Tommy sighed. “Listen, I didn’t come here for… for that. Just tell Moira I’m thinking about her and… just tell her that.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“Is it true though? She was involved?”

“Not really. She knew after my dad died but they… they threatened her. Then I went missing so she never told anyone.”

“Tell Thea I’ll call her,” Tommy nodded before turning around.

Oliver sighed as he watched his best friend walking away. At least they had talked to each other and Oliver now knew the reason why Tommy was pushing him away. But it didn’t make it any easier.

  
  
  
  


***

 

 

Felicity jolted awake.

It took her a few moments to gather her bearings. She was at the mansion. Oliver’s bedroom.

The bed moved again - probably what had woken her up so suddenly - and she turned to face Oliver. In the dark room, she could barely make out his face, so she turned on the light.

When she saw the sweat on his face and the mask of pain tightening his jaws, she instinctively reached out to soothe him before she scooted back on the bed, holding her hand as if she had just been burnt.

_Don’t touch him._

“Frack,” she whispered as she stood up, twisting her hands.

Oliver was thrashing now, his hands flexing and unflexing and she licked her dry lips, unsure what to do. They had talked about what to do if Oliver attacked her in his sleep again, which fortunately hadn’t happened ever again, but never about what to do before it got to that stage. She couldn’t wake him up, it was too risky.

“Think. Think, Felicity. What could work?” she mumbled, letting her eyes travel around the room. She stopped when she glanced at the alarm clock on her night stand. “Bingo.”

Grabbing Oliver’s cellphone, she set the alarm clock, giving herself a minute to put the phone back near Oliver and move away from the bed.

The annoying shrilling sound that bothered her so much echoed loudly in the room, snapping Oliver out of his sleep instantly. He turned his head around with a frown on his face, clearly confused, before stopping the alarm and dropping the phone back on the night stand.

Only then did he seem to notice Felicity still standing in the room.

“Felicity?” he asked in a rough voice.

“You were having a nightmare,” she explained quietly.

Understanding drew on his face and he visibly paled. “Oh my God, did I hurt you?”

“No,” she reassured him right away, climbing back on the bed to sit next to him. “Not at all. I learned from my mistake and left you alone but you were thrashing around so… I set your alarm clock, hoping a familiar “wake up” sound would snap you out of it.”

Oliver sighed, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes as he plopped back against the pillows. “Fuck. I’m sorry, honey.”

“Don’t be,” Felicity whispered as she lay down underneath the blankets with him, snuggling close. “We are both OK. I think the stress of the day caught up with you a little. We both knew it was bound to happen. I’m surprised it wasn’t sooner to be honest. Do you want to talk about it?”

Oliver shook his head. “I don’t really remember it to be honest. I know there was Tommy though.”

Felicity nodded, her hand massaging his bare chest as she pressed a kiss on his shoulder. “Makes sense. It really rattled you, seeing him today, didn’t it?”

“Yeah. I wasn’t expecting it and… he’s not doing great, Felicity. Not at all and he doesn’t want my help. Actually I think I make it worse.”

“He needs to blame someone at the moment. He is angry and taking it out on you. But that stage won’t last forever, you know. You just need to give him time.”

Oliver huffed out a dry laugh. “I guess it’s karma. I took it out on you, he did the same with me.”

Felicity’s hand travelled to his hair. “Oliver…”

“Yeah, I know. We’re good. But… I’m sorry.”

“Why were you so angry? I mean, I understand the reaction, don’t get me wrong but you were so furious and…”

“I don’t know. It was like… everything has been close to perfect lately. Ever since we stopped Malcolm. Sure, there was… I mean there **is** Tommy, but I still hope he just needs more time. I had everything I needed. Thea was happy, Mom and Walter were apparently working on their marriage and you… God, I’m so in love with you, Felicity. I don’t tell you enough.”

Felicity giggled. “You tell me you love me at least once a day, Oliver.”

He smiled as she propped up on an elbow then shifted on his chest until they were almost face to face.

“I do. But I don’t tell you I’m in love with you. It’s different. It means I gaze at that picture of you on my desk at least once every ten minutes. I grin like a fool whenever I get a text from you. Especially if it’s a picture of you in lingerie, by the way. It’s… you make me so fucking happy and being with you has brought me some kind of peace of mind I have never felt in my life. Our week together was really close to it but everything is much more intense this time. And for a few days it really felt like everything was falling into place and my only worry for the near future would be if I could give you five orgasms in one go. Then… everything crashed down and I felt so guilty for letting my own happiness, my relationship with you, cause that.”

Felicity opened her mouth but he silenced her with a finger on her lips. “I know. I know our relationship has nothing to do with my mother’s decision. But my first, primal reaction was to look for my faults in this situation and-”

“And I’m the one who advised you to tell your mom,” Felicity finished for him in a small voice.

“But you were right. I hate it, I hate that she’s in jail, I hate that I can’t do anything about it and that’s why I snapped and had to get away because it was like I was drowning. I needed to calm down and talk to her to see that your advice was right. It was her decision to make. I’m still struggling with that, and I probably will for a while but… I should have never, ever blamed you for this.”

“It’s OK. It’s forgiven and forgotten as far as I’m concerned. We need to focus on the road ahead. Support your mom, help Thea move to New York, get your footing at QC. Those are your top priorities.”

“What about my girlfriend?” Oliver asked with a lopsided grin. “I like to consider her as a top priority as well.”

“Well…” Felicity trailed off, her fingers grazing his neck and shoulder. “I’m sure she is OK taking the backseat for a little while. As long as you still give her a reasonable number of Oliver-induced orgasms, of course.”

“Define reasonable?”

“Are we speaking per day or per week?”

“Are we speaking per normal day or week or does it also include when you have your period?” Oliver asked back with a smirk.

Felicity glared at him. “We’ve already talked about this. Oliver Queen is persona non grata around Felicity Smoak’s lady parts during those days.”

Laughing, he palmed her butt to lift her higher on his chest until he could nuzzle her nose. “So, let’s say per normal week then.”

Felicity took a deep breath, faking a deep reflection as she tapped her finger against her chin. “A reasonable number of Oliver-induced orgasms per week would be seven,” she eventually said confidently.

“And you call this reasonable? One per day?”

“Yes. It’s also non-negotiable.”

“What if I don’t deliver?”

“No blowjob for a week,” she shrugged.

“What?!” He gaped, seeing she was dead serious. He loved Felicity’s blowjobs very much and even though he knew they could reach her seven orgasms a week with little problem, he still didn’t really like the idea of being potentially deprived of one of his favorite goodies.

“Non-negotiable,” Felicity repeated firmly.

“What if one of us is on a business trip? Can I get an amendment for those special circumstances then?”

“Orgasms through phone sex will count, of course.”

“Damn. You drive a hard bargain.” 

“I know. By the way, it’s technically Tuesday and you’re already one orgasm behind.”

“You told me you weren’t comfortable having sex here,” he reminded her sternly. “I was perfectly willing.”

“You’re always willing.”

“True. To my defense, my girlfriend is extremely hot **and** sensual **and** gorgeous.”

Felicity smiled, slightly rolling her eyes at the praise. He couldn’t help but smile back before pushing a strand of hair back behind her ear. She leaned down, brushing their lips together oh so slowly, the kiss almost like a caress.

“Did you just seal our deal?” he asked in a murmur as she gazed down at him, her finger stroking his jaw.

“Mmhmmh,” she nodded as she focused on the little mole underneath his lower lip. “I never told you but you have no idea how many times I used to fantasize about this mole when I used to work for you.”

Oliver’s eyebrows reached his hairline. “Really? I considered having it removed once and-”

Felicity’s horrified gasp cut him off. “Don’t you dare!”

“I won’t if I get at least one blowjob per week even if I don’t fulfill my part of the deal.”

Felicity’s jaw dropped. “I told you it was non-negotiable. And we already sealed the deal!”

WInking at her, he flipped her around until he was on top of her. “I think we can do much, much better in terms of sealing a deal.”

“You think?” Felicity asked teasingly, biting her lower lip as her legs encased his waist.

“Pretty sure, yeah,” he whispered before leaning in. He took his time, pressing his lips against her, his tongue asking for entrance and he was rewarded by her little sigh of pleasure when she let him in. It was a languid kiss, their tongues dancing, their lips suckling as they let the temperature rise slowly. When they finally broke apart, their breathing was faster, deeper but they still didn’t rush like they would have merely a few weeks ago. He dropped one small kiss on the corner of her lips then looked at her, smiling when he saw the happiness in her eyes, knowing it was only reflecting his own.

His mother’s words came back to his mind and at that moment he knew, without a single doubt, that Felicity would one day be his wife. He would propose to her and watch her as she walked down the aisle to him, starting a new chapter in their lives. That was written in their future, and it was all that mattered.

One day, he would go to the family vault, pick out that ring he knew would be perfect for her, a ring from his family to let her know she was a part of it in his eyes as well. He’d make her his Queen, officially, even though she had claimed that title a long time ago, a morning in April when she had bumped into him in Queen Consolidated’s hallway. He just hadn’t known back then.

He hadn’t known that one day, she’d become his rock, his main support, the only one able to make him laugh the day his mother was sent to jail. The only one able to make his heart beat faster just by walking into a room. The one he would turn to when times got rough.

I’m going to marry this woman and I’ll get to call her my wife. _When the time is right, we'll take that step and everything else that has happened will seem meaningless. As long as we have each other, as long as I have her, I can make it through anything._

“Are you OK?” Felicity asked with a little smile as he remained silent for probably a little too long. “Do I have something on my face?”

He grinned. “No. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life.”

“... lucky enough to work on our agreement right now? I mean, everyone is asleep now...”

“Anything for my girl,” he smiled before sitting up and getting rid of his t-shirt.  
  


And then he sealed the deal.  
Twice.  

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it was indeed Moira as most of us had guessed... I wasn't going to separate Oliver and Felicity again ;)  
> It was the best way for me to have her admit her mistakes, even though she had a lot of good reasons. She gets to protect her children in a proactive way, and that gives her the occasion to make penance (... is this the right saying? lol). Also, it's good for Oliver to realize he can't control everyone around him, and that sometimes he prefers that control because he can avoid being hurt, but that it's not healthy or fair for the others.  
> To me, having Moira in jail also makes sure Thea will behave like an adult even though she is alone in NY.  
> For these three characters, it's only more growth :)
> 
> I kinda assume some people will react (or have reacted probably lol) with Oliver snapping at Felicity. Perfect boyfriend couldn't be perfect all the time, could he? Oliver has issues and I didn't want to diminish them. Explosions of anger are quite common with PTSD unfortunately. But Dig has been teaching him ways to learn to control them ;)
> 
> Oh and finally, Tommy is back and... yep... well... he's a bit lost too. That won't last, though, we'll get our normal Tommy pretty soon, I don't think it's in his temper to stay that way for a long time :)
> 
> Next chapter will be Thanksgiving chapter so yaay for the pies.
> 
> I have mostly caught up with all my chapters so now we'll get back to a more reasonable updating schedule of once a week instead of once every 4/5 days.


	39. Welcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Here is the Thanksgiving chapter as I call it even though Thanksgiving is actually only a tiny part of said-chapter lol.  
> Expect some good Queen sibling interactions ;)  
> And maybe a surprise or two...
> 
> Thank you to all of you for reaching out/commenting, and a special thanks for mysticaldetectivepanda and pidanka for their support <3
> 
> Song: Welcome, Phil Collins

**Welcome, Phil Collins**

There is nothing complicated  
About the way we live  
We are here for each other, hand me to give  
Proud of who we are  
Humble beneath the stars  
  
We've everything we need  
The moon, the sun  
There is more than enough here for everyone  
All we have we share  
And all of us we care  
  
So come on  
Welcome to our family time  
Welcome to our brotherly time  
We're happy for given an taken to the friends we're makin'  
There is nothing we won't do  
  
Welcome to our family time  
Welcome to our happy to be time  
This is the best of all  
Ya know the best of all  
We're here to share it all  
  
If there is a bond between us nobody can explain  
It's a celebration of life  
We see our friends again  
I'll be there for you  
I know you'll be there for me too  
  
So come on  
Welcome to our family time  
Welcome to our brotherly time  
This is the best of all  
Ya know the best of all  
We're here to share it all  
  
Remember we love once we're parted  
Someone need in your heart  
Finding love, heading a future  
Telling stories, loving with friend  
Precious moments you'll never forget  
  
This has to be the most beautiful, the most peaceful place I've ever been to  
It's nothing like I've never seen before  
When I think how far I've come I can't believe it, yet I see it  
When I see family I see the way we used to be  
  
Come on  
Welcome to our family time  
Welcome to our brotherly time  
We're happy for given an taken to the friends we're makin'  
There is nothing we won't do  
  
So come on  
Welcome to our family time  
Welcome to our happy to be time  
This is the best of all  
Ya know the best of all  
We're here to..  
  
We're here to share it all!

 

“Mom wants us to have a Thanksgiving dinner,” Oliver said as he sat down on the couch next to Felicity. It was Friday night and he had visited Moira at the county jail earlier in the afternoon. Almost two weeks had passed since she had been arrested and they were finally accepting it, settling into things the best they could, letting life run its course. Thea was going to leave for New York in ten days, and Oliver was neck-deep into handling Queen Consolidated.

“Hum. What?” Thea asked, a handful of popcorn inches from her mouth.

“I know. That was my exact reaction too. She says it’s… it’s the first Thanksgiving since I’m back and… she wants us to at least celebrate it a little. She wants pictures too. Although I’m pretty sure it’s a way to have proof and make sure we don’t just pretend.”

“It’s next week. Like literally next Thursday. How…”

“Of course it would be something small. Walter had planned to visit his family in England as you know so it would just be you, me, and Felicity. I also want to invite Dig. I already gave Raisa her day off but I’m sure we can manage in the kitchen if we all help,” Oliver said with a shrug. “Except you, Felicity. You’ll be in charge of setting the table.”

“Hey!” Felicity cried out, throwing a kernel of popcorn at him. He picked it up from his shirt then popped it in his mouth before winking at her.

“I’ll invite Tommy too. I know he’ll probably say no but… it feels wrong not to offer,” Thea said quietly.

Oliver and Felicity shared a glance. “OK. Tell him he is more than welcome, if he wants to,” Oliver agreed.

“Any news about the trial or the deal?” Felicity asked softly, resting a hand on his thigh.

“No. The ADA is supposed to be working on a deal but they’ll know more next week.”

“And how was she today?” Thea asked as well.

“Good. She’s been reading a lot. Apparently she started a trilogy, Fifty Shades Of… something.”

Felicity choked on her popcorn while Thea dropped her hand in the bowl, tipping it sideways and sending popcorn all over Felicity. “Whaaaat?!”

Oliver laughed, patting Felicity’s back to help her catch her breath. “She told me your reaction would be hilarious.”

“Oh my God. I don’t know what is more shocking, that my mom would tease me with Fifty Shades of Grey - My mom! - or that my brother just told a joke.”

“I vote for Moira Queen saying Fifty Shades of Grey out loud,” Felicity finally squeaked. “To her son.”

“We need to get organized if we plan on having a Thanksgiving meal here. Also, Felicity, you have to invite your mom.”

Felicity, who had barely recovered from her popcorn choking, coughed, pressing her closed fist on her lips, her eyes watering. “Excuse me?”

“It’s Thanksgiving,” Thea said matter-of-factly. “If you’re not going home for Thanksgiving then you have to invite her.”

“Oh my God,” Felicity whined. “Thea, I’m not sure you know what you’re asking.”

Oliver bit back a smile, already picturing Donna and Thea in the same room, both full of that similar bubbly energy. It was bound to make Thanksgiving... interesting.

“Good. What’s your mom’s name?”

“Donna… why are you asking me this?” Felicity narrowed her eyes at Thea.

“To book a ticket, why?”

“Thea, I haven’t even asked her yet!”

Oliver leaned over, grabbed Felicity’s phone off the coffee table and handed it to her wordlessly. She pinched her lips, looking at him with a hint of betrayal in her eyes.

Oliver shrugged innocently, nudging her. Felicity took a deep breath then sent her mother a text muttering about decisions she hoped she wouldn’t regret.

“You’re not calling her?” Thea asked.

“It’s Friday night. She’s working. I’ll have a quicker response this way.”

“We have to plan, and we have less than a week,” Thea said in a rush. “The first thing we have to do is to buy decorations for the table. Those tiny little pumpkins and all those weird vegetables, you know what I mean?”

“Thea, I think the very first thing we have to buy is the turkey,” Oliver corrected her, rolling his eyes.

“I… don’t know where you get a turkey.”

“I’ll ask Raisa,” Oliver frowned, making Felicity giggle.

“You guys don’t know where to get a turkey, do you?”

“In my defense, I used to either have it when it was all nice and cooked or I had to hunt it,” Oliver deadpanned.

“And in my defense, I went through a vegetarian phase.”

“Thea you were eight and it lasted two days.”

“Still. I might have caved in for a hot dog but in my heart, very very deep down, I still consider myself as a vegetarian.”

“I assume Raisa has her favorite butchers, wherever she goes for grocery shopping. Probably Whole Foods. Or maybe the farmers market. Ask her tomorrow,” Felicity tried to bring them back on topic, with very little success.

“For the last time, Speedy, you can’t be a vegetarian at heart and eat bacon cheeseburgers twice a week.”

“Why, yes. Yes you can! I donate to PETA to compensate!”

“So hum, who’s gonna make the pies?”

“You should give to WWF or GreenPeace too then. From what I know, PETA isn't-”

“I also give to them!”

“No, but seriously, about the pies…” Felicity tried again, nibbling on her lower lip. “I think we should really talk about the pies.”

“Why, Felicity, do you enjoy pies?” Thea asked with a laugh. “Don’t worry, Raisa taught me. I used to nag her for weeks and eventually she said it would be good for me to know how to make them myself. I just use pre-made crust.” 

“I’ll make the vegetables and a potato gratin. The gravy too,” Oliver nodded.

“I’ll make my pigs in a blanket,” Felicity added with a smile, clearly willing to do her part.

“Is there anything else you can do?” Oliver couldn’t help but ask with a grin.

“Well if you buy dressing, I can make a mean salad.”

Oliver smiled, shaking his head as she gazed innocently at him. He knew Felicity could cook basic things but she also had no desire to do so. Although, truth be told he had mostly seen her prepare stir fries and… well, yes, salads.

“Oh God, I’m out for the night,” Thea said suddenly. “You two are almost nauseating with all the gazing and stuff. Seriously you’ve been back together for more than two months now. Adults get over the gazing and heart eyes within a month, you know.”

Once his sister was out of the room, Oliver pulled Felicity closer to him. “Are you sure you don’t mind staying here?”

“Oliver, don’t be silly. Of course not. It’s fine, really.”

They had been staying at the mansion ever since Moira had been arrested, Oliver not comfortable at the idea of leaving Thea alone, even though Walter was also there. They planned to go back to their usual accommodations once she would leave for the east coast, though. Oliver couldn’t deny it had made their lives easier. He would spend the evenings working with Walter while Felicity had transformed his bedroom into her makeshift office. He missed having his own place, but he couldn’t deny that not having to worry about groceries, laundry or cooking also had a lot of perks in terms of time saved. He was visiting his mother as often as possible, and after a week of countless phone calls with journalists, things were finally starting to calm down. All his efforts were now aimed at trying to get QC through the crisis with limited damage. Which was easier said than done unfortunately.

Felicity and he had settled into a nice routine as well, one that was so very welcome after the craziness of the past few months, both adjusting to their new responsibilities at work. Thea had made them go out on a date earlier that week, saying that if **she** didn’t speed things up, she’d never get to plan their wedding.

Still, somehow the lack of privacy was slightly annoying for Oliver - mostly because there was no way Felicity would indulge in kitchen counter sex, which he missed very much. He had found out that the time it took to boil potatoes was also exactly the time he needed to get Felicity off twice, starting with her still fully clothed.

“What are you doing on December 19th?” Felicity suddenly asked just as he was about so suggest they move upstairs.

“Hum. No idea. Why?”

“Palmer Tech’s holiday party. I need a date.”

“I’ll make sure I’m available then. Which reminds me… what are you doing on December 18th?”

“Nothing that I know of. Why?” she asked with a smile.

“Queen Consolidated Christmas party,” Oliver winked. “I need a plus one.”

“We’re gonna have a busy weekend.”

“Don’t make plans for Sunday the 20th either.”

“Why, you want us to go on a date again?” she all but beamed.

“I was planning on keeping you in bed all day, actually,” he answered sheepishly, feeling guilty and promising himself to make sure to plan more dates for just the two of them. Felicity seemed to love them. And if he was honest with himself, he loved them as well. Funny how something as silly as a date could seem so precious once you were finally with the one you loved after thinking you’d never see them again.

“I can work with that just as well,” she whispered before leaning in for a kiss. “Throw in a breakfast in bed and you’ll probably get lucky by noon.”

Oliver straightened, avoiding her lips. “Yeah no way we’re starting this here. Up.”

“But I wanted to watch the end of the movie,” Felicity pouted.

Oliver stood up, glaring at her. With a sigh, he pocketed her phone then bent down and grabbed her by the waist before throwing her over his shoulder in a firefighter’s carry.

“Oh my God, Oliver!” She squealed as he walked to the stairs.

“Sshh, you don’t want Walter to see you like this, do you?”

He smirked when only silence answered him but once he was safely upstairs, he felt a sharp pain on the top of his left buttock. “Did you just bite my ass?!”

“Sshh, you don’t want Thea to see you like this, do you?”

She was still laughing when he dropped her on his bed, leaning back with a knee on the mattress to get rid of his shirt. Her laughter slowly died, replaced by a warm, content smile as he crawled above her until he could rest on his forearms and nuzzle his nose against hers.

“Tomorrow night. You, me and... How do you feel about a little Italian...?” he whispered against her mouth.

“Well, if it's Lorenzo from accounting, then I feel really good about it.”

Oliver froze, leaning his head back. “What the-”

She burst out laughing.

“That... wasn’t funny,” he tried to scold her.

“You wouldn’t say that if you had seen your face,” she giggled, wiping a few tears from her eyes.

“I’m trying to ask you out for our third date, which as you know is the sex date, and you’re talking about another man.”

“Aw, Oliver, as if there was a chance I’d be into Lorenzo,” she smiled, shaking her head.

“Well, thanks for confirming it but-”

“I mean, he’s gay,” she continued seriously.

He glared at her, leaning back on his knees while she tried to battle her smile.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said with a small grin. “You were saying?”

“I was saying that I would very much like to take my girlfriend on our third date, tomorrow night. Possibly at that small Italian **restaurant** you keep raving about.”

She nodded enthusiastically and seeing her so carefree tore a smile out of him too.

“Why, is that a smile I’m seeing?” Felicity teased him.

“Yup. It’s my I’m-About-To-Get-My-Girlfriend-Naked smile.”

“A smile and two jokes in one night?” Felicity fake-gasped. “Who are you and what have you done to my boyfriend?!”

“I think the better question is what have **you** done to me,” he murmured as he slowly lowered himself on her. “You’ve enchanted me, Miss Smoak.”

  
  
  


***

  
  


“Look at that. Such a nice, juicy roast beef.”

“Mom.”

“I’m just stating the obvious, baby. He’s so buff now. Very meaty. You’re a very lucky girl, Felicity. I wouldn't mind sinking my teeth in this-”

“Mom!”

Oliver shared a glance with Thea whose shoulders were shaking with laughter. He waited until he was sure Donna and Felicity had completely left the kitchen.

“She tried to warn you,” he said as soon as the coast was clear.

“Oh my God are they sure they’re related by blood?” Thea giggled as she took the pumpkin pies out of the oven.

“Well you saw them try to peel potatoes, didn’t you?”

Thea hissed. “Yeah I can see the similarities now.”

“So, you didn’t tell me… how was mom?” Oliver asked as he finished the gravy. Thea had spent the late morning with Moira, while Oliver would head there during the weekend.

“Good. You know… it’s insane but she really does seem-”

“At peace?” Oliver finished for her.

“Yeah. She is so calm and not the depressed kind of calm, just the… wise kind of calm.”

“I’ve noticed that too. I hate that she is in jail and that we don’t even know for how long but… it almost looks like or as if she found a way to accept everything that has happened that way.”

“Yes. Walter told me that sometimes it’s easier to pay for your sins rather than to get off scot-free. If… you know that Richard told us they might accept the 18 months deal and she seems just fine with the idea. I hate that she doesn’t even want to go to trial but… if this is how she is dealing, I guess we just need to be there for her and also you better wait a year and a half before getting married.”

Oliver snorted, then used his towel to slap Thea on the thigh. “You know the deal says she could get out halfway.”

“You sure you’ll be able to hold back for another nine months?”

“Well… I need to ask Felicity to move in with me first.”

“You still haven’t done that? I thought that was why you had such a big loft. You kept saying Felicity will need this, Felicity will love that… Felicity is the love of my life, little sister, and yes I promise we’ll give you at least two nieces and we’ll let you buy everything you want for them.”

Oliver glared at her, before rolling his eyes when she grinned at him innocently. “What? You said you wanted three kids, be glad I’m letting you have a son.”

“Anyway, children aside… she loves her place and I honestly want us to settle down a little, find our marks. She gets a kick out of me picking her up for a date for instance,” Oliver blushed. “I want to give her that first.”

“I wish I could tease you but… you deserve this so much, Ollie,” Thea smiled before hugging him from the side.

“Oliver, honey, Felicity kicked me out of the dining room. Is there something I can do to help?” Donna asked as she walked back inside the kitchen.

“Felicity kicked you out of… why?”

“I asked her if she needed me to send her more toys because my friend Joannie is having her yearly demo party."

Oliver froze, his knife halfway through a carrot.

“Toys?” Thea frowned. “What kind of toys does Felicity need? Xbox?”

Oliver pinched his lips, slowly shaking his head. Knowing Donna Smoak as he did, he had no doubt that whatever her toys were, they clearly were not about gaming.

“I mean I don’t understand, she told me the little duck was her favorite last time and-”

_And bingo._

“Oh my God,” Thea choked before grabbing the counter with both hands.

“So I told her I had left a catalogue in your room, Oliver. You could go through it just the two of you. She’ll probably be more relaxed with you than with me. It took me weeks before she admitted which toy was working best for her.”

Oliver’s shoulders straightened, his interest piqued despite himself. Picking toys with Felicity? Toys he could use with her? On her?

_Oh yeah. Happy Thanksgiving indeed._

Just as he was trying to find a way to change the topic though, the bell rang and Thea all but ran away under the pretense of getting the door even though Felicity was much closer, but not fast enough for him to not see her biting her lips in order to keep from smiling. Even though Donna’s style was a little… unconventional, she was apparently exactly the kind of fresh air that Thea needed to have a good holiday.

“So, how are you two holding up with your mother, Oliver?” Donna asked gently as she took a seat at the counter.

“It’s actually not as hard as we had feared. Mom is handling it very well so she is kinda pushing us forward as well.”

“And with Felicity? Everything good as well?”

Oliver smiled before turning around and opening the fridge. “White wine?” he offered.

“Yes, please.”

He poured them a glass then went to sit in front of her. “Things are great with Felicity as well, don’t worry.”

“I didn’t get the chance to tell you but… I am so happy to see you. And not just because you are my daughter’s boyfriend but also because… I never saw Felicity this happy. When she was told you were gone, something died inside her, Oliver. I know all there is to know about heartaches but this… this was beyond anything I could help her with. And knowing she would carry that pain for the rest of her life… all I could do for days was hold her and try to make her eat and shower. Thank God John was there because I honestly don’t know what would have been left of her if he hadn’t carried her the way he had.”

“Hum, Ollie?” Thea interrupted them as she stood awkwardly on the threshold.

Oliver frowned, his face falling once he saw who was beside her.

Tommy smiled at him, a little stiff and uncomfortable but at least he looked him in the eyes.

“Oh, Tommy, what an amazing surprise! Felicity told me you probably wouldn’t be able to join us,” Donna said as she stood up to give him hug.

“Oh, wow, Donna,” Tommy grinned - this time it seemed much warmer and natural. “It’s been… a while. How are you?”

“Oh, honey, I’m doing great, thank you,” Donna said as she cradled his cheeks before dropping a kiss on each. “Oliver isn’t it wonderful? This is the real spirit of Thanksgiving. Family isn’t just blood, it’s also friends.”

“Yes,” Oliver coughed as he nervously drank from his glass. He hadn’t seen or heard from Tommy since that day outside of the county jail and even though he was happy his friend had decided to join them instead of staying home alone, he couldn’t help but feel wary of why he had changed his mind.

Donna stood between the two men, her head going from one to another, obviously sensing something was off.

“Right. Thea why don’t we go upstairs and look at that catalogue? You’re done with the pies aren’t you?”

“Yes. Yes, great idea!” Thea rushed to say.

“Do you want something to drink?” Oliver asked once they were gone.

“Yes. Beer?”

Oliver nodded, grabbing Tommy’s favorite from the fridge. Tommy sat down at the table and Oliver joined him.

“I… I’ve been thinking of this for the last twenty-four hours,” Tommy eventually said as the silence between them was stretching uncomfortably thin.

“Yes?” Oliver encouraged him.

“I’m sorry, Oliver. I… the cops found a private room that my father had hidden in the new wing we’ve built.”

Oliver paused, his hand on the glass. He had no idea. “Wow. I didn’t know about that.”

“Actually, they didn’t find it. I did.”

“And?”

Tommy locked his jaw, shaking his head as his eyes stared into emptiness. “He was sick, Oliver. He had plans on the walls, pictures of people with a cross on some of their faces. A list of guinea pigs as he called them, and… half of these things didn’t even make sense.”

Oliver tensed, fearing what Tommy might have discovered about him.

“There were pics of you, too,” Tommy said quietly, apparently reading into Oliver’s silence.

“Of me?”

“Yes. Not here, in the US. Definitely not on an island either. It looks like an eastern-Europe country.”

Oliver paled, then closed his eyes. 

“I got rid of them. Before I called the cops, I mean. You didn’t spend three years on an island, did you?”

“No, Tommy. I didn’t. I was stranded on an island first but then yes, I ended up in Russia.”

“With the mob?”

“... Yes. Not by choice but… yes.”

“Does Felicity know?”

“Yes, she does. So does my mom. But not Thea.”

“I won’t tell,” Tommy frowned. “It’s… I wouldn’t do that. I’m here to apologize, Oliver. I blamed you for not giving me the opportunity to make things right before it was too late but I saw… I saw with my own eyes that there was nothing I could have done. He wasn’t normal. I don’t know since when, I don’t know how he managed to keep it secret for so long but… there was no reasoning with him. I understand that now. He was… everything seemed so cold-blooded.”

“He was, yes. And believe me I’ve been blind-sided as well. I never even suspected him until it was almost too late. Actually, it was too late. You have to believe me, Tommy, we had no proof. Absolutely none. It would have been the word of someone who had been shipwrecked for three years and a man who had every appearance of respectability. It was my word against your father’s. I couldn’t see a way to put you in the middle of it and not put more people in danger.”

“I understand that now. I didn’t before because… I just have so many questions and it’s killing me to know I’ll never get answers. I blamed you for being there when he died instead of me, you know. I blamed you for stealing that moment from me because it’s eating me alive.”

“I’m sorry, Tommy. I had no idea he was going to do… what he did.”

“I know. The cops told me. And I know it wasn’t your fault and you tried to do the best you could. And all I did was blame you.”

Oliver tilted his head then stood up. “Don’t be a dick. Come here,” he said with a smile, before hugging Tommy, slapping him vigorously on the back to maintain the appearance of a manly male hug.

“Now that we’re done with the girly feelings and stuff, can I say that it smells fucking good in here?” Tommy said once they sat back down on their chairs.

“It’s a group effort. Wanna dig in?”

“Hum. I can make the salad if you have bought the dressing,” Tommy offered. “And if the lettuce is in a pack, all ready to use. Or I can bake the rolls if they’re frozen.”

“I swear to God you and Felicity are the same useless tools in a kitchen,” Oliver rolled his eyes.

“Or… we’re both smart enough to let other people handle something we don’t like to do? By the way, since when can **you** cook?”

“Come on, you knew I started a while ago. Who kept you fed when we rented a house on vacation?”

“The staff?”

“We didn’t have a cook, Tommy.”

“Damn. That’s why we had a lot of Mac & Cheese, then.”

“I started with the basics, OK? Which reminds me that I need to make my white sauce.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Tommy asked.

“Yeah, go to the living room, send someone. Try to avoid Felicity or her mom, though.”

“That bad? Also, that only leaves your sister, you know.”

“Donna poked Felicity in the eye with a potato peel and Felicity put sugar in the water instead of salt.”

“To be fair, sugar and salt kinda look the same if they’re not in a bag.”

“It was dark brown sugar. And it was in its bag.”

Tommy blinked. “Oh. Wow. She’s quite something.”

Oliver smiled, his eyes unfocusing. “Yeah… she is.”

 

_“Traditional is the way to go. I like my pumpkin pie with just a tiny bit of whipped cream. Sweet potato pie is good too but I’m a pumpkin girl through and through. Oh you know what? When you get a dog-”_

_“When **we** get a dog,” Oliver corrected her with a smile as he closed the oven’s door._

_“Right. When we get a dog, you, I mean we should call him or her Pumpkin. It’s such a cute word. Which is also another reason why pumpkin pie is the best pie.”_

_Oliver blinked as he was about to chop some celery. “Hum… is there a connection between your pie contest and dogs?”_

_“Well you have to admit that Sweet Potato isn’t a great name for a dog.”_

_Chuckling, Oliver shook his head. “My bad. You’re right.”_

_“Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?” Felicity asked from the counter, where she was sitting and looking at him, her usual spot whenever they were in a kitchen._

_“No, hon. It’s all good. Just keep me company.”_

_She bit her lower lip. “You sure? I mean… everyone is doing something but me. Mom is decorating with Thea, who is also makes the pies, you’re cooking, Dig is bringing stuff and I’m just sitting here.”_

_Oliver hesitated but the way she was looking at him with pleading eyes made him cave. “Hum can you fill a big saucepan with water, and salt it?”_

_“Yup!” she chirped, jumping from the counter._

_Oliver quietly observed her as she started to open cupboards to find a saucepan. “Baby?” he eventually asked. Felicity had been acting weirdly ever since she had arrived, one hour earlier. She was babbling, and a lot even by her standards, which was something he hadn’t heard her do in… forever._

_“Yes?”_

_“Are you OK?”_

_“Hum… yeah I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine?” she replied with a small laugh, pouring water in the saucepan. “It’s our first holiday together and we’re in your family home, which has two ovens by the way, my mom is corrupting your baby sister right as we speak, I couldn’t pick up said-mom at the airport because I was stuck at the office and I had to send my future sister-in-law instead and oh God it’s just a figure of speech you know, I’m not expecting you to slip a ring on my finger or anything really. No slipping necessary at all. Of any kind. Except your penis. I… I don’t mind your penis slipping. In… in the right places. Obviously. I wouldn’t want you to slip and… like sprain it. Your penis, I mean.”_

_A deep blush had invaded her cheeks, her eyes panicking like they always did when she was on a nervous babbling. And if all these signs hadn’t been enough, her blurting out about his penis would have sealed the deal. Felicity was fidgety as hell. And he didn't know why._

_“Felicity,” he whispered just as she was googling “can you sprain a penis”._

_“Wow, you **can** sprain a penis and yikes it doesn’t sound good. Oh my God it’s out of order for weeks, Oliver! **Weeks**!” Felicity looked at him with wide eyes. “And why am I even talking about this? Your you-know-what is in its prime and I’m positive that statistically speaking, you’re in the safe zone. I wonder if they have studies about that though, maybe I should-”_

_Smiling, Oliver cradled her face and silenced her the best way he knew. He caught her last words on his lips, softly pushing her against the fridge. Felicity moaned, her hand reaching to grip his waistband as he slowly invaded her mouth. Their kiss was thorough, deep and wet and he didn’t stop until her lips were trembling against his. By the time he leaned back, his heart was beating faster. He watched as Felicity slowly opened her eyes, batting her eyelashes as if she was clearing her mind._

_“Better?” he asked her._

_“Hum. Yes. I… Yes. Thank you.”_

_“Anytime. Saucepan, baby,” he reminded her with a wink before turning back to the stove._

_Felicity stared at him, blinking, her eyes still dazzled as she lightly touched her lips._

_“Felicity?” he asked when he saw she wasn’t moving._

_“Right. Sure. Hum yes, water and… salt, yes.” Felicity twisted her hands, her eyes traveling over the counter before grabbing the first bag she saw._

_She had poured half of its content before Oliver could stop her. “Wait, it’s not-”_

 

“Hum, Ollie?” Tommy’s voice reached him, pulling him back to reality.

“Yeah sorry,” Oliver said, clearing his throat, trying to remember what they were talking about. “So… hum yes. Since I’d like everybody to have something edible to eat, it’s better if they stay as far away as-”

“Thea told me she was done with the oven so I could do my pigs in a blanket,” Felicity’s cheerful voice interrupted him and his shoulders sagged a little.

“It’s a family recipe,” Donna added as she put on an apron.

Oliver bit his lips, trying to restrain himself from telling his future mother-in-law that buying frozen pizza dough and german sausages in a can wasn’t exactly what could qualify as a traditional passed-from mother-to-daughter recipe.

“We use turkey sausages, is everyone good with that though?” Donna asked as she battled with the can opener.

Tommy was staring at her with a look of wariness in his eyes before he eventually took it from her hands. “You’re going to kill someone with that thing.”

“Hey,” Felicity whispered as she bumped Oliver with her hip.

“Hey back,” he murmured, quickly glancing at Donna who was guiding Tommy in the art of cutting sausages before dropping a fast kiss on Felicity’s lips.

“Everything good?”

“Yeah,” Oliver grinned. “I’ll tell you later. But it’s all good.” He leaned again, this time allowing himself a few seconds to savor her lips.

“Felicity and Oliver sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g,” Thea started to sing. “Dig and his lady friend are here, so please can you keep your hands off each other for a few minutes and at least pretend you two are adults and not a couple of horny teenagers?”

“Don’t worry Thea. I’ve seen worse, I’ve heard worse.”

“Aww, my baby girl is enjoying her hunk!”

“Oh my God, please kill me,” Felicity muttered by his side, hiding her face in his shoulder.

“Oliver, we brought green beans and the whipped cream like you asked,” Lyla said, apparently taking pity on them.

“I didn’t ask for whipped cream,” Oliver said, confused.

Felicity elbowed him, a very telling blush growing on her cheeks. Thankfully everyone was helping themselves to drinks now and no one was paying attention to them because he could swear his jaw hit the floor when he realized exactly why had Felicity asked Dig and Lyla to bring whipped cream even though he had made sure they had a can of it in the fridge already.

“No way you asked her for…?” he whispered as she pretended to check his white sauce.

“Shhh… I wanted some extra so you could get a thank you for making such a nice dinner,” Felicity whispered back, keeping her eyes everywhere but on him. “You know… later. At night. When everyone is asleep. It was supposed to be my outfit, actually.”

_Best. Girlfriend. Ever._

 

  
  
  


Oliver woke up with a gasp, feeling a sheer sheen of sweat lingering on his body. His heart beating wildly, he rested back on his pillow, taking a few deep breaths.

“Oliver?” Felicity’s sleepy voice reached him from the spot she was occupying, snuggled against his chest.

“Yeah, baby. I’m here. Go back to sleep.”

Checking the alarm clock, he saw that it was almost six in the morning, meaning he had slept a little more than five hours. Their Thanksgiving dinner had actually been very pleasant - even if very different from what he was used to. Tommy arriving had been such a surprise to him, and their conversation had left him relieved, thinking that that maybe their friendship wasn’t completely destroyed after all. There was still a slight awkwardness, a distance, but now he was hopeful that time would do its job and get rid of it eventually.

The day had been filled with friends and family and even the absence of his mother hadn’t weighed down on him too much. It was still bitter-sweet but he also knew that it was only a matter of time before she could join them again.

Felicity had kept her promise and had indeed waited for Oliver, lying on the bed, her breasts covered in whipped cream, as well as a small circle around her belly button and an arrow to guide him in case he wouldn’t know where to go next.

So, really, there was nothing that could explain why he had just had that nightmare.

Slowly untangling himself from Felicity, he got up and slipped on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt then grabbed some socks and running shoes.

He went for a run around the property until his muscles were burning and the sun was rising. He didn’t clear his head, but at least the intense sensation of fire that was running through him was slowly replaced by a much more natural sensation, one due to physical exhaustion and not something close to a panic attack.

Felicity was sitting at the kitchen table when he walked back inside, nursing what smelled like a cup of warm milk. “I couldn’t fall back asleep,” she explained as he went to get a bottle of water in the fridge.

“I’m sorry I woke you up,” he grunted before gulping down half the bottle. “I’m gonna take a shower.”

He hurried up the stairs and let out a deep sigh when he stepped inside the shower, the hot water feeling heavenly against his ice-cold skin. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back, directly facing the water jet before grabbing the shower gel.

When he walked back inside the bedroom, Felicity was sitting on the bed, underneath the blanket, with a hesitant look on her face.

Oliver took a deep breath, forcing himself to not listen to the little voice in his head that was telling him to pretend he was alright. 

“I never really told you about Slade Wilson, have I?” he eventually asked as he slipped under the sheets by her side.

“He was on the island, it’s almost all that I know,” she answered.

“Something I haven’t told you… He used to work for the Australian secret services. He was looking for Yao Fei when he ended up on the island. He found his target but the plane crashed and the rescue never came.”

“OK…” Felicity breathed. “Why did he want to find Yao Fei?”

“Because Yao Fei had important intel that could have destabilized China’s regime.”

“Wow. Go on.”

“Well, Slade taught me a lot about kickboxing and other self-defense or attack moves. We didn’t have much to do apart from that after all. Anyway,” Oliver shook his head, trying to get back on topic. “You do know about the FBI, the CIA and the NSA, right?”

“Yeah, those are our intelligence or intel or whatever agencies.”

“There is another one. It’s called ARGUS.”

“I never heard of-”

“No one has. It’s top secret and does all the shady things that you wouldn’t suspect our government is ready to do. The one at its head is a woman named Amanda Waller. And she is ruthless. See, when the plane crashed down, there was a radio that was still working. Barely, but it was. Slade was able to send a mayday message, but… it was like throwing a bottle into the sea. You know, those old radios, not the satellite ones?”

“Yes. Of course, no GPS and he had no way to know where he was exactly,” Felicity nodded.

“ARGUS intercepted that message and went looking for him.”

“But why?”

“A secret agent believed dead? A dissident of China? It was like Christmas for ARGUS. The amount of intel they could get through them was invaluable. So they went looking for him. It took them a long time because Slade had been completely confused about his location. Then, one day, I had gone to a small waterfall that we used as shower and laundry room and I heard something. I got knocked out and when I woke up, I was on a boat. Tied up in some kind of a cell. I knew right away that something was off. They were obviously Americans, and so was I obviously, yet they treated me like a prisoner. Meanwhile, and I only found out much, much later, but Yao Fei had seen me getting dragged away and had alerted the others. They hid in a cave for days. Thankfully we had prepared for something like that and always had clear water stored, as well as fruits or cooked meat. And Yao Fei knew the island inside and out. Anyway… I was on that boat and I told them who I was and they didn’t seem to care. They asked me if there was someone else on the island. I lied. They didn’t exactly believe me and tried to force it out of me.”

“You mean they… they caused some of your scars?”

“Yes. They taught me how to torture, Felicity. That’s why I’m good at it,” Oliver said dryly. “Once I saw what they were ready to do to a fellow, innocent American, I knew they couldn’t have been looking for my friends for a charitable reason. There was no way I would betray them.”

“How long did they keep you?”

“Months. First they searched the island, and they did find the plane, but nothing else. I told you, Yao Fei was good at hiding. I don’t know if they believed me or if they had always planned to manipulate me and figured they could wait a few months before coming back… Amanda has a very manipulative mind and she’s always five steps ahead of you. What I know is that they figured I had what she called “potential”.”

“Potential as what?”

“Interrogator.”

Felicity pinched her lips, nodding to make him understand she knew exactly what he was talking about. She didn’t try to get closer to him and he was thankful. He didn’t feel comfortable enough to be touched at that moment.

“Again, to this day I don’t know if they lied or if they figured I’d eventually give up Slade and Yao Fei and were playing with me by giving me a false sense of security. I was in their ranks, the power had shifted and I’ve seen it happen countless times. You have no idea how becoming the oppressor quickly turns someone around.”

“What happened next?”

“Well… I interrogated people. I… I’m not proud of what I did and I don’t even know why I did it. It just felt like this was going to be my life and… I had to accept it and do as I was told.”

“I’m not judging you, Oliver. Brainwashing can cause a lot of damage. You didn’t do it because you liked it, or wanted to. I’ve told you before, I’ll never blame you for doing whatever you had to to come back to me, no matter how selfish that makes me.”

“One day,” Oliver continued, feeling a knot in his throat, “one day I was asked to torture a new “target”. I walked into the room and… he was just a kid. Around 14 or something. I couldn’t… I couldn’t do it.”

Felicity gasped. “Oh God.”

“It wasn’t real, you know. At least I don’t think it was, looking back on it… But seeing as I refused, I was deemed “unnecessary”. For a second, I thought they were going to kill me and honest to God, Felicity, I didn’t feel a thing. But then, they put me on a plane. And then it was worse.”

“Why?”

“Because no matter what they had made of me, there was still a small part that I had kept hidden. A tiny little place that I protected above everything.”

“Hope?”

“No. It was you, Felicity. You were always a part of me. They managed to destroy almost everything of who I was, except the part that loved you. They never succeeded in erasing the piece of my soul that you owned.”

Felicity’s eyes were shining but she didn’t interrupt him.

“I thought I was coming back to you,” Oliver finally admitted with a bitter laugh. “For a few seconds… I thought they were sending me back home. And home was where you were. Then they handed me a parachute and… I knew. I wasn’t going back to you. I swear to God the pain almost killed me on spot. I knew then, in every inch of my body, that I was going to die on that fucking island.”

“But you didn’t,” Felicity breathed, reaching out and brushing his hand softly, almost delicately as if she was unsure she could touch him now.

“They had put a tracker on me. They found our secret cave. And they took Slade three days after I got back. I never saw him again.” 

“Did he die?”

“No. He made it out alive.” 

“What about Yao Fei? What happened to him?”

“He died. You know that ARGUS agents wanted him too, he fought back and it got ugly.”

“How… how did you leave the island? You told me you were rescued thanks to the Bratva and that it was why you had to stay, to pay your debt?”

“Yes. Well one of Waller agents went rogue. He used to be a part of the brotherhood and… Anatoli had taught me Russian while we were on the island. I pretended it was Raisa who had but I didn’t know Bratva has some special vocabulary. So he sent a rescue mission, a few months later once he could get in touch with the brotherhood.”

“And you ended up in Moscow, paying your debt off by joining the Bratva,” Felicity concluded for him.

“Yes.”

“Was your nightmare about Slade?”

Oliver smiled sadly. His girl was smart. “Yeah. I still see the way he looked at me when they took him. Like I had betrayed him.” 

“Maybe… maybe you making things up with Tommy who accused you of something similar brought it all up?” Felicity suggested eventually as he laid back down in the bed.

Oliver frowned, resting an arm on his forehead. “You know… maybe. I’ll always have to live with the fact that I will probably never be able to explain what happened and how I had no idea they had tracked me.”

“What happened to the tracker by the way?”

“Anatoli is the one who understood. He saw a small scar on the back of my bicep and he knows all about those kind of things. He recognized it right away. I never even noticed, they must have done it while I was knocked out. He took it out.”

Felicity sighed, biting her lips.

“What?” he asked.

“I’m thinking we need more than a fruit basket for your friend Anatoli.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh, gathering her in his arms. “I’ll send him some bourbon as well.”

“How are you feeling?” Felicity asked as she sifted her fingers through his hair.

“Better,” he sighed. “Calmer. My mind feels clearer too. Thank you.”

“No. Thank you. You can always talk to me, Oliver, you know that, right? No matter what it’s about. It will only help.”

“I know. It’s just… very hard to tell you about these things. I want nothing more than to forget they ever happened and… I’m not proud of what I did. It’s hard to share them, especially with you.”

“Yet, you still do it,” she smiled as she dropped a kiss on his forehead while he snuggled against her chest. He sighed when her nails started to scratch his skull and he closed his eyes, rubbing his face against her breasts as he let her embrace lull him back to sleep.

“As you said a couple of weeks ago… if we’ve learned something, it’s that keeping secrets is bad. So I have to try.”

  
  
  
  


“Oliver, the news isn't great, I won’t sugarcoat it,” Walter said as he sat down across from him.

“The stock?"

“Still falling. Two more backers just informed us they wouldn’t renew their support. This whole thing hit us hard.”

“What’s your suggestion?”

“What is yours?” Walter asked back.

Oliver sighed, rubbing his hands on his face. “We need to launch our new satellite as soon as possible. It will bring in some cash and will raise our stock value.”

Walter nodded. “That’s what I would have suggested too. I’m not sure they are completely ready though.”

“I’ll talk to them. Are we ready for the mayor’s fair?”

“Our teams are working on it and pulling double shifts when needed. I already asked to transfer some employees from the medical team. They work on some very promising prototypes, especially the artificial limbs, but right now we just can not afford it.”

“Yes, I was afraid we’d have to do that. It’s still better than firing them, though.”

“I don’t want to get to that point either,” Walter sighed. “I have to admit, I never liked that mayor but his idea to organize a fair and invite potential investors to Starling and present what the city has to offer was brilliant. And very much needed at the moment.”

“Yes,” Oliver nodded as he exhaled slowly.

“I wanted to ask you if you were still going to the dinner he organized the day before though.”

“That’s Thursday which is… in two days, right?” Oliver asked, checking the small calendar on his desk. Days tended to blend together lately.

“Yes. I don’t think my presence will be necessary and I’d rather make sure our teams are ready for the fair. Does that work for you?”

“Yes, of course” Oliver nodded as Walter stood up.

“Alright then. Don’t forget the meeting with the board. We’re in for a joyful ride.”

“I won’t, don’t worry,” Oliver smiled tiredly as Walker walked out of his office and closed the door behind him.

The last two weeks days had been rough. Once it had been known that the head of their board  **and** their Vice-President had been involved in Malcolm’s project, Queen Consolidated had started to struggle on the markets. Nothing that was unexpected, but still something Oliver could have lived without, especially when he was slowly but surely stepping up as CEO for the company.

He would still struggle, a lot. He was more than thankful Debbie was by his side, and she was incredibly efficient when it came to dealing with budgets, which made his life much easier since he could rely on her completely.

Thea had left for New York and already settled in nicely, based on the pictures she had sent him. Walter had felt uncomfortable at the idea of living at the mansion alone at first, but Oliver and Thea had both assured him it was his home as well, and that they would be glad the house was actually lived in, especially since Thea would be back in Starling by May at the latest. There had been some changes for the staff though and Raisa, as well as one of their housekeepers, was taking care of Oliver’s place, who then in turn had more time to help Felicity take care of hers.

Felicity was currently in Los Angeles but was supposed to be back tonight, after two long days. Their jobs had grown more and more demanding and even if he knew it was only transitionary, he still didn’t like the strain it caused on their relationship. Both companies were supposed to be represented at the fair, and it would actually be the first time they would have to go to a work function without the other one as plus one - or employee, or partner in crime. They would actually compete, with other executives from other companies of course, in order to attract as many investors as possible. 

So far they had managed to avoid any of the usual conflict of interest issues that could rise between them. They carefully avoided to talk about any specifics in their work, mostly staying vague. Not that they didn’t trust each other or would use the information for their own benefit, but to make sure the situation would remain as simple as possible between them. But he was starting to understand his mother’s advice. Juggling two very heavy work schedules wasn’t easy, especially since he and Felicity were very much in the honeymoon phase of their relationship - which basically meant that they’d spend every minute of the day together if it was possible. Something that was quite normal for any young couple in love, and God knew they were, but adding the trauma of the three years away, emotionally speaking they both needed and craved that connection. 

“Oliver, Mister Diggle is here,” Debbie’s voice reached him through the intercom.

“Let him in, thank you Debbie,” Oliver replied with a smile as he stood up.

He hadn’t seen Dig since Thanksgiving, more than two weeks ago. Lyla had flown back to DC and he had accompanied her, which had made Felicity smirk proudly - even though she had nothing to do with it. Apparently, just the confirmation that her instincts had been right had been enough to gloat.

Seeing as Dig’s arm was still in a sling, Oliver just pointed towards the sofa, inviting him to sit down.

“Felicity is going to be happy to see you back,” he said as they both took place. “Apparently, I make a poor companion when it comes to watching TV shows.”

“All you have to do is say yes when she starts gushing over Daryl.”

“Duly noted,” Oliver grinned before leaning and resting his elbows on his knees, linking his hands together. “I’ve talked with your supervisor. You’re still back to work on Monday?”

“Yup, that’s the plan,” Dig nodded.

“Good. We are creating an office space on the other side of this floor, and we’re hoping to be able to get started with our new project for the rehabilitation of the Glades in two weeks.”

“I’m surprised the board was… well… on board.”

Oliver winced. “They weren’t really. HR wasn’t either. We reached a compromise though.”

Compromise being that Oliver’s salary would be used to fund the new service. They had eventually agreed to unblock a certain amount of money, Oliver refusing to have them use this as PR stunt if they weren’t ready to sign a few checks as well.

“What will be my role exactly?”

“Debbie has been working on it for a few days. I’ve gotten in touch with a few people from city hall and we have also realized a few citizens' associations are starting to gather. First of all, you’ll be meeting with all these people to evaluate the needs and how Queen Consolidated, as a privately owned company, can help. Then you come up with a budget with the help of the assistant who will be assigned to you, and submit it to me or Walter for approval. Once it is approved, you are responsible for whatever comes next. If it’s to rebuild something, then you need to hire contractors, if it’s for an internship program, then you need to interview the candidates before HR steps in, and so on. Don’t worry, any project that you’ll come up with will be dissected thoroughly and you’ll be told what you can do or not. Our legal department is also there for help.”

“Any goal set?”

“Not yet. I hope we can get something tangible by February though. Up to you to decide what should come first.”

Dig nodded again, before exhaling slowly. “Are you still sure about that, Oliver? I mean me leading this?”

“Yes. Any other question?”

Dig chuckled before shaking his head. “Man, I’ve never done anything like it.”

“You think I’ve ever been CEO before?” Oliver deadpanned.

“Good point.”

“Anyway, on Monday stop at HR first, then your assistant will fill you in,” Oliver concluded. “Now I’m sorry but Felicity wants me to ask you something and I really hope you’re going to say yes because she’s been nagging me for days.”

“Big Belly Burger?” Dig asked, completely non-plussed.

Oliver’s mouth opened in surprise. “Hum… yes. How did you-”

“I know your girl, Oliver.”

  
  
  


***

 

Felicity rushed inside, her head turning left and right as she looked for two familiar faces. With a big smile, she rushed to the end of the restaurant where Oliver and Dig were waiting for her in their usual booth, a beer in front of each of them.

“So sorry, it took us longer to get here than I thought,” she said as she leaned down to give a side hug to Dig, carefully avoiding his shoulder.

“It’s OK,” he reassured her as she slipped into the booth beside Oliver, kissing him.

“Hi,” she breathed against his lips as his hand reached to rest on her lower back.

“Hi,” he answered with a small smile before kissing the corner of her lips. “I ordered when you texted me you were ten minutes away.”

“My hero” She gazed up at him as he handed her a glass of Dr Pepper. “So… shouldn’t we toast or something?”

“To what?” Dig asked with a smile.

“Well, to new beginnings? For the three of us, it seems pretty spot on.”

“You’re right, actually,” Dig nodded, raising his beer to tilt it against her glass.

Felicity did the same with Oliver who winked at her as he reached underneath the table to press a hand on her thigh. 

“Soooo… anything interesting happening in DC?” she couldn’t help but ask innocently as she took a sip of soda.

Dig tilted his head, glaring at her.

“O… kay. I get the message loud and clear, it’s none of my business,” Felicity muttered sheepishly. “Thank God Sara is back though, I need more female friends, you guys are no fun.”

“Sorry, next time I’m sure Oliver will let you paint his toenails,” Dig snorted as the waitress put down their food.

Felicity grinned as she stole one of Oliver’s fries who merely sighed in resignation.

_I’m training him well._

She watched as he carefully dropped three slices of pickles on her plate then leaned in to brush a soft kiss on his cheek as thank you. He winked at her before taking a huge bite of his burger. There was apparently some kind of sport playing on a TV on their right side and Oliver and Dig started to comment on it while she mostly enjoyed her food and the warmth of Oliver’s leg pressed against her. 

“Do you remember the first time you guys took me here?” she said suddenly as she was nibbling on an onion ring.

Both men looked at her with a question in their eyes and she smiled. “It was right after that press conference when Isabel threw you under the bus.”

Oliver chuckled. “I had to beg you to not quit and abandon me, how could I forget?”

“One of the finest scenes I have ever witnessed in my life,” Dig nodded. 

_And one of the best decisions I have ever made._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...  
> Donna showed up and embarrassed her daughter enough for at least six months. Tommy is back even though he won't be completely back to himself because deep down, he kinda is still struggling but he doesn't blame Oliver anymore. To me that was a "normal" reaction, but not one that was meant to last.  
> Dig is going to do some awesome job, and something that really fits him. Yoda Diggle is rising, y'all!
> 
> Also hum... I put in place the last big piece of my puzzle for this story by mentioning... a certain character... he will have to play some kind of role in the near future. 
> 
> Finally I will be taking a short hiatus. I will probably update a chapter next week, then don't be surprised if it takes a few weeks for the next one because, just like for HGW, I am slowly but surely seeing the end of the journey in terms of plot (not counting the fluff/smut I want included XD) and I want to plot it right, make sure everything falls into place and right now it's a bit blurry in my head. It might also be because I'm so freaking excited about London next week though XD  
> If any of you goes to HVFF, and we somehow meet up, know that I'm usually pretty shy or socially awkward so don't be offended if I just nod and don't know what to say, that means I'm being my normal self XD (kidding... kind of. The excitment might make me chatty though.) But, also know that I will be bringing a lot - like A LOT- of belgian goodies, so you'll probably also end up with chocolate!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the Thea/Oliver and Thea/Oliver/Felicity scenes. I thought they deserved a little bit of family time :)
> 
> Oh and don't worry Moira hasn't been reading Fifty Shades lol. She was just teasing, OK? XD (going to jail and shower with a bunch of other women would probably loosen anyone up). Although, I wouldn't blame her because prison must be boring so might as well keep busy.


	40. Everybody Here Wants You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!!  
> So this is the pre-Cindy-goes-on-hiatus chapter. You'll probably have to wait at least two weeks before getting another one. I'm leaving you with smut though, so yes it's NSFW (but it's only one scene, around the middle).   
> Huge thank you to mysticaldetectivepanda who edited super fast so I could post it before leaving <3 and to pidanka who I'm going to meet in four days omg :'(  
> Thanks to aaaaall of you for your comments, your tweets, your tumblr asks (remember, I don't go there anymore so if you send "messages" (no idea what's the right word, that little convo window?), I won't see them. But I do receive asks in my inbox so I see them and I reply as soon as I can <3
> 
> Song; Everybody Here Wants You - Jeff Buckley  
> >> Someone recommended that song when I asked for your ideas. I liked it and noted it down. The chapter I had in mind for that one won't be written exactly that way, so I figured it could work for this one instead <3

**"Everybody Here Wants You"**   
  


Twenty-nine pearls in your kiss  
A singing smile  
Coffee smell and lilac skin  
Your flame in me

Twenty-nine pearls in your kiss  
A singing smile  
Coffee smell and lilac skin  
Your flame in me

I'm only here for this moment

I know everybody here wants you  
I know everybody here thinks he needs you  
I'll be waiting right here just to show you  
How our love will blow it all away

Hmm, such a thing of wonder in this crowd  
I'm a stranger in this town  
You're free with me  
And our eyes locked in downcast love  
I sit here proud  
Even now you're undressed in your dreams with me

Oh, I'm only here for this moment

I know everybody here wants you  
I know everybody here thinks he needs you  
I'll be waiting right here just to show you  
How our love will blow it all away

I know the tears we cried  
Have dried on yesterday  
The sea of fools has parted for us  
There's nothing in our way  
My love

Don't you see, don't you see?  
You're just the torch to put the flame to all our guilt and shame  
And I'll rise like an ember in your name

I know I, I know I  
I know everybody here wants you  
I know everybody here thinks he needs you  
I'll be waiting right here just to show you  
Oh let me show you  
That love can rise, rise just like embers

Love can taste like the wine of the ages, oh babe,  
And I know they all looks so good from a distance  
But I tell you I'm the one

I know everybody here, well, thinks he needs you  
Think he needs you  
And I'll be waiting right here just to show you.

 

 

 

“Oh. Wow. Looks like Mason Industries will be at the mayor’s fair as well. They apparently just confirmed,” Felicity said as Oliver walked into her bedroom.

“Really?” he asked, surprised. Mason Industries was one of the world wide leaders in terms of medical equipment and he was more than astonished they’d come all the way to Starling. Oliver immediately made a mental note to let Walter know as soon as possible and to check with his team. It was a very good opportunity to get a partnership for their new artificial limbs, or maybe even discuss the possibility of selling their latest prototype.

“Yup.”

He slipped underneath the sheets next to her then grabbed his laptop to send an email. The mayor's dinner was the next day and they didn’t have much time to get ready. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Felicity was typing furiously on her phone, no doubt doing the exact same thing.

“I didn’t know Palmer Tech was interested in medical applications?” he couldn’t help but ask with a frown. As far as he knew, Felicity’s company focused on eco-friendly energy and resources, as well as small technology devices.

“Mmh?” Felicity asked innocently. “Well… we might be trying to look into new territories in the near future. It’s always good to keep an open mind.”

As he put his laptop back on the floor and leaned back against the pillows, he observed her. She was frowning, her glasses dangerously low on her nose and he could see her tablet was open to Mason Industries’ website.

“This looks like more than just an open mind,” he noted once she switched to a tab with several graphs.

“Maybe?” she winced. “It’s just that… Ray and I were considering investing in a very specific area ourselves. I'm more interested in their skills, though, not so much into having them as investors.”

“So what you’re saying is that we’ll be trying to win the same company over in the next few days?”

“I guess so? But for different reasons and a different type of contract, I’m sure unless you guys have started to… hum. Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this?”

“You’re right.” Oliver nodded, then lay flat on his back. It was better if they really separated their private relationship from anything work related in order to avoid any potential conflict. But… Felicity kind of had an unfair advantage. “That being said, you know more about Queen Consolidated than I know about Palmer Tech so even if we don’t talk about it, you’re still slightly ahead in the game.”

Felicity paused then slowly turned her head to face him. “What? I haven’t been involved in QC for almost four years, Oliver. Everything I know is based on public information. You can have similar knowledge about PT yourself.”

“You kept an eye on QC while I was gone, didn’t you?”

She pinched her lips. “That is beside the point.”

“Nope,” Oliver grinned. “Like I said… you have an advantage I don’t have.”

“Are you already trying to look for excuses for when **I** win this contract?”

“You seem awfully confident, Miss Smoak. I’m very good at closing a deal, you know. Part of my charms,” he added with a wink when she huffed in frustration. “I just want you to keep in mind that when QC wins that partnership, it will be against all odds.”

“Against all odds?” she gasped. “Are you kidding me? You have Walter by your side, who knows everyone from everywhere, and your family has been involved with probably every single company in Forbes Fortune 500! **You** have an unfair advantage on **me** , Mister Queen!”

“ **You** know why QC wants Mason Industries but **I** have no idea why PT wants them too. That gives **your** company an advantage on **mine**!” he huffed out a laugh when he saw her straightening her glasses and putting her tablet and phone on the nightstand before turning to face him.

“You know what? Fine, we each have an advantage over the other. I say it evens the field. So may the best win.”

Oliver narrowed his eyes, not sure he was comfortable with seeing Felicity caving in so easily. “You have a plan, don’t you?”

“Not telling you,” she shrugged. “We both want the same thing, and we’re each going to do what’s best for our company. Our relationship will strictly remain professional until Palmer Tech gets that contract.”

“You mean, Queen Consolidated, right? Come on, you know we’ve been in Mason Industries’ field for decades now. PT is a new player anyway, you should start with something smaller. Business advice.”

“Nice try, Oliver,” she snorted, not fooled at all by his attempt. He smiled unapologetically then quickly, before she could move, leaned over her to grab her tablet.

“Oliver!” she gasped, trying to grab it from his hand.

“Nope. You caved in way too easily, Felicity. That’s not you at all.” Oliver laughed before standing up, ignoring the way she was struggling to get rid of the sheets. The tablet fired up with the sudden movement and he smirked. “My, my, my… were you hacking your way into Mason Industries?”

Felicity humphed, sitting back on the bed in defeat. “No. I just wanted to know who would be representing the company. It’s not really hacking, just… hum, OK I was totally hacking but it’s not that bad, really! I wasn’t hacking **them**!”

“Felicity,” Oliver said quietly as he gave her tablet back, then leaned over her until she was lying back against the pillows, his straightened arms encasing her.

“Yes?”

“No hacking.”

“But-”

“No hacking. It’s not fair.”

“It’s kinda fair when you think of it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean they’re sending one of their engineers, it’s not my fault!”

“Engineer who went to…” Oliver trailed off, knowing he was about to find out why Felicity had suddenly dropped the subject a few minutes earlier.

“Ugh! Fine. He went to MIT,” she scoffed, crossing her arms on her chest. “I thought his name was familiar, so I hacked into some records. Not Mason Industries. See? I didn’t hack the company, so technically, it’s fair.”

Oliver blinked. “I think we’re gonna have to work on your definition of “fair”, honey.”

Felicity pouted, looking at him from underneath the rim of her glasses.

He lasted about two seconds before a smile cracked his scowl.

“Oliver, you know it’s important for me to bring something to the company and prove my worth,” she explained in a pleading voice as soon as she saw his smile.

“And you know QC is in a difficult situation now and it would be good for us to get this kind of partnership.”

Felicity sighed. “You’re right. We both have valid arguments. I say we try our best, and we’ll see how it goes.”

“No cheating, no hacking?”

“No hacking,” she promised, rolling her eyes. “Don’t use fishing trips or golf games either, OK?”

“Fair enough,” he grinned. “And we will strictly separate this from what’s going on between us, OK? No blaming the winner or anything.”

“Yup. Like I said, until the end of the fair, our relationship remains strictly professional.”

“Good,” he smiled before leaning in to seal the deal with a kiss.

Felicity pushed on his chest, shaking her head. “Nope. We said our relationship would remain professional.”

Oliver leaned back, eyes wide. “Well, yes, but not that way.”

“Sorry, Oliver, a deal is a deal. I’ll help you make up the couch.”

“What?!” he almost squealed.

“I think it’s best if we set clear boundaries,” Felicity shrugged as she walked past him to get an extra blanket. “I mean if you want us to really keep it fair and professional, it’s the best way, Oliver.”

“You’re kicking me out of your bed?!”

“Yes.”

Oliver’s jaw dropped when he watched her gather a few pillows - from his side, obviously. “You’re not serious, are you? What about your seven orgasms a week?”

“You’re only three orgasms away from that goal and you’ll have the weekend. You’ll be fine, Oliver. Your blowjobs are safe.”

He dropped back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She was making him sleep in the dog house. Well, technically on her couch since they didn’t have a dog yet. Which, apparently, was a good thing. She didn’t seem mad or vengeful and he wasn’t sure what exactly had made her decide that because she had seemed as anxious as him to sleep in the same bed again and her reasoning was… fishy at best. Unless…

He slowly lifted his head, looking through the door where she had just disappeared.

Unless she was planning another torture session involving her lingerie or those devilish dresses of hers. Making sure to look as yummy as possible while he could do nothing but stare at her.

It had worked during the gala at Queen Consolidated, after all.

A slow smile spread across his lips. Oh, the little vixen. She wanted to play it naughty.

What she didn’t know was that two could play that game.

  
  
  
  


“We are actually hoping to diversify our activities in the future. That’s not to say we’re not considering options for our current products, but mostly that we’re hoping something new will catch our eye.”

Oliver nodded as he took a sip of champagne. “I understand. We are actually taking the same approach for Queen Consolidated. Which is why I think we should discuss this opportunity. Both our companies have been working in the same field, in complementary products. There is a clear advantage in diminishing the costs with a partnership that will allow us both to focus on innovations while making sure our older creations are still financially profitable.”

Josiah Langton, chief of Mason Industries’ advanced technologies department nodded thoughtfully. “As I said, I’m not closing doors. But I can’t promise my company is what you’re looking for.”

“Fair enough. I hope we’ll be able to convince you during the fair,” Oliver smiled. “We have several prototypes we’ve been working on, and I know Mason Industries could benefit from them.”

Oliver stopped his explanation when he saw that Mister Langton’s assistant was approaching them. He took another sip of his drink as she spoke in her boss’s ear who nodded then followed her eyes.

“Well, Oliver… I assume I can call you Oliver?”

“Of course, Josiah,” Oliver grinned. “Makes things much more simple.”

“I agree,” Josiah smiled back. “I would be lying if I said I haven't been keeping an eye on Queen Consolidated, but I also have strict orders. I can only invest so much, and with only one company. Our hope is to find something innovative, our back-up plan is to fall back on what we already do and know well. We’re just really looking forward to setting foot on the west coast. The tax cuts in the state of California are just too good to pass up.”

“Well, you know the rules. Make sure to go as eco-friendly as possible and I don’t want to brag but we’re one of the companies the most advanced in that…” Oliver trailed off, his eyes automatically attracted when a familiar silhouette came into his eyesight. The formal smile he had worn all evening melted from his face like ice-cream in the sun.

_Oh, no, she didn’t._

“Hum… yes, I remember how you started to rebrand the company some four years ago or something,” Josiah said, looking behind him in confusion when he saw Oliver’s attention was distracted. “Oh. Miss Smoak, I believe? My assistant was just telling me about you. Palmer Tech’s brand new CEO.”

Oliver’s jaw locked when Felicity beamed, barely glancing at him. “Mister Langston, I was hoping I could catch a word with you.”

“Please, let’s not bother with last names. I assume you two know each other?” Josiah asked, the hand that was holding his glass waving between the two of them.

“Yes, we do,” Felicity replied with a smile. “Mister Queen,” she added, slightly tilting her chin down in acknowledgment.

“Miss Smoak,” Oliver answered in a stiff voice, unable to keep his eyes from traveling down her body.

She was wearing red.

**Red.**

The color she had said was just for him or when they could play. Thankfully, her dress wasn’t as sinful as the other ones he had seen on her - as far as he could tell because Felicity had quite the talent when it came to picking a perfectly respectable-looking dress with just that tiny little detail that made him lose his mind with lust, whether it was a slit, a naked back, or criss-cross fabric.

She grinned innocently at him, letting him know she had totally done it on purpose, before turning to Josiah. “I was really looking forward to meeting you.”

“I’m actually quite surprised. I didn’t know Palmer Tech had any interest in medical applications.”

“Well, it’s a project Ray and I had been working on for a little while. We believed some of our research could really benefit the medical field. It wasn’t planned that way, for sure, but when an opportunity presents itself, you just have to grab it and see where it takes you.”

“Exactly!” Josiah nodded with enthusiasm. “It’s the reason why we came, to be honest. See if something clicks for us, then take advantage of the location to build another branch in the area.”

Josiah picked a petit four from a waiter, allowing Oliver to glare to his heart's content at his girlfriend. She raised an eyebrow at him before taking a sip of her water. She was just lowering her glass when someone slightly bumped into her, making her spill a few drops on her hand.

“Oh, damn, I’m sorry, Felicity,” Tommy’s voice reached them as he joined their little trio.

“It’s OK, it’s just water,” Felicity replied as she started to look for a napkin.

“No need,” Oliver stopped her before opening his jacket to grab a handkerchief from his inside pocket. He saw Felicity pause, her eyes traveling to his chest and freezing there.

With a smirk, he handed her the small square of fabric before straightening his jacket again, making sure to make a show of what he was wearing underneath.

Her eyes snapped back to his, her mouth slightly opened in surprise. She licked her lips and this time, he was the one raising an eyebrow at her.

“Formal attire, I see, Mister Queen,” she said in a breathy voice as she eventually gathered her bearings and patted her hand dry.

“I could say the exact same thing for you, Miss Smoak,” he answered smoothly, letting his eyes travel down her figure. Her dress was red, form-fitting as usual, with two tiny sleeves that were just covering her shoulders. The fabric was completely covering her breasts, only leaving her throat and the top of her chest bare. What was a perfectly appropriate, classy outfit was already making his blood boil. That color against her creamy skin was always a major turn on and she knew it.

Just like he knew she had a similar problem whenever he would wear suspenders.

Checking that Josiah was still eating his petit fours while talking with Tommy, he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “If you play nice, I’ll let you hold onto them when I take you against whichever wall you prefer.”

Felicity’s darkened eyes dove into his. “I can’t believe you’re using-”

“What color are you wearing, again?” Oliver hissed in a low voice.

She had the decency to look sheepish for about one second before a smug expression took over her face. “I’m sorry, it was all I had left in my closet. Why, you don’t like it?”

Oliver tilted his head in warning, his fingers literally itching to sneak to her lower back.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to talk with my new friend Josiah,” she added proudly before handing him her glass of water.

Oliver blinked, realizing he had completely forgotten about Mason Industries. Felicity turned around, her smile falling from her face when she realized they were alone now.

“What…”

Several feet away from them, he saw Tommy raising his glass at them with a smirk, his hand patting Josiah’s back as they both made their way to the bar.

“That sneaky bastard!” Felicity hissed. “And you,” she added as she turned to him. “It’s your fault too!”

“What?! You’re wearing red, Felicity. Red. We said we would play fair.”

“Oh don’t you dare try to play the innocent here, Oliver. Those suspenders didn’t magically appear out of thin air, did they?”

“I lost a bit of weight,” he lied through his teeth.

Felicity grabbed her glass back then downed it in one go. “And this dress was the only one that fit because your cooking has made my ass bigger.”

Oliver paused, then leaned back to cast a discreet glance at his favorite part of Felicity’s body.

“No, it hasn’t,” he murmured in confusion. The Butt - yes the capital B was a necessity when it came to Felicity’s backside - was still round, fleshy and arrogantly perky, the globes just the perfect size for his palms and… well now that she was mentioning it, it had gotten a tiny bit bigger since he had come back, almost four months ago. But she had been thinner back then and was now back to what seemed like her usual weight, as far as he could tell.

Felicity glared at him.

“Nevermind,” he breathed as he finished his champagne. “I knew you were going to play dirty. You caved in way too easily last night. I did what I had to do to try to level the field.”

“And now my future partner is talking with Tommy Merlyn, who’s probably gonna charm his pants off before the appetizer is even served.”

“ **Your** future partner? And I’m pretty sure Josiah is straight, he mentioned a wife.”

“It’s Tommy we’re talking about.”

“He works better with women. Wait a second… has Tommy ever charmed **your** pants off?”

Felicity averted her eyes. “No. Of course not.”

“Fe-li-ci-ty.”

“Well he was very charming at first and maybe I was a little more flustered than I liked to admit, yeah. But nothing ever happened, right? You know very well my pants stayed firmly on. I wasn’t interested in him but it’s hard to not feel flattered when a man like him just showers you with attention.”

Oliver locked his jaw, exhaling through his nose. It’s not that he was jealous, per se. More like… OK he was jealous. Tommy had managed to charm Felicity first.

“Oh my God, Oliver,” Felicity chuckled. “I was flattered but there were no butterflies in my stomach if you know what I mean. And we both know he was never serious about it anyway.”

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that,” Oliver muttered, remembering the first time Tommy had met Felicity and mentioned her little “librarian” vibe. He hadn’t liked it back then, and he liked it even less now. He didn’t like to be reminded of his own blindness when it came to her.

“Miss Smoak, Mister Queen,” a brunette interrupted them. Oliver recognized her as one of the several journalists that had been invited. “May we take a picture? It’s for Starling City Star.”

“Sure,” Felicity smiled warmly as she twisted on her feet so she and Oliver were facing the photographer.

“Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?”

“No, go ahead,” Oliver replied, knowing it was a necessary evil at events like these. The mayor wanted some publicity.

“Mister Queen, how is your company handling your mother’s incarceration?”

“My mother, as I’m sure you’re aware, came forward willingly. Which means she made sure everything was in order. The plan had always been originally for her to eventually step down so I could take her place. It just slightly sped up that process. Walter Steele and I have known each other for a long time and we are more than capable of handling her departure.”

“And personally? It must be hard to be back from the dead for barely a few months and lose your mother that way?”

Oliver took a deep breath. “It’s not easy. But I know first hand how my mother must have felt during all those years. I’m the living proof of how ruthless the people behind that project were. My mother is still alive, and I don’t doubt she’ll be back with us soon.”

“Apparently, the DA offered her a favorable deal?”

“Yes, but I fail to understand what this has to do with our Mayor’s dinner.”

“... right. It’s just that our readers feel very invested with everything that has happened to Starling and you can’t deny your family has been in the spotlight one way or another for a while.”

“So maybe now is the time to move forward and put the spotlight on other things? Such as this evening, and the fair tomorrow?”

The journalist nodded, probably understanding she wouldn’t get anything more on that topic. “So can you tease something for what we can hope for Queen Consolidated in the near future?”

“I’m afraid most of it is confidential, but I made a commitment to myself when I accepted this position to make sure it will benefit our city as much as possible. This hasn’t changed. I hope things will get clearer in a few months.”

“Understandable." The woman smiled before turning to Felicity. “Miss Smoak, I love your dress. Who is it?”

Felicity blinked, obviously caught off guard. “The dress?”

“Yes. Which designer?”

“You want to know about…” Felicity trailed off with a slight shake of her head. “I have no idea. I saw it in a store, loved it, tried it on and bought it. Oliver, who designed your suit?”

Oliver pinched his lips, recognizing Felicity’s shorter tone. “Hum… Hugo Boss? I think?”

“Next time, you should reserve those questions for him,” Felicity gave the journalist a fake smile.

“Hum… alright. So I take it the rumors are true? You two are together?”

Felicity froze beside him and his own shoulders stiffened. “I don’t think-”

“Yes,” Oliver cut her off. “We are. But I can promise you we do everything we can to keep our relationship completely separated from our jobs.”

“It must be hard, seeing Miss Smoak used to work for Queen Consolidated. She was your assistant, I believe? Your fling started when she was still working for you, right?”

“It wasn’t a fling,” Oliver said curtly.

“What Oliver means is that it was almost four years ago, and his company has changed tremendously. He was still head of the marketing department at that time, so my… knowledge was very limited. And obviously completely outdated now. Our companies have different interests, in different fields, anyway.”

“And now you’re head of Palmer Tech because Mister Palmer left you his shares. Did you also have… a fling with him?” 

Oliver tightened his fists but Felicity remained cool and collected.

“No. I didn’t. And if you had done a little more research about me, apart from my love life and shopping habits I mean, you would know that I am the one who created the device that propelled Palmer Tecg to the place it is right now, which is a worldwide leader in eco-friendly batteries and other technologies. And, by the way, **that** is the reason why I am here today. As a CEO looking for new opportunities for her company. So, and I’m sorry for repeating Oliver’s words, but I fail to understand how those questions are relevant.”

“Our readers love-”

“Gossip? I wasn’t aware you were in charge of the celebrity and drama page of your newspaper. Maybe next time, mention to your employer he should send someone more… qualified. My late boss, Mister Palmer, always took pride in surrounding himself with the right people for the right jobs and it’s a lesson I’d be glad to pass on if necessary. As you probably know, we support the gala for your newspaper every January, so I don’t doubt I’ll get the chance to mention it to your editor-in-chief."

Oliver’s eyebrows had reached his hairline by the time Felicity was done. Rationally speaking, he knew that making enemies within the press wasn't wise but… damn, Felicity showing her claws was something else.

“I… apologize if you thought my questions were out of line,” the journalist said in a chastised tone. “What are your hopes for tonight and tomorrow?”

Oliver smiled, glancing at his feet when Felicity mentioned PT’s new goals for the next year and her hopes to expand their activities. He couldn’t really focus on her words, too busy trying to tell his body that no, throwing her over his shoulder to carry her to his limo was not proper etiquette. Seeing her so confident, in charge and assertive was doing things to his libido. He loved that fire in her eyes, the flush on her cheeks and the way she was holding her head high, her perfect makeup and hair giving her all the aspect of a respectable businesswoman, but her voice letting everybody know that there was passion running through her veins.

Eventually the journalist and her photographer left them and he was barely able to nod in their direction, mentally picturing how he would mess up her hair as soon as that damn dinner would be over.

Felicity was about to walk towards the bar when he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“What…?”

“I have the most massive boner of my life right now so I’d really appreciate it if you could give me a few minutes to recover,” he murmured in her ear.

Her eyes snapped down to his crotch, then she looked up at him, her mouth slightly agape and a hint of hurt in her eyes. “That girl??”

That did it. His arousal died so brutally he felt a bit dizzy with all the blood that came back to his head. “What?! No, you!”

“I didn’t do anything,” she frowned in confusion.

“Baby, you just grilled that poor girl like an Amazon. All teeth and claws and… damn.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“I guess it’s like when you do your push-ups,” she said in a low voice, her eyes drifting to his chest. Biting her lip, she sneaked up her hand right underneath the lapel of his jacket, brushing one of his suspenders. She pulled on it, strongly enough that he felt the bite in his shoulder and she raised her eyes to meet his when he let out a strangled breath. Her pupils were dilated, and she sighed when she let her hand travel down his suspender, before regretfully letting go of him.

“Time out,” she eventually said in a shaky voice.

“Time out?”

“Yes. I know we said our relationship would be strictly professional until the end of the fair, which is tomorrow night. Just one round, tonight, then we’re back to business.”

Oliver’s lips spread into a slow smile. “You mean you want us to have some kind of illicit sex then get back to pretending we’re just rival CEOs?”

“... yes?”

“I feel like it’s Christmas,” he murmured, eyeing the ceiling as a silent thank you.

“Just once, though!”

“Once for me, you mean,” he smirked.

Felicity looked at him then shrugged. “Well… yes. Unless you’ve already lost your touch, of course.”

“Deal,” he said, offering his hand. She looked at it with an amused smile before shaking it. “As soon as you’re done with your dessert, your ass is mine, Smoak.”

“I think I might pass on the dessert if you have something better to offer,” she whispered, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she turned around and headed to the bar.

_God damn it woman, have mercy._

  
  
  
  


“I’m so glad John is not your driver anymore,” Felicity breathed against his mouth as the door closed behind them.

“It’s perfectly soundproof anyway,” he replied as he pushed her back against the seat. “Even if it had been Dig he wouldn’t have heard a thing.”

“I would have never been able to do this, no matter if he heard us or not,” she giggled as she pulled on his bowtie then threw it carelessly on the floor.

“Then I’m really glad he switched departments.” Oliver shrugged off his jacket, getting rid of it as well.

“Oh… yes…” she murmured, her hands travelling the length of his suspenders. She lifted her eyes to meet his a quarter of a second before she pulled him roughly to her, crashing her lips on his.

“God, Felicity,” he moaned into her mouth, his hands raising her dress on her hips before turning around and sitting on the seat, pulling her on his lap until she was straddling him. Her fingers went to his hair right away, her tongue diving into his mouth while he palmed the firm globes of flesh that were barely protected by what seemed like a pair of lacy panties. With a firm grip, he pressed her against his groin, sliding down on the leather of the seat until he was at the perfect angle.

Felicity pulled on his hair, tilting his head back until their lips parted. He gazed up at her, gulping at the heat in her eyes, the red creeping on her cheeks and her hair already messier. With a ragged breath, she pressed down on him, grinding against his erection with a strangled moan.

“Yes… yes, baby,” he whispered as he tightened his hold on her, guiding her movements. Even through the layers of clothes, he could feel the heat of her folds, tempting him and making his cock strain against the fabric of his boxers.

Felicity rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes as her hips rocked against him, rubbing her sensitive flesh over his hard length with wild abandon. “Yes… yes,” she breathed, her fingers tightening in his hair, nails digging into his scalp.

The fire in his abdomen was almost painful in its intensity, every muscle tightening and fighting for control as Felicity used his body for her pleasure. There was nothing that could ever turn him on more than when she was completely losing control, her hunger for him so wild that she just couldn’t even wait for him to get rid of his clothes.

Her breathing was ragged, her movements harder, faster and her mouth was spilling little moans barely muffled by his cheek as one of her hands let go of his hair, only to grab his suspender, tightening her hold on it almost viciously as she let out a strangled wail, letting him know she was dangerously close to her climax.

“No, Felicity, wait,” he rushed to say, his hand slipping between their bodies as he desperately reached for his button and zipper.

“Oliver, I’m so close,” she whined as she lost the connection with his body for a short moment.

“Shh, I know.”

Quickly, he opened his pants, lowered his boxers enough to free his engorged length. He let out a sigh of relief when the pressure finally released a little, before wincing in pain when he felt Felicity’s teeth digging into his throat in protest. With a shaky hand, he pulled her underwear to the side, adjusted her and-

His long groan echoed in the small space when he felt her wetness against him as he searched for her entrance. She was soaked, all soft and slippery for him and he had to squeeze his eyes shut when he finally pushed into her, her snug folds welcoming him back into her heat. He felt Felicity’s lips travel from his throat to his jaw, then back to his mouth as she rolled her hips, straightening on her knees until only the tip of his cock remained in her before slamming back down.

“You make me lose all control,” he moaned as both her hands tightened on his suspenders, using them as leverage as she chased her pleasure, pressing her lips against his in a sloppy kiss.

He lowered a hand between their bodies then delicately rolled the little bundle of nerves with the pad of his thumb. Felicity let out a shuddering breath, warning him just in time before he felt her muscles clamping down on him as a long mewl tore from her throat. He let her ride out the wave, gritting his teeth so he wouldn’t slam her back down on his aching length. After a few heartbeats, she pressed a trembling kiss on his cheek, her breathing still ragged. She nuzzled his jaw until she could reach his ear and nibble on the lobe, the warmth of her breath on his skin sending shivers down his spine.

Tightening his arm around her waist, he turned them around until she was completely lying on the seat. He took her mouth in a searing kiss just as he pushed her leg up until she could rest it on the backrest, not caring that her heel might dig into the leather.

“Oh God,” she moaned when he slipped in deeper between her legs, her hand reaching out to press back against the car door as Oliver picked up the pace. Resting both forearms on each side of her face, he pressed his forehead against hers, his breathing now shallow and rough as the tension in his lower back started to grow tighter.

He could feel the delicate lace of her panties rubbing against his pelvis, her stockings against his hips. One of his feet was resting on the floor for leverage, allowing him to thrust harder, the heat now spreading to his entire lower body. He pressed a hand on the door so he would cushion Felicity’s head as the force of his thrusts pushed her up against it.

Their lips brushing, swallowing each other’s panting as he worked to take them both over the edge this time, they locked gazes for what seemed minutes - but probably only lasted a few seconds.

“I love you,” Felicity mouthed, her eyes shining, just as he felt something sharp hitting the middle of his back. He winced but nothing would have been able to stop him, not when his orgasm was merely a few thrusts away, not when Felicity was so hot and tight around him, letting him know she was just as close.

He felt the climax spark at the base of his spine and he buried his face in her hair, trying to hold on just a little longer but he was unable to slow down, the spark already turning into lightning as the pressure suddenly lifted, only to be replaced by a blinding pleasure as his orgasm hit. He panted her name almost desperately as he spilled inside her, the small part of his brain still functioning hoping it would be enough to trigger her own release.

Felicity stifled her cry by biting his shoulder, and the sound of her muffled, almost painful, moan was the cherry on top of the bone-deep satisfaction that was already spreading through his entire body as his hips lazily pushed inside her a few more times until he was resting deep within her.

The buzzing in his head reached almost alarming levels as he savored the feel of her body beneath his, her hands stroking his lower back, underneath his shirt.

“Oh my God. It looks like I mauled you or something,” Felicity’s chuckling voice finally pierced through his foggy brain.

“What?” he huffed out a laugh as he straightened to look at her. Her red lipstick was completely messed up and he turned his head to glance at his dress shirt, seeing dark spots of red all over it. “You were quite the biter tonight, indeed. I don’t think you broke the skin though.”

“I didn’t want your driver to hear me,” she hissed reproachfully as Oliver settled down more comfortably on his forearms.

“Mmhh,” he murmured before dropping a few pecks on the corner of her lips. “I didn’t complain.”

“We should probably fix our clothes. I don’t know how long we’ve been driving but we have to be close to your apartment now.”

“I asked the driver to not stop until I told him too,” Oliver answered lazily as he peppered kisses along her jaw. Her skin was so soft, and she smelled so good, that he was half tempted to never ask his driver to stop so he wouldn’t have to move.

“Oliver,” she tried to scold him, even though he could hear the smile in her voice.

With a deep sigh, he finally pushed up on his arms, trying very hard not to moan like a lost puppy when he left her warmth. Slumping down on the seat, he lifted his hips to straighten his pants and buckle his belt before grabbing his jacket and the handkerchief in it to take care of Felicity.

After one last kiss on her stomach, he put her panties back in their place and helped her sit up as well. She shimmied her dress back down her thighs, then bent down to retrieve one of her heels.

“Oh. That’s what fell on my back,” he said with a grin as she slipped it back on. He saw her shiver and helped her into his jacket before pulling her in his arms until her head was cushioned on his chest, her arm around his waist.

They watched as they drove around the city, both silent and savoring their post-coital bliss.

Finally, Felicity tilted her head up and he nodded with a smile before using the intercom to ask his driver to take them back home.

“So now we’re back to business?” he asked once the car pulled over.

“Yes. Until tomorrow night. What happened in the limo, stays in the limo.”

  
  


***

  
  


“I… I don’t think we’re really good at that whole compartmentalizing thing,” Felicity panted when Oliver rolled on his back.

“Yeah, we should probably work on that ‘what happens in the limo stays in the limo’,” Oliver chuckled as he passed a hand on his face.

Biting her lips, she glanced at him. One arm underneath his head, the other lazily resting on his stomach, he was the yummiest thing she had ever seen.

“For the record, when I told you I wanted something meaty for breakfast, I originally was thinking about sausage.”

Oliver snorted, resting his hand on his eyes. “And let the record show that it’s exactly what you got.”

She let out a loud gasp before slapping his arm. “Oliver!”

“It’s true!”

“So beside the point. And we were doing so well,” she pouted, remembering how they had innocently gone to sleep the night before, after their little… interlude in the limo. Then Oliver had woken her up, asking what she wanted for breakfast and seeing him there, in the dim morning light with messy hair… she hadn’t been able to keep her hands to herself.

Oliver straightened, leaning on an elbow before dipping his head. His lips brushed hers in the most delicate kiss that she was about to deepen when he pulled away. “Go take your shower, I’ll make breakfast.”

Right. It was a work day. No fooling around allowed. She groaned, sitting up to gaze at him while he put his sweatpants back on.

Sighing, she stood up and padded to the bathroom when Oliver went downstairs, knowing she couldn’t exactly afford to lose more time. Today was the mayoral fair, and she had a future partner to catch.

 

 

  
  


“What’s with the frown?” Oliver asked her as he handed her a glass of orange juice.

Felicity pouted, taking a second to look at him. He was wearing a pair of black slacks, with a dress shirt and no tie, the top button of his collar left open. He was... yummy.

“I guess congratulations are in order,” she replied as she accepted the drink.

Oliver furrowed his brow. “You mean Josiah turned you down?”

Felicity tilted her head to the side. “No need to pretend, Oliver. He told me he had found something that suited him better. It’s all good. Congratulations, you won.”

“I… didn’t. I was actually coming to you to congratulate you as well,” he replied in obvious surprise.

“He didn’t sign with you?”

“Nope. I was damn sure it was because of Palmer Tech, though.”

“No. Ugh. No, it wasn’t.”

“To us, then?” Oliver smiled, clinking his glass to hers.

“To us,” she grinned before taking a sip. “I wonder who it is then. He said it was a wild card but I haven’t seen him talk with anyone apart from you and me. He seemed so interested, too. You think I’m not a good deal closer?”

“Nah. I think he was genuinely interested, but had probably already made his decision,” Oliver assured her.

“But with which company?” she wondered out loud. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion when she saw Tommy walking towards them, rubbing his hands. She shared a look with Oliver and saw he was feeling the exact same kind of suspicion.

“Miss Felicity, Oliver. Great day, isn’t it?”

Felicity narrowed her eyes at him, then took a step closer to press a finger against his chest. “You stole Josiah, didn’t you?”

Tommy smiled, holding his hands up in defense. “He was more than willing. Sorry about making you spill your water yesterday, by the way.”

“You… wait, you did that on purpose?” Oliver asked, clearly as shocked as she was.

“I knew you’d give her your handkerchief and you might have mentioned a little something about suspenders to distract your girlfriend…” Tommy trailed off innocently.

Felicity gasped in horror. “Oh my God! You did steal him!”

“Miss Felicity,” Tommy grinned. “All I did was make you spill a few drops of water on your hand. The whole bickering thing was all you and Oliver. You didn’t realize we were walking away until it was too late. It’s not my fault you guys are so easily distracted. We literally had to step away from the sexual tension.”

“I can’t believe it. Oliver, did you know?”

“What?! No!”

“And great idea to tell him about my little soft spot for your suspenders,” she huffed out, waving her arms in frustration.

“Which would have never happened if you hadn’t been plotting to use **my** little soft spots.”

“Guys, guys, guys... you're doing it again. And please, I don’t want to have a lovers' spat on my conscience. Josiah wanted a finished product. I offered him that,” Tommy said with a laugh. “Neither of you had that goal in mind anyway.”

“What finished product?” Oliver asked curiously.

“MG Fitness. We are trying to refocus our brand. Selling it brings dollars in and allows us to invest in our remaining projects. It’s different from their usual medical products but not that different if they use the right approach,” Tommy shrugged. “You both fought valiantly, though.”

“I told you he was gonna charm his pants off,” Felicity hissed at Oliver.

“I’m a charmer,” Tommy nodded approvingly. “He’s lucky I didn’t try really hard with you,” he added smugly, pointing to Oliver.

“Oh, please. I’m pretty sure I’m the only lunch date you’ve had with a girl that didn’t end up-” Felicity stopped herself as she checked her surroundings, then lowered her voice. “You know.”

Tommy winced. “It was only step one of my wooing. Then Oliver finally got his head out of his ass and… I didn’t stand a chance, did I?”

“No, you didn’t.” Oliver agreed, stepping closer to Felicity. “Your new buyer is heading our way, by the way.”

“Oliver, Felicity,” Josiah smiled at them. “It was a real pleasure to meet you both. I’ll be more than happy to have a partnership with you if the occasion rises, but unfortunately, this time my boss was looking for something different.”

Felicity smiled. “Fair enough. You have my business card, don’t you?”

“Yes. I also have yours, Oliver. Thank you for your time, anyway. If I can give you a piece of advice…?”

“Hum, yes?” Felicity answered in confusion.

“You should consider a partnership between Queen Consolidated and Palmer Tech. I’m actually quite surprised that you came to me since you obviously know each other very well.”

“What… what are you talking about?” Oliver asked, glancing at her and obviously as confused as she was.

“Well… PT came up with a very interesting device that, and Felicity was right, seems to be very promising for a medical application, especially for artificial limbs or for disabled people. And, forgive me if I’m wrong but you, Oliver, has a company with a long history of experience in artificial limbs and you’re trying to get to the next level. So… maybe you should contemplate a partnership on that project?”

Felicity blinked then looked at Oliver. “Hum… we just… I mean…”

“It’s none of my business,” Josiah laughed. “I was just wondering, that’s all. Anyway, I have a plane to catch. Tommy, our attorneys will make you an official offer by Monday, as promised.”

“You never told me you were working on artificial limbs,” Oliver said quietly as Josiah left them.

“I… I had no idea you were trying to develop your products either, Oliver. We are hoping to be able to help people regain the use of certain limbs through a chip that could be implanted to kick-start the nerves,” she explained quietly. “But we found out we might also be able to make some artificial limbs, especially hands, much more efficient.”

“And we are trying to improve our technology, but unfortunately we had to cut fundings even though we have good design and research.”

Tommy coughed, attracting their attention. “You know, since we’re all offering free advice… separating your private relationship from your job is probably a good thing. But you should reconsider it because obviously you’re missing out on some big opportunities.”

“Tommy, I don’t think… I don’t want to complicate everything,” Felicity said, biting her lip. “It could be seen the wrong way and that could be enough to wreck everything.”

“Or you could use your companies’ areas of expertise to build something great.”

“Come on, Felicity, it’s not like we’re both favoring each other’s company among a lot of others.”

Felicity pondered Oliver’s words. “You’re right, actually. We should talk about this. You with Walter, me with Lincoln.”

Felicity had taken the habit, in the several weeks after Ray’s death, to be the only one in charge. But she had a Vice-President now, who used to be in charge of the Financial Department, and she was slowly but surely starting to to make sure he was involved in the decisions as well. It wasn’t easy because he was still brand new at that job, and most of her executives were still looking up to her first and foremost, not to mention the board that never seemed satisfied, but hopefully… she’d get there.

  
  


***

 

“So, the fair is officially over, right?” Oliver asked her as their waitress left with their orders, later that night.

“Yup.”

“And I think we can agree that maybe sharing a little bit about our jobs can’t hurt?”

“We can, yes,” Felicity nodded.

“Good. So, did you get anything interesting out of it, despite Mason Industries?”

“Actually, yes. Someone I met in New York was there too. They own two chains of stores, specialized in home decoration or DIY. We have those new generation of LED lights that we already sold to factories but we managed to reduce their size and long story short, we needed an outlet. So, yay, success,” she grinned as she took a sip of water. “You?”

“Yes. I managed to get a new investor for our satellite program, which is great news for our finances, but they’re also very experienced in that area as well. So, win-win.”

“So we didn’t do half bad for our first fair as CEOs, did we?” Felicity smiled proudly, holding up her glass.

“We did well despite our Josiah misfortune,” Oliver smiled back as he clinked his glass against hers.

“I still can’t believe Tommy manipulated us that way.”

“He’s sneaky,” Oliver nodded. “So… I managed to have a word with Walter.”

“I talked with Lincoln.”

“And…?”

“He thinks we definitely should meet officially to see if something is possible. It’s unusual to have this kind of partnership, though. I mean we basically each have our own team, and they have worked independently, and there is the entire financial, legal contract aspect.”

“Walter said the same, yes. But he also pointed out that this might be a very good opportunity.”

Felicity nodded, folding her lips behind her teeth. “I’m just… concerned? I mean, we’re both going to want to make sure our company gets the best deal possible, and we’ll kinda be in the middle of it.”

“I think we can handle it. I mean…” Oliver trailed off, letting his eyes travel over to the window. It was late, and there were just a few people walking the pavement in front of the small Chinese restaurant. “It’s exciting, isn’t it? The idea of working together again… I like it.”

Felicity smiled softly. “Yeah… I like it too.”

“Walter suggested that if we decide to go through with it, we could leave most of the negotiations to him and Lincoln to avoid any unnecessary tension or conflict of interest that could harm Palmer Tech or Queen Consolidated if we really want to.”

“Ugh. We just officially admitted we were dating too,” Felicity grimaced. “Then all of a sudden, our companies want a partnership.”

“It’s not like we’re doing anything shady. Neither of us are married or having a secret affair, after all. We’re just two people, who are in love and work in a similar field and might have common interests.”

“I know. It’s just… you heard that girl, the journalist. If there are rumors, they won’t hurt you. They’ll attack me first. You know some will say I’m using the company’s resources to help my boyfriend’s company through a tough time.”

“I don’t want that to happen and I’ll do everything possible so it **doesn’t** happen, Felicity.”

“You… you don’t need to protect me. That’s the reality of the world for us, women. It’s unfair but it is what it is. I know it’s not the case, and the people involved will also know it, obviously. It kinda annoys me, though. I don’t want our relationship to suffer from that, even if that makes me a very bad CEO.”

“But you know that this could be really good, right? I mean for the companies, and even for us, in a way?”

“Yes,” she beamed. “I just want to make sure we’re on the same page and if one of us feels the need to step down for whatever reason-”

“Then we’ll accept it. We’ll have to approve of the negotiations, obviously, and truth be told I’d like the two of us to be in charge, but if at some point we realize it has the wrong kind of impact, either professionally or personally, then we pass the baton to Walter and Lincoln.”

“OK.”

“OK?” Oliver repeated, unable to keep the smile off his lips. For some reason, the idea of working in partnership with Felicity was borderline exhilarating. He had absolutely loved it when she had worked for him in the past and even though the situation would be completely different this time, he knew she had a way to challenge him that would only make him a better CEO in the end.

“Yes,” Felicity grinned before making a toast. “To me kicking your ass in the negotiations.”

“To me **spanking** your ass after the negotiations.”

Felicity blushed. “We’ll see if we can negotiate that in private.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo... interesting things ahead, right? A real partnership, potential negotiations, am I the only one sensing ome naughty, naughty play? ;)  
> Also, yes, at least you tried with the "what happens in the limo" but guys who were you fooling. You can't keep your hands off each other *rolleyes*  
> You can also see that I'm having Tommy using his mischievous charm and wits at work too, and I think it suits him. He's definitely, out of the three the most "shark-like" IMO. Not a stab you in the back, not at all, but one who definitely will use your weakness lol.
> 
> That will teach them :p


	41. She's A Rainbow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So, I'm back from my small hiatus. Been writing, and writing, and... writing. I am really, really seeing the end. One last important piece of plot and then we're mostly tying loose ends here and there... You guys know how I am, we're still in for ten-fifteen chapters starting from now though. It does feel very weird for me to reach that last stage of the fic because it *is* the end in many ways.  
> I hope you will enjoy this chapter, which is slightly different in a way... it's something I really wanted to do before closing this story and it focuses heavily on Felicity. (I don't want to spoil so I'll explain in my end notes lol)
> 
> Special thanks to Pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda <3<3
> 
> Song: She's a rainbow - the rolling stones

**"She's A Rainbow"**  


 

She comes in colors ev'rywhere;  
She combs her hair  
She's like a rainbow  
Coming, colors in the air  
Oh, everywhere  
She comes in colors  
She comes in colors ev'rywhere;  
She combs her hair  
She's like a rainbow  
Coming, colors in the air  
Oh, everywhere  
She comes in colors  
Have you seen her dressed in blue?  
See the sky in front of you  
And her face is like a sail  
Speck of white so fair and pale  
Have you seen a lady fairer?  
She comes in colors ev'rywhere;  
She combs her hair  
She's like a rainbow  
Coming, colors in the air  
Oh, everywhere  
She comes in colors  
Have you seen her all in gold?  
Like a queen in days of old  
She shoots her colors all around  
Like a sunset going down  
Have you seen a lady fairer?  
She comes in colors ev'rywhere;  
She combs her hair  
She's like a rainbow  
Coming, colors in the air  
Oh, everywhere  
She comes in colors  
She's like a rainbow  
Coming, colors in the air  
Oh, everywhere  
She comes in colors

 

 

 

 

“Seriously, Oliver, it’s freezing!” Felicity hissed as soon as they stepped outside. 

“It’s not that bad,” he chuckled as he closed the door behind them. “Walking will get us warm, come on.” 

Felicity glared at him before shoving her glove-covered hands in the pockets of her thick wool coat. “Why couldn’t we just have breakfast at home, again?” 

“Because we barely have the time to do anything together lately. Either you’re home late, or I’m home late. I want to take my girlfriend out for breakfast.” 

“We could use the car.” 

“You’re the one who told me you were curious about my neighborhood. Also, walking is good and I seem to remember you actually like it.” 

“Well, yes, I do but not when the weather makes it seem like we suddenly moved to Antarctica.” 

“It’s not even freezing, Felicity,” he said as he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to share his warmth. She was wearing a pink hat with a big pompom on top, and the wool tickled his jaw when she tilted her head up to look at him. “I grew up in Vegas, Oliver.” 

“And you studied in New England,” he pointed out. “They have much, much colder weather than this.” 

“Right. The coffee better be good, I’m telling you. Pulling me out of bed at six… and you were doing so well as a boyfriend, Oliver. So. Well.” 

“We both have to go to work after, so it’s not like I had a choice. And they have amazing coffee. They even make art on the milk froth when you order a cappuccino.” 

“Really? What kind of art?” 

“Animals, I think. And they have freshly baked croissants.” 

“Oh. Well… OK then. I guess I can see the appeal.”

 Oliver grinned, shaking his head. “You’re weirdly easy to convince, you know?”

 “I might be seeing the bright side of this morning walk,” she smirked as she snuggled closer to him, her arm circling his waist while her other hand reached up to grab his fingers. 

Oliver bent down to drop a peck on her already red nose. “See? And wait until we spend the entire Sunday in front of the fireplace. I’ll even make you hot cocoa.” 

“With marshmallows?” 

“Yup.” 

“And whipped cream?” 

“Anything for my girl.” 

“Damn. You spoil me too much.”

 

 

 

“Awwww… oh my God, this is so cute,” Felicity cooed when their waiter put their drinks down. “Look, it’s little cats!” 

Oliver chuckled, taking a sip of his own coffee - black. No cute kittens for him. 

“This is such an adorable place,” Felicity said once again as she looked around while they waited for their food to arrive. 

“Found it while you were in Los Angeles. Having breakfast by myself isn’t that great,” Oliver shrugged. “I knew you’d love it.” 

“In the summer, I could totally stop here for my morning treat while I walk to the office. You know, when the temperatures are decent again. They seem to have great iced coffees as well.” 

Oliver smiled. “See? Soon enough you’ll be dragging me out of our bed to take me here.” 

Felicity’s smile froze on her lips and Oliver frowned. Before he could ask her what was wrong, though, she continued. “I mean, obviously there is still the coffee shop near my apartment, but you know, I meant when I sleep at your place.” 

Oliver’s frown deepened. He had hoped that by the summer, they would actually be living together. His apartment was big, but if she didn’t like it, they could find their own place too. Yet, Felicity didn’t seem to share his plans at all which… left him slightly puzzled. 

“Hum, Felicity,” he started, but was interrupted when the waiter put a basket of freshly baked croissants on the table, as well as skillet with sautéd vegetables, potatoes and meat. 

“Mmmhh,” Felicity moaned, closing her eyes in pleasure when she took her first bite of croissant. 

Oliver looked at her as he took a bite of his toast, sensing this would be the perfect occasion to have a talk about something he had noticed in her behavior lately.

 “Felicity,” he tried again, this time succeeding to get her attention.

 “Yes?” 

“Hum… there is something I’ve been wondering about lately. About you, I mean.” 

Felicity licked her lips nervously before taking a sip of her coffee. “Oliver, really, you know how I am, I speak first, with no filter.” 

“Well yes… it has never bothered me before and it still doesn’t.” 

Felicity appeared relieved at his words and he shook his head. “No… that’s… listen, remember Thanksgiving?” 

“Yes. What does it have to do with anything?” 

“You were uncomfortable that day. You babbled, you… mentioned my penis at least five times which is a clear sign of you being nervous.” 

Felicity put down her croissant, lowering her eyes and Oliver almost kicked himself. They were having such a nice moment, and he was kinda ruining it. Yet, something had been nagging at him for a while and it was time to talk about it. “Baby… why were you so nervous?” he asked in a soft voice. 

Felicity shrugged, fixing her eyes on his shoulder. “Work. Stress. My mom meeting your sister. Having Thanksgiving in your family house. Take your pick.” 

Oliver nodded as he took a bite of sausage, carefully pondering his next words. “Felicity, you seem to freak out everytime something about our future slips past your lips,” he eventually said. 

“I… don’t.” 

“Yes. You do. You ended up googling sprained penises because you had called Thea your future sister-in-law, which by the way is definitely how I want things to turn out, and there was that time where Laurel stopped by and you mentioned an engagement ring… and you know, now that I think of it, before I was gone, you also started to babble when you talked about us and our future. Is…” Oliver trailed off, taking a deep breath. “Felicity, if you feel like we’re moving too fast, you only have to tell me.”

Felicity shook her head slowly as she nibbled on her lower lip. She remained silent, her eyes still fixed on a spot between his shoulder and his throat and Oliver eventually nodded, understanding something was indeed bothering her but she didn’t feel like talking about it at the moment. A sinking feeling in his heart, he resumed his eating, wondering what he could to make her confide in him. He also couldn’t help but notice the irony of the situation. In his previous relationships, women wanted to snatch him up more than anything else. Secure a spot in the Queen family. And now that he had found a woman **he** wanted to snatch up, she was borderline panicking at the slightest mention of a future with him.

 “It’s not that,” she eventually said as she tore off a piece of croissant. 

His head snapped up at her words. “Felicity, whatever is going through your head… you can tell me. Don’t be afraid to hurt my feelings or… or whatever. I just want to know what’s going on.” 

“I don’t want you to feel pressured,” she admitted quietly. “I don’t want to picture myself too far down the line because… I don’t want you to get cold feet and…” 

Oliver put his fork down, then leaned back against his seat, completely taken aback. “... what?” 

“I don’t want to freak you out, OK?” Felicity finally let out, her eyes meeting his. He saw fear and uncertainty on her face, something he really wasn’t used to seeing in her. 

Reaching over the table, he grabbed her hand in his. “Felicity, I’m not going to freak out. Is this because of… how I was with Laurel? You’re afraid I’m going to do the same thing with you if we become even more serious?” 

He honestly didn’t know how they could possibly become more serious than they were right now without getting married, but that was beside the point. 

She raised her eyebrows in obvious surprise. “No. No, it honestly… never crossed my mind.”

“Then what?” he couldn’t help but ask, feeling completely lost. 

Felicity shrugged, once again focusing on her croissant. 

Oliver was opening his mouth to ask for some clarifications when the sound of broken glass reached him, quickly followed by a sob. Turning his head to the left, he saw that a young girl, who couldn’t be any more than eight, was holding her hand up while a man, probably her dad, was dipping a napkin in his glass of water before pressing it against her fingers. 

A waitress quickly arrived with a mop to take care of the hot cocoa that was now on the floor, asking if they needed anything. The dad asked if he could go to the restroom to put his daughter’s hand underneath the tap water, and she pointed them in the right direction. 

Seeing as the situation was anything but a life and death issue, he turned his attention back to Felicity but the words he was going to say died on his lips when he saw how she was looking at the father carrying his daughter away. 

Sadness. 

Oliver closed his eyes, everything becoming clear in a quarter of a second. 

Felicity’s father had abandoned her when she had been a child. She never really talked about it, and Oliver had always respected that, thinking she had grown into such a smart, confident woman that he couldn’t help but pity her idiotic father for walking out of her life. 

He had never realized how traumatizing it could be to a child and how much it could leave scars when they grew up. Everytime she would voice out her plans, or dreams for their future, she would then close off, trying to reassure him she wasn’t serious or make a desperate attempt to change the subject. As if she was afraid he’d do the same as her father. 

“Felicity,” he said quietly. “I’m not gonna leave you.”

 Felicity froze with her hand around her cup of coffee as her eyes hesitantly met his. “I… I know.” 

“No. I mean… I’m not gonna **leave** you. You’re not going to lose me,” Oliver insisted. “I mean… we obviously know there are things beyond our control and I can’t make promises but I will never, ever **willingly** walk out on you.” 

“I know,” Felicity repeated softly but he could read the hesitation in her eyes. She seemed so small, so fragile for some reason, and it was awakening every protective cell in his body. 

“I’m not going to freak out at the idea of us living together or getting married,” Oliver continued nonetheless, decided to hammer the nail home once and for all. “Jesus, Felicity. I actually can’t wait until all of that happens. You… you’re it for me. And I hate that the idea of our future makes you nervous and unsure, while whenever I think about it, it makes me happy and at peace. I want that. I want to build a life together. I’m not tempted to walk away when you mention an engagement ring. On the contrary, it makes me want to rush to our vault and make it official before you change your mind.” 

Felicity folded her lips behind her teeth, nodding almost hesitantly. He could physically see that even though she had heard him, and understood his point, he had to deal with years of insecurities that needed more than a few words to disappear. 

“You know what was the hardest when I was away?” he asked in a whisper. 

Surprise washed over her face. She knew he didn’t talk that often about his time away, unless something had triggered him. “No?” 

“That I had a glimpse of what the future could be with you and I knew I’d probably never get to live it. I really, **really** want to live it, Felicity,” Oliver smiled as he gazed at her. “I doubt there is anything on this earth that could make me change my mind on that.”

This time, Felicity’s smile was wider, more open. With a little nod, she mouthed “OK” before reaching onto his plate to steal a mushroom. 

Relieved, he grabbed his fork back, knowing she had heard him. She would probably need time, because you didn’t get rid of such deeply rooted issues that easily but he could be patient. Time would prove he wasn’t going anywhere.

 

 

 

Oliver slipped a finger under his collar before checking his watch for the fifth time that night. It was almost eight, and the Queen Consolidated Christmas party had been going on for more than an hour. People were having drinks, eating the finger food, enjoying the trees and the decorations around them while he was waiting for his girlfriend to show up. 

“You know you’re supposed to at least pretend like you’re having a good time,” Dig said dryly next to him as he finished eating a cheese roll. 

“Yeah, well… it’s been a long day and Felicity said she’d be here,” he replied before gulping down his glass of water.

 “She also told you she would be running late.” 

“I know. We just barely see each other lately,” Oliver sighed. 

“You both have very demanding jobs.” 

“But I manage to make time for her.” 

“Oliver… this is all new for Felicity. You were raised for that responsibility while she had it thrown at her at the most unexpected time. She is still adjusting and has a lot more to prove than you.” 

“I know. I know and I’m proud of her and I want her to succeed. It’s just a bit hard at the moment, that’s all.” 

Dig patted his shoulder reassuringly. “You know it’s only a matter of time before her VP can really take his own share of responsibility. Things will be much easier then.” 

Oliver smiled. “You’re right. Enough about me and my relationship, though. I read your first suggestions today. I really like the idea of offering an internship to help you. Two birds, one stone. You’re still going to focus on after-school for teenagers?” 

“Yes. We need to keep these kids busy, Oliver. They barely have any place to go where they are safe and can unwind a little. I hope that will help get bunch of them off the streets.” 

“The gym is a good idea. You should talk to Sara, by the way. She said it would be wise to offer self-defense classes to girls. She’d like to teach there.” 

“I didn’t know Sara knew self-defense.” 

Oliver grinned. “Sara and Laurel’s father made them attend self-defense classes as soon as he could. Sara took a real shine to it. She also did kick-boxing I believe. I think she’d be great and she’s willing to do it for free which is also a good thing.” 

“There is an old gym I plan to visit next week. It has been abandoned and it’s not in a bad area either, all things considered. But I think the owner would be more interested into selling it rather than renting it.” 

“We’ll figure it out. Worst case scenario, we’ll throw a fundraiser.” 

Just then, he saw the face he had been waiting to see all evening, and a wide smile spread over his lips. She was making her way through the crowd and he felt his breath catch in his throat, as always. In the middle of a crowd full of people wearing dark, sober clothes, she was a vision in her light blue dress, a spot of light and calm that only had eyes for him. 

He really was the luckiest bastard on the planet. 

“Hello, handsome,” she beamed when she was only a few steps away from him. 

He leaned in, taking his time to press a kiss on her cheek and taking a deep breath as he did. He closed his eyes, recognizing the green apple scent from her favorite shower gel and he couldn’t resist, dropping a quick, furtive kiss on her naked shoulder. 

“Mister Queen,” Felicity whispered in a fake-mocking voice. “I thought we had an agreement.” 

“I promised to behave at your holiday party. Never said anything about mine.” 

“Seeing as this is also a business event for me, I’d very much appreciate it if you… behaved yourself.” 

“So would I,” Dig deadpanned next to them before rolling his eyes and walking away, muttering about cold water hosing.  

Oliver winked at Felicity then leaned back but still kept a hand on her lower back. 

“I briefly talked to Walter when I arrived,” Felicity said. “We need to coordinate a meeting next week.” 

“It’s Christmas week,” Oliver frowned. “Everything is packed.” 

“Yes, I’m aware of that but if we don’t do it now, we won’t be able to have everyone around the table until the second week of January at least.” 

“You’re right. The sooner we start, the faster we can get the ball rolling. I already told our medical department about a possible deal with another company and they’re working on a presentation.” 

“Perfect,” Felicity beamed. “I did the same with my team. I also got in touch with our contract attorneys. I think we should first meet, and briefly present what we have to offer. That will give us a good two to three weeks to think about it and discuss it with our own teams before we can meet up in January and, if we do have a common vision, start the negotiations.” 

Oliver nodded, smiling at the way her face was lighting up with excitement. The light blue of her dress was really bringing out her eyes and he had to bite his lips to refrain from kissing her. 

Spending the night with her on his arm made everything much more enjoyable for Oliver. She was still nervous in society, something she had recently admitted she might always struggle with anyway, but to anyone but him, she was the perfect example of a calm, smart, confident businesswoman. Only he could sometimes feel her nails digging into his arm, or see how her fingers would tighten on her glass when they would approach a group of people she didn’t know. 

“I didn’t even babble,” she said proudly as she slipped in the bed next to him. 

“Not once,” Oliver grinned as he set the alarm clock for the next day. Even if it was Friday night, they still had to head to work the next day, the two of them pulling extra hours now so they could enjoy at least a few days of calm between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. 

“Not that I still do it that much, you know. But sometimes, nerves get the best of me.” 

“I’m actually happy if you keep your babbling just for me.” 

“I do really like your technique to shut me up,” Felicity smiled before yawning and snuggling her face into her pillow. “Walter seems very excited about this partnership, or is that just me?”

“No. He says it’s a brilliant idea. A perfect way to limit costs and keep the business in Starling at the same time. Well… that is if your technology is indeed as bright as you pretend.” 

Felicity’s head snapped up from the pillow. “What the… of course it is! You better make sure your tech keeps up with ours!” 

Oliver snorted at the indignation on her face. “Damn, you’re so cute when you get all worked up like that.”

Huffing, she rolled her eyes before settling back down. 

“No snark? Good. Now, turn around,” Oliver ordered, nudging her hip. 

“Wh-” 

“I just want to spoon, Felicity,” he chuckled. “Don’t worry, I don’t plan on ravishing you tonight seeing as you’ve been yawning so much in the last hour it’s a miracle you didn’t unhinge your jaw.” 

Felicity groaned then turned around, taking the time to punch his bicep on her way. She didn’t complain though, and settled against him with a sigh of contentment, tangling her legs with his as soon as his arm was secured around her waist. 

“See?” he murmured as he held her tightly against him and rubbed his nose in her hair. “Do you think you’ll ever go back to your natural color?” 

There was a small silent pause and Oliver was positive she was side-eyeing him even if she couldn’t see him. 

“I don’t know… why?” she eventually answered. 

“Just curious. Maybe if you showed me pics, I wouldn’t-” 

“Yeah that won’t be happening.” 

Oliver laughed. “Come on, we both know your mom is dying to show me anyway.” 

Felicity groaned. “Oh God. Remember how she said we should visit her in the spring?” 

“Yes? What do you think? April would be good and-” 

“Yup, no. We’re not going. Ever.” 

“Felicity…” 

“Oliver she has an entire album of embarrassing pics that she’s been carefully saving. Unless your mother did the same, we’re not going.” 

“I think we both can survive the traditional naked baby pictures, you know. And now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m dying to see how you were when you were a kid.” 

“Awkward.” 

“What, you mean you’re not curious about me when I was younger?” 

“No… I meant I was awkward as a kid. Always being younger than my classmates didn’t help either. Picture me as how I was when we first met, except ten times more socially inept and with braces. Oh and yes… brown hair.” 

Oliver’s hand sneaked underneath Felicity’s shirt to softly stroke her stomach. “You once told me you were more like your father.” 

Felicity stiffened in his arms, then slowly relaxed. “Yes. I mean… I think I was. Intellectually for sure.” 

“Was he as smart as you?” 

“Smarter.” 

“Well… he was an adult and you were a child. But today, you’re both adults so… that might have changed,” Oliver slowly said. 

“I… I never thought of it that way. My dad was always the smartest one.” 

Oliver remained silent, understanding that in many ways she was still seeing her father like a child sees a parent. Growing up without him had almost frozen him in amber. 

“Do you think our child could also be like you?” 

“Like me? You mean with high potential?” 

“Is this… is this how…” 

“Yes. There are several adjectives, though. Gifted, hyper-efficient,... He used to say high potential. I got tested very young. And it’s partly hereditary, yes. There is no guarantee of course, but it is a possibility.” 

Oliver could sense Felicity was getting uncomfortable with their conversation and even if he wanted to respect her boundaries, he also needed to show her that those were all safe, normal topics to talk about. 

“Does… does that concern you?” Felicity eventually asked after a few minutes of silence. 

“No. Absolutely not,” he replied firmly. “I understand, from everything you’ve told me, that it wasn’t easy for you and if one of our children is born with high potential, I’m glad they’ll have a mother who will understand them and help me understand them too. That’s all. I also can prepare myself to be completely useless for science projects,” he grinned. “And I assume I might step on computer wires more than legos?” 

“That might be a safe bet,” Felicity laughed, her body melting against his. “But just so you know, I loved legos as well so you’re kinda screwed either way.” 

 

 

 

Oliver looked at Felicity as she stepped up in the front of the huge table in the conference room on the top floor of Palmer tech’s building. QC’s chief engineer had made a presentation of their existing products in the very specific medical field, as well as their prototypes and plans to develop them. Between both companies’ CEOs and vice-presidents, as well as their attorneys, engineers and a few assistants taking notes, there were roughly 15 people. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the subtle shift in Felicity’s behavior from that morning. They had taken breakfast together and he had dropped her at Palmer Tech not two hours earlier with a lingering last kiss and her packed lunch, but the woman in front of him right now was nothing like his girlfriend. Gone were all traces of the nervous Felicity who didn’t like speaking in public. This was her turf. Technology was where she belonged, where she was comfortable, and it was showing. 

“We are looking to expand the possibilities of our miniature batteries. Our first tests show a perfect compatibility with a medical use, and it has been approved for the next step by the FDA. What we are lacking, right now, is a team used to that specific field. We did create a small division but we lack experience in that area. We wanted to first look for potential uses for people who lost flexibility in certain limbs, specifically their hands. We’re looking at a target group of people who are recovering from a stroke for instance. Our battery could reproduce the small shocks that nerves send to the brain, allowing them to regain the mobility in their fingers or hands.” 

“Queen Consolidated has been working on artificial limbs mostly, though,” Walter interjected. 

“Yes, I’m getting there!” Felicity smiled enthusiastically. “The thing is that what our end goal is seems a little… hum unreachable at the moment? The cost is too big for something so innovative, with no guarantee of financial payback within the next two years.” 

“What you mean is that you’re looking for a way to bring in money so you can then move on to that project with financial stability?” Oliver asked with a frown as he put down his pen. He hadn’t been aware of Felicity’s ultimate goal, even though he really shouldn’t have been that surprised. She was always five steps ahead of everyone. 

“Exactly. Our area of expertise is miniature technology as you know. Yours is years of experience in creating prosthetics, as well as a general green light from the FDA that allows you more freedom in terms of research and innovation. We want to merge these two assets, and Palmer Tech is ready to invest in this partnership, which should be a win-win situation for both companies. We get your experience, you get to keep working on your project with our financial support.” 

“When Oliver first mentioned it, I saw the advantages right away as well,” Walter said. “But in terms of logistics, legal contracts and team work, I’m not sure how we can pull that off?” 

Felicity winced. “That’s the hard part, yes. I do believe that if we spend the right amount of time preparing everything, looking at it from every possible angle, the paperwork will be the hardest part. We can make both our departments subsidiaries so they are more independent, for instance.” 

Oliver nodded. “That’s also what I was considering. Each company will remain in control but that allows us to make sure only these departments are linked to the other company.” 

“Salia, what do you think?” Walter asked one of their attorneys. 

“Theoretically speaking, it’s completely doable. It’s something that is done quite often, actually, even though it’s usually with smaller companies. But as Miss Smoak said, we will have to make sure everything is considered, and written on paper. That includes where most of the work will be done, who will be officially in charge, from which company, schedules, financial support, budget, and then also, if things work out how do we distribute the profits? If things don’t work out, how do we split the losses? Many things to consider, and in almost every possible direction.” 

“If I may…” someone from Felicity’s team, whose name he couldn't remember, interjected. “In terms of image, two companies from Starling teaming up, keeping business in Starling can only be good during these times.” 

Oliver nodded again, sharing the same opinion but willing to remain in the background. He really, really wanted that partnership, and for many reasons. One was that he’d very much rather keep as much business as possible in Starling. Another was that their medical department was important, something real and tangible that could change  lot of people’s life. And lastly, the idea of working with Felicity again was filling him with excitement. But he didn’t want his enthusiasm to influence the decision, knowing they were walking a fine line. 

The next hour was spent discussing potential team-work as well as the implications for both companies. By the end of the meeting, all parties had agreed to prepare a draft and meet the second week of January with their propositions to work on a deal together. It had been decided that the negotiations would be overseen by Felicity and himself and he had almost rubbed his hands at the prospect. 

It was already past noon when everyone left the room, and Oliver lingered as Felicity was gathering her files. 

“Do you think we could grab lunch?” he asked as he handed her a stack of papers that had been left in the middle of the table. 

Felicity pushed her glasses up her nose. “I can’t. I have this budget I absolutely need to approve, then a report from marketing and also two different digests from our engineers.” 

Oliver smiled, hiding his disappointment. It had gotten harder and harder for them to just spend some normal time together even though they spent all of their nights in the same bed. Felicity was often home late, and sometimes he was too. Even dinner wasn’t always shared together. He knew it was temporary but truth be told, things had been getting worse and worse, even though Felicity now had a VP to support her. 

“I’m sorry, I wish I could,” Felicity said with a tight, nervous smile as she squeezed his arm. “Rain check? I’ll make sure to be home by seven tonight, I promise. Oh wait… I can’t, I have this video conference. Tomorrow! I promise, tomorrow, seven.” 

Oliver nodded, watching as she left the room. It was only a few days until Christmas, and afterwards they’d hopefully at least get a few days to spend together. Or at least two meals in a row.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

It was almost eight when Felicity finally walked up the stairs of her building, her feet heavy and unusually loud. All she wanted was a long shower and her bed. She was so tired that she wasn’t even hungry. Her days had gotten longer and longer as the end of the year grew closer. She was often at the office around seven in the morning, usually only eating breakfast when Daniela would arrive to bring her some. First, there had been Lincoln, her new Vice-President that she had had to coach. Then the board had been more and more insistent about knowing every single thing that was happening in the company. So on top of doing her own job, she was still supervising Lincoln and answering to the board’s demands as well as keeping an eye on the other branches, which had apparently taken the death of the CEO as the green light to start doing their own thing. 

And now, she could add the partnership with Queen Consolidated to the long list of things that were already threatening to make her lose her mind. She wanted that partnership, and was looking forward to the possibilities for PT but she hadn’t even been able to celebrate her first real, deep impact as CEO, only seeing it as something else that would need her constant attention. She knew Oliver was more enthusiastic, and it was killing her that she just didn’t have the energy to share that with him. When they had first mentioned it, she had been as excited as he had been, but then her workload had gotten even heavier and now she was concerned she might not be the best person to handle negotiations. 

With a sigh, she opened the door, dropping her bags and coat as soon as she had locked it behind her. 

“I’m home,” she said in the quiet apartment as she toed off her shoes. 

“I see that,” Oliver’s deep voice answered behind her back, making her jump. 

“Oh, God. I didn’t even notice you were there,” she breathed as she pressed a hand against her heart. “Did you just get back as well?” she added, when she saw he was still wearing a suit, sitting on a chair. 

“No. I was waiting for you to take you out. You told me raincheck and that you’d be here today by seven.” 

Felicity froze, her eyes blinking as their conversation after the meeting the day before came back to her mind. “Oh.” 

“Yeah… oh. I take it you forgot?” Oliver sighed as he leaned against the dining table. 

“Yes. Sorry. There was an issue in the LA office and… well it’s all good now.”

 “Are you sure?” 

“Yup. The other branches seem to do whatever they want lately, like… kids testing their parents.” Freeing her hair from her ponytail, Felicity headed to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and opening a cupboard to get the bottle of aspirins. She popped two pills, rolling her head on her shoulders, noticing Oliver quietly making his way to her. 

“So, is there hope for us to go out tonight as promised or not?” 

“Oh, God, Oliver I’m exhausted. I just want to go to sleep.” 

He stayed quiet for a few seconds as she turned around to face him. “Baby, do you know the last time we actually ate together? I don’t mean the times when you swallow your cup of coffee while checking your emails in the morning, by the way.” 

Felicity frowned. “I don’t know, Oliver. Yesterday? The day before? You know I’m not exactly having a wild social life, I’m just working a lot.” 

“It was Sunday morning. We were supposed to spend the entire day at home, just the two of us but then you had to-” 

“Head to the office, yeah I remember. Listen, I’m sorry I forgot about tonight, but to be fair, it’s not like I knew we were going on a date tonight. I said raincheck generally,” she explained while rubbing her temples. 

“You said you’d be home by seven and it’s almost eight… unless you also said that generally?” 

Felicity snapped her head up, meeting Oliver’s eyes. “I don’t really appreciate your tone.” 

“I don’t really appreciate us barely seeing each other, so I guess that makes us even.” 

Narrowing her eyes, Felicity observed Oliver. His mouth was a firm line and he had his arms crossed over his chest. If she had felt sorry a few minutes earlier about forgetting her promise, the feeling was quickly vanishing, only to be replaced by frustration that he would apparently think she had done it on purpose or for fun reasons. 

She was about to open her mouth and voice it all out when Oliver took a deep breath. “Listen, I don’t want us to fight but Felicity, you’re constantly working. Yes, it’s taking a toll on us but more importantly, it’s taking a toll on you. You’re exhausted, you forget things and we both know that’s just not you.” 

“Oliver, I’m the CEO of a multi-billionaire company. I got the job not even two months ago, I have a brand new team around me and I have to juggle absolutely everything. So I’m sorry if yes, that means it is currently eating up the biggest part of my life but it’s not like I can just wash my hands of the whole thing!” 

“I’m not asking you to. But this is not normal, Felicity. I’m also a CEO and I pull long hours too but-”  

“But you have a co-CEO. I don’t.” 

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” Oliver said in a low voice. “You’ve had a Vice-President for weeks now and it's only gotten worse, not better like it should have because you could lean on someone else. So don’t tell me I have it easier than you because Walter is there. You know he’s gradually stepping down.” 

“Do you have the board questioning your every move, Oliver? Do you have anything to prove to anyone apart from Walter? Do you have to oversee all the other branches of Queen Consolidated because their former CEO is dead and they’re not sure the young, twenty-four year old blonde girl is capable enough? Do you have to coach your new Vice-President?” Felicity snapped, slapping her hand on the counter. “Do you have journalists asking if you got promoted because you slept with your former boss? Do you?” 

“No. I don’t. I’m not saying our situations are **exactly** the same but Felicity they’re not that different and-” 

“Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare judge me for the way I handle things when I have exactly no one to show me a different way! I don’t have the former CEO guiding me, Oliver. I wasn’t raised, I didn’t study to become a top executive. I have to learn it all myself, step by step and make sure I do the best I can for the company Ray left me.” 

“But Felicity, you are already doing amazing!” Oliver almost shouted desperately, throwing his hands in the air. “PT is incredibly stable, recovered from the dip in the markets unbelievably fast thanks to the way you handled everything publicly and reassured your investors, one by one if necessary. You have eyes everywhere, are involved with everything that goes on within your company, your employees love you based from what I saw and heard at your holiday party and you’re slowly but surely imposing your mark. You don’t need to keep such a tight leash anymore.” 

“You don’t get it,” Felicity said in a small voice. “You… you always had QC. It was always going to be yours one day. Everyone expects you at the head eventually. Everyone expects me to fail.” 

“That’s not true, baby.” 

“God, you don’t understand,” Felicity huffed in frustration. 

“I do! I really do get it. What I mean is that the people I’ve met, from your executives, to your employees to even some members of the board, they’re supporting you fully and they trust you. Of course some don’t, and believe me when I say that I don’t think you’ll ever get them all on your side just like I never will for QC. You handled Ray’s death with so much professionalism, and you don’t even realize it. The transition was as smooth as could be given the circumstances. Now you’ve more or less reached a point where you can take a step back, oversee things rather than have to shoulder all of them constantly.” 

“If anything goes wrong, I’m the one getting blamed, Oliver. It’s my responsibility to make sure nothing happens. There is no one else, literally no one else standing behind me anymore. Ray trusted me with this, I can’t let him down.” 

“You…” Oliver sighed as he pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. “The only person you’re letting down is you, Felicity. You’re focusing on dozens of things that you don’t enjoy doing. When is the last time you got your hands on something that you liked?” 

Felicity paused, taken aback by his question. “Being a CEO isn’t about… fun stuff, Oliver, you should know this.” 

“I do! But even though there are parts I do because I have to, there are also parts I do because I thoroughly enjoy them. Do you still have that? You’re exhausted, you know it, I know it. I haven’t heard you being excited over anything ever since the mayor’s fair. Ray managed to keep focus on what he liked, that’s all I’m saying.” 

“Well, maybe Ray was a better CEO than I could ever be then!” Felicity cried out. “Big surprise, really, and thanks for pointing it out!” 

Brushing past him, she rushed to the bedroom, refusing to turn around when Oliver called her. She slammed the bathroom door behind her before grabbing her toothbrush and squeezing a generous amount of toothpaste on it. She was going to get her nice, long shower and then she’ll go to sleep, Oliver and his night out be damned. 

Why couldn’t he understand? Why couldn’t he support her instead of putting her down? She had always been there for him, always made sure he knew she had his back, no matter what. All she needed right now was a little bit of patience and understanding, and yes, probably a few dozen hours of sleep. 

She rinsed her mouth then reached for her makeup remover and was about to pass a cotton square on her forehead when she froze. 

She wasn’t wearing makeup. 

No mascara, no foundation, nothing.

 It wasn’t the fact that she was going makeup-less that was shocking. But usually, she liked to at least put a little something on her face before going to work. Had she… had she forgotten that morning? She couldn’t even remember her morning routine. She was searching her memory, but before she had arrived at her office, things were blurry. There was coffee, which she had gulped down while standing by the counter and checking her emails but… she had showered afterwards, then answered another email and… yeah. She had left right away for the office, with a small peck on Oliver’s lips. 

Without concealer and foundation, the dark circles underneath her eyes were glaringly obvious. As well as the paleness of her cheeks and her dull, tired eyes. Her lower lip was chapped, probably due to the copious amount of stress-nibbling.

In the unforgiving cold light of her bathroom, she looked like hell. Leaning against her hands resting on the counter, she took a deep breath, forcing herself to replay her talk with Oliver in her mind. 

Clearly, forgetting her promise to be home early wasn’t cool. But Oliver didn’t, couldn’t understand what it was like to have to fight your way through and prove your worth. He was where he had always been expected to be: at the top of Queen Consolidated. Felicity, on the other hand, was where she had never thought she’d be. 

But he also had a point. She was so busy dealing with… well, everything, that she honestly couldn’t even remember feeling enthusiasm, real enthusiasm in weeks. Instead of being hands on in her engineering or technology department, she was too busy reading reports, approving budgets and so on. And at first she had enjoyed that challenge, that step outside of her comfort zone. But now, it had become 99% of her job while she had managed, with Ray, to divide that responsibility. 

Why couldn’t she do the same now? Lincoln was more than competent, willing and knew the company really well since he used to be the head of their financial department. What was she doing wrong? Was she a bad leader? 

She was trying so hard, pushing her own limits constantly and trying to be the best she could but somehow it didn’t seem like it was enough. If the other branches were acting rogue, like keeping important reports from her or approving transactions without her consent, maybe it was because they felt like they couldn’t trust her, or her judgment? 

Felicity had worked very hard, ever since she was a child, to know her worth but suddenly, she wasn’t so sure anymore. If the job seemed so hard, maybe it was because she wasn’t meant to do it? 

But could she really give up? Now? After, as Oliver had said, keeping the boat afloat during the hardest time? After being so involved in every aspect of the company? 

She was just so damn tired. She could barely remember what she had done that very morning, and no matter how much she didn’t want to admit it, Oliver was right on that point. She was exhausted. 

Grabbing a tissue, she patted her cheeks dry, not even caring that she was now crying bitter tears. It wasn’t sadness so much, but frustration, exhaustion and doubt. She had just finished blowing her nose when a small noise from the door made her lift her eyes. 

The door opened slowly and Oliver appeared, a concerned look on his face replacing the tension from earlier. He leaned back against the frame when he saw her red eyes. 

“I’m sorry, Felicity, I didn’t mean to upset you.” 

“It’s not you,” she sniffled, wiping a tear falling down her cheek. 

Quickly closing the door behind him, Oliver took the few steps separating them and gently pulled her in his arms. 

“I’m just so tired,” Felicity blurted out in a sob as she rested her cheek against his chest. 

“I know,” Oliver murmured, his hand stroking her hair softly. She felt his lips press a kiss on her head, the gesture enough, for some reason, to bring some fresh tears to her eyes again. 

“I didn’t mean to come at you that way,” Oliver continued once she had calmed down a little. “I said a bunch of things that… yes I did mean them but it wasn’t the right time and I don’t want you to think I want to diminish what you’re going through.” 

“No, it’s…” Felicity grabbed another kleenex, blowing her nose again. “I’m just trying so hard but it looks like I’m failing one way or another. I… I don’t want my life to be like the last few weeks. I couldn’t even remember if I had put makeup on this morning or not, Oliver. Maybe… maybe I’m not cut out for this job.” 

“Baby… I think that’s the issue. You’re trying too hard. Way, way too hard.” 

“Oliver, I feel responsible, I can’t just…” 

“Of course not. What I mean is that you have to delegate. One person can’t do it alone, Felicity, not long term. No one is expecting you to, even if some might give you that impression, probably because it fits their own agenda. There is no greater chance of you failing if you end up burning out.” 

Felicity nodded then stepped past him to turn the shower on. “I don’t know how to… maybe I’m not built to be a CEO, because I don’t know how to balance everything.” 

“You managed just fine when you were vice-president. Speaking of which, what does yours do? What does he do that unburdens you?” 

Felicity licked her lips. “Hum… he checks budgets and HR.” 

“Checking budgets was already his job as head of finances. That means he only took one extra responsibility since he was promoted, and judging by how stable PT is, I doubt it’s a hard job.” 

“But I don’t know what to let him do. With Ray, it was so easy, Oliver. He made it so easy for me and now that I’m in his position, I realized it takes talent to be a leader, more than just brains.” 

“You have that talent, too. It’s only waiting for a chance to shine,” Oliver whispered as he brushed a kiss on her lips. “Let me help you. What you said was right, you know. I don’t understand all the expectations on you, but I was faced with a different kind at some point in my life. I know how they can drown you even if you deal with them in a more… useful way.” 

“Well yes I’m a little too old for booze and sex.” 

“Just for the record, I wouldn’t mind the sex,” Oliver shrugged sheepishly.

That made her giggle, bringing something close to relief in his eyes. “I haven’t been a very good girlfriend, lately, have I?” 

“Seeing as we ended Thanksgiving with you waiting for me on my bed covered in whipped cream, I can safely say you have some brownie points to spare.” He smiled at her before unbuttoning her blouse and helping her out of it. They both got undressed then he held her hand to help her into the shower. 

Tilting her head back, she let the water cascade down her hair and back, sighing with relief at the feeling of the warm water massaging her muscles. Oliver stepped behind her, and she heard the tell-tale click sound of her bottle of shampoo, making her step slightly away from the water. 

Oliver’s strong, assured hands gently massaged the shampoo into her scalp, taking their time to work the tension away from her upper neck.

“Rinse,” he eventually murmured, guiding her underneath the water to help her get rid of the foam. When she was done, he pulled her back to his chest, one arm circling her waist, the other just above her breasts. 

“Sometimes, I wish you could see yourself through my eyes,” he said quietly as she rested the back of her head against his shoulder. “Then I’d never find you crying in the bathroom because you’d know how extraordinary you are. You see your flaws, but all I see are your successes. I see a beautiful mind, capable of things I can’t even envision, and a woman strong enough to handle a multi-billion dollar company that has just fallen into her lap. What I hate is not that we don’t get to spend enough time together. What I hate is that you doubt yourself and that doubt is pushing you to the extreme and way past normal limits.”

Felicity blinked away the tears that were once again threatening to spill, even though this time they were there for a different reason. It never failed to amaze her how lucky she was to be loved by Oliver, and loved in such a pure, beautiful, unconditional way. 

“I don’t know what to do, Oliver. I feel like I’m doing too much yet not enough because some executives are directly ignoring the fact that I am now in charge.” 

“Then focus on those. Let Lincoln handle all the other ones.”

 “But-” 

“No but. Let’s try to see this my way. Please?” 

Felicity bit her lips then turned to face him.

 “You said I had been raised and educated for this specific position, right?” Oliver continued once they were chest to chest. 

“Yes.” 

“So can you please trust my judgment? Generally speaking, for a position like CEO, I mean.”

 “... OK,” she said hesitantly, wondering what he meant exactly. 

“Alright. Why did you pick Lincoln?” 

She blinked in surprise at his question. “Because he was from within the company, had been working for it since the beginning. He’s also great with budgets, obviously, and knows our investors and partners. He also has a very good instinct when it comes to marketing, and great social skills.” 

“So that’s why you let him handle HR. He’s been there since the beginning, so he knows most of the other departments and how things work, right?” 

“Yes.” 

“Who oversees Marketing at the moment?” 

Felicity’s eyes fixed a freckle on his shoulder. “... he checks the budget but…” 

“But they still come to you for approval, right?” 

“Yes.” 

“Let them know he is the person of contact from now on. Only in case of conflict should they directly come to you, except for the mandatory reports and so on.” 

Felicity groaned, knowing what Oliver was saying was making sense but at the same time feeling like she was getting rid of something she liked less. 

“It’s called delegating, Felicity. Every CEO has to do it. Ray did it with you, didn’t he?” 

“Yeah he did,” she conceded. 

“Good. Now, the board. I understand from what you told me that they were supervising you a lot after Ray died. They never stopped, did they?” 

“No. We still have as many meetings and they always have questions or advice.” 

“Tell them that this has to stop unless they have a legitimate reason to maintain such a tight leash. Spoiler alert: they don’t. I’ve seen the stock numbers.” 

“Easy to say. It’s the board.” 

“And you’re the majority shareholder. It comes with perks,” Oliver winked at her as he reached out for the shower gel. “Now, the branches going rogue. Babe, it has nothing to do with you,” he continued as he started to lather her up with a loofah. “Believe me on that and if you don’t, talk to Walter or… well… it could be awkward but you can even ask my mom if you don’t want to involve the CEO of another company.” 

“You mean other than the one CEO currently naked in my shower?” Felicity grinned. 

Oliver paused, his hand on her right breast then laughed. “Well… yes, other than this one.” 

“You know I’m not sure your mom would… I mean… ugh… I never really had the mother of her boyfriend in my life so…” 

“I’m sure she’d love to help you. Anyway, back on topic. The branches. They’re away from the headquarters, that gives them a sense of independence… and whenever there is a change in leadership they always, always try to get even more independence. It’s a given. It says nothing about you or your leadership. Quite the contrary, the fact that you became aware of it right away shows how involved you are.” 

“Do you think I should… like show my claws?” 

“Yes. Show them who’s the boss. Send an email to the ones in charge. Make it seem like an end of the year email, with subtle warning. If they cross a line again, surprise visit.” 

“Like popping up there unannounced?” 

“Yup. And asking to check random services or projects. I can guarantee you they’ll soon realize they’ll be more at peace if they don’t give you a reason to come to their offices. Walter did it several times.” 

Felicity let him rinse her and watched absently as he quickly washed himself before shutting off the water that had started to cool down. 

They dried themselves mostly in silence, Felicity’s mind processing everything he had told her.

Deep down, she knew there was a lot of truth in what Oliver had told her. She definitely needed to delegate. And she also had to have a firm talk with some board members because they clearly weren’t helping. In short, she had to take charge, and this time not just shouldering responsibilities but also putting people back in their lane. Oliver was right: that was also part of her job, something she had forgotten along the way, too used to handling problems and issues, numbers and reports. 

“You know, there is something that bugs me,” Oliver eventually said as she had just slipped his shirt on. 

“What?” 

“I’m positive you probably knew all of that. You’re the brightest person I know and the most observant as well. But… in the last few weeks, it’s like you… forgot. Or lost yourself in something.” 

“I think I just wanted to do so well, to make sure that I was good enough that I started to do more and more without realizing it. It’s really important for me, Oliver.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

Oliver put the platter down on a night stand before sitting down on the bed next to Felicity. He smiled at the way she was hugging his pillow tight, her hair a mess all around her face. The dark circles had faded a little, thanks to the extra hours of sleep. It was eight, and he had warned Felicity’s assistant that she wouldn’t be at the office until nine, possibly ten. She would probably get mad at him for not waking her up earlier but she desperately needed the extra sleep. 

Last night had been hard for her, and for him as well, in a way. He had hoped a little date would be a good way to cheer her up a little and help her relax but when he had seen she was late, he had realized that she had probably forgotten. Then things had quickly escalated like they always did when one was frustrated and the other exhausted. And no matter how borderline angry he had been, hearing her cry in the bathroom had caused him physical pain. He could see, plainly, that Felicity was stressed and battling with her job more than she should but he hadn’t known the full extent of how much she was shouldering. A part of him couldn’t help but wonder how a woman like her could doubt her value, even if he knew that, just like for him, it had a lot to do with her father. She had said so herself, she had to prove that she was “good enough”. He wasn’t sure she was aware of that connection, though, but to him, who had struggled with his own father, it was obvious and clear as day. Such deeply rooted doubt usually came from the childhood. 

Gently, he pushed her hair away from her face, calling her name softly. He smiled when she stirred and rubbed her eyes, slowly coming to her senses. Her sleepy eyes blinked, adjusting to the light and a large, lazy smile stretched her lips when she saw him. 

“Hi, sleepy head,” he murmured as he pressed a kiss on her cheek. 

“Good morning, handsome,” she answered in a rough voice full of sleep that made him wish it was the weekend and he could slip underneath the sheets and help her to full consciousness with his head between her legs. 

Her smile grew wider when she saw the tray and she sat up against the headboard as he put it down in her lap.

“French toast,” she squealed. 

“And a perfectly ripe pear. Sliced.”

 She was just about to take her first bite when she froze, the fork an inch from her lips and her eyes wide as saucers. “Oh my God what time is it?” 

“Eight,” Oliver answered calmly, bracing himself as she took a short intake of breath, her eyes panicking for a few seconds. “I warned Daniela that you would be a little late, though.” 

Felicity frowned then eventually put her fork in her mouth. Once she had swallowed her bite, she said, “I don’t really appreciate your interference but… I’m aware I really needed the rest. And I know you probably won’t do it again.”

“Are you sure? Does that mean you’re going to pace yourself a little better?” 

“I’m going to try,” she said as she took a sip of coffee. “I know I can’t go on much longer like this. I miss loving my job. Right now… I’m proud of it, don’t get me wrong but… I’m not proud of what I do, if that makes sense.” 

“It does,” Oliver nodded as he drank from her mug and watched her eat for a little while. “Just so you know… I might not always understand the challenges you have to face, because they’re different from mine, but you can always come to me. OK?” 

“OK,” she mumbled around her last bite of French toast then finished the coffee Oliver was still holding. He then picked up the tray, freeing her. 

“What time is it again?” she asked as he was standing up. Turning around, he checked the alarm clock on his side. “8:20.” 

Felicity bit her lips with a little cheeky smile. “Do you think we can spare a little time?” 

He put the tray down on the floor and kneeled on the bed. “What do you have in mind exactly?” 

“I heard that makeup sex is the best part of fighting.” 

“I suggest we take all morning, then.”

 

 

 

 

 

Oliver stepped out of the elevator, turning left to head to Felicity’s office. 

It was Christmas Eve, two days after their fight, and even if 48 hours was short, he had already seen a shift in Felicity. She was back to her former self, still tired, still juggling, but with a much more confident look in her eyes now. 

That wasn’t saying she wasn’t late for their Christmas dinner though. Because she was, hence why Oliver had decided to come and pick her up - or carry her over his shoulder, whichever she prefered. She had texted him a few hours earlier, telling him she had her outfit for the evening and would change at the office before meeting him at the mansion instead at her apartment but Oliver had refused, not wanting her to drive alone since the roads were icy that day.

He was about to knock on her door but stopped when he heard her voice and that of a man. 

“You had the financial report, I don’t need to walk you through it,” Felicity said in a calm voice. 

“I just think that the board should approve any-” 

“No. The board already gave its approval. Our numbers are good and stable and I’m not going to waste precious time debating the same things over and over again. If you have any concern with the financial department, take it to them, or to Lincoln directly.” 

_That’s my girl._  

“I only have a few questions and it will only take a few minutes, Felicity. I also want to discuss the launch of our new watch.” 

“It can wait until Monday. It’s Christmas Eve, I’m going home.” 

“You’re jewish. You don’t even celebrate Christmas!” 

“My boyfriend and his family do. And since I didn’t take a single day off for Hanukkah, I think you can cut me some slack.” 

“But-” 

“Did you used to nag Ray all the time too? Or am I getting special treatment?” 

“I don’t know what you’re implying but-” 

“I am implying that you are checking every decision I make because you do not trust my judgment, despite the fact that one, I have been handling this company rather smoothly since I received ownership, and two, your bonus for this year is safe since our stock numbers are back to what they were before Ray died, which is something even our most optimistic forecasters hadn’t even considered. So, let me repeat myself: why am I getting this?” 

“You’re still young, Felicity.” 

“So was Ray. But I never, ever heard of you or any other member of the board wanting to control every single decision he made. We had a meeting this morning and I thought I had been clear but apparently, I need to hammer the nail a little more. As far as I’m concerned, the company is doing great. We’re already back to where we were before Ray died so this constant vigilance over my work is not only now unjustified but also uncalled for. Therefore, it has to stop so I can focus on other things, like the future of Palmer Tech. I can’t do that when instead of working hand in hand with our engineers and scientists, I have to walk you through every damn piece of paper I approve of!” 

Unable to resist, Oliver leaned in, watching her through the glass. She had kept her promise, and was indeed all dressed up in a gorgeous golden dress. Hugging her curves, showing off that luscious butt of hers. But he had been wrong, there wasn’t just one man in the room but two, as well as a woman, even though they were silent. 

Felicity suddenly turned around, walking back to her desk to face them fully. “If you want to spend Christmas reading and discussing whatever report or digest I approved of, you do you. But there is nothing urgent in them that can not wait until Monday, which is when Lincoln and I will be available if you have any reasonable question that can not be answered by the relevant services. Are we clear?” 

Felicity looked at them with hard, daring eyes and it took his breath away to see her so combative, letting the strong woman take charge. She looked almost royal in that moment, with her gold dress, her shoulders straight and her head held high as she glared down at the three unfortunate souls who had dared to question her authority. 

Like a queen. 

She saw him then, and the board members turned their heads to face him as well. He smiled politely, remaining where he was but also letting them know that he wasn’t going anywhere. 

They left with a few stiff “Merry Christmases" and Felicity sighed, her hands on her hips, when Oliver closed the door behind them. 

“That was pretty impressive, you know. I almost apologized myself for breathing the same air as you.”

She let out a small laugh as she went to pick up her bags and coat. 

“I’m sorry I’m running late again,” she apologized once he helped her put it on. 

“Come on, it’s alright. It’s barely six.” 

“Did you pick up the gifts on your way here?” 

“Yup. No worry, they’re all in the trunk. I might have noticed one that we clearly didn’t get together…” 

“Oh, the one that says “Oliver”, you mean?”

“Yes.” 

“I hope you didn’t peek.” 

“I almost did but seeing your little demonstration I’m glad I didn’t.”

 

 

 

 

 

“And then, Oliver walked out of the locker room butt-naked, socks and shoes on and went for a run around the gym. That was the second time he got arrested.” 

“Eww,” Thea yelled, covering her ears. “That’s… I don’t want to hear this kind of stuff about my brother, Tommy!” 

Felicity giggled, the hot wine she was drinking clearly having loosened her up. “I guess I shouldn’t tell you how I once found him in his office bathroom, then.” 

Oliver groaned, his hand pinching the back of her neck. 

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Felicity grinned as she folded her legs, her feet now underneath her butt as she sat sideways. She tried to pull on her skirt, but the fabric was too tight. Wordlessly, Oliver grabbed a blanket from a basket nearby and put it on her lap. 

Walter had gone to bed a little while ago, so it was only him, Felicity, Thea and Tommy savoring their dessert and a last drink by the Christmas tree. They listened to Tommy and Thea sharing stories of when they were kids, Felicity leaning against him as he distractedly played with her hair, messing up the complicated bun she probably had spent a lot of time doing. 

“But enough about the past. When are you two tying the knot?” Tommy asked with a shit-eating grin. 

Felicity froze against him and he almost reached out to smack his best friend. Before he could say anything, though, Felicity asked innocently, “why, do you want to be flower girl so bad?” 

Tommy smiled smugly. “You wish. But I’m afraid I’ve been on best man’s duty ever since our third grade.” 

“What?” Thea asked with a laugh. 

“Oliver had that crush on his teacher and he said he was going to marry her when he’d be old enough and I’d get to be the best man so I could have the bigger slice of cake. It was a win-win deal really. He’d end up with a cougar, I’d get cake.” Tommy took a sip of wine then almost choked. “Oh my God… she had glasses! And a freaking ponytail! You’ve had a type since third grade!” 

Felicity giggled again, patting Oliver’s thigh in support. “I can’t believe after all we’ve been through, I find out I’m only second choice.” 

Oliver glared at her. “Look who’s talking, Miss Daryl-Dixon-Has-A-Crossbow.” 

“Technically, I became aware of him after you so you’re still my first choice,” she said innocently before getting up. “On this, I’m heading to bed.”

“Already? It’s not even midnight!” Tommy all but whined. 

“And I’m about to fall asleep on Oliver.” 

“Like he’d complain,” Thea snorted as Felicity leaned down to press a quick peck on his lips. 

“I’ll be right there,” he murmured, pressing her hand in his. 

He went to check that all the doors were locked and make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything in the kitchen, then said goodnight to Tommy and Thea who were picking a movie to watch. 

When he walked into his room, Felicity was sitting cross-legged on the bed, combing her hair and wearing a large orange shirt with a snowman on the front. He quickly undressed as well then leaned against one of the bed posters. She smiled at him then winced as she worked through a knot. 

“Let me,” he said quietly as he climbed on the bed. 

“I forgot my brush so… comb it is,” she shrugged as she handed him the comb.

Delicately, he picked up the strand of hair, working the comb slowly until it ran smoothly. He then continued, enjoying the feel of her hair sliding between his fingers.

“Do you remember…” he started, the morning where he had helped her untangle her hair in Ivy Town in the back of his mind. 

“Yes.” 

He grinned then pushed her hair away from her shoulder so he could kiss her neck. “I was dying to do just this, you know.” 

“I honestly don’t think I would have minded either.” 

“And this?” he asked as he let his lips trail up to that sensitive spot underneath her ear.

 She shivered. “Definitely wouldn’t have minded that.” 

He chuckled against her skin, then pulled on her shirt. “Orange looks good on you.” 

“Thank you.”

“So does gold, by the way.” 

“Thank you,” she said again. 

“And blue, like the dress you wore for QC’s Christmas party.” 

“Than-” 

“And that purple dress at your holiday party.” 

“Th-”

“And red. But you knew that already.” 

“Is that all?” she chuckled as she turned around to face him. 

“Nope. I also love you in pink. In green. In black…” he trailed off as he laid her down on the bed, his hand sneaking underneath the hem of her shirt, pushing it up her hips. “And in white,” he added seriously as his finger traveled over the lace of the white panties she was wearing. 

Felicity smiled, relaxing on the bed. 

“I never really paid attention to this kind of thing before. I mean sure I’d notice if a girl was hot, and looking good in an outfit-” 

“Hum…” Felicity interrupted him with a stern look. 

“Right. Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “What I wanted to say was that I didn’t notice this stuff before. Or didn’t care, I don’t know. But with you… I always noticed. And I always will.” 

“Oliver…” she murmured, her finger tracing his lips. 

“You brought color to my life, Miss Smoak,” he whispered back before leaning in for a kiss.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... This is almost a small meta lol  
> What I meant about this chapter being slightly different is that we spent a lot of time focusing on Oliver's trauma, and in a way on Felicity's trauma DUE TO Oliver. But... our girl also has abandonment issues and she deserved a time to dig into that. It's something I started in HGW, and it went on with STAMTB as Oliver noticed.  
> For those who have read HGW, there was this whole time where Felicity was completely refusing to even entertain the idea of being in a relationship with Oliver while he was her direct boss. Then we found out why because of Cooper. ANd during that LV chapter, she had a small talk with her mother where she said that O always put her first and she never really had that from a man before. That included Cooper, but also and mostly her dad.  
> I don't believe that love solves everything. I don't think words can really fix things either. Both help, and both are necessary IMO but... it takes more than that. Felicity, let's keep this in mind, was abandoned by her father. Was played by Cooper (who also in a way abandoned her when it was to save his own ass) and then, even if it was unvoluntarily, Oliver went missing for three years. It leaves marks, especially on someone who already struggles with abandonment issues. Throughout the story, and starting as soon as with HGW, Felicity has been the one more hesitant, more guarded. Not that she doesn"t love Oliver as much as he loves her. In terms of action, when you see all she has done since the beginning, for him, it goes without saying her love runs as deep as his. But there is a part of her who doesn't *dare* to hope, to count on him for the future. I really, really wanted to adress that, and show that not only Oliver understood because he knows her so damn well, but also that he realizes his words might reach her, but only time will prove he's telling the truth. So time is what he will give to her.
> 
> That was the first "issue" or flaw of Felicity I wanted to explore.
> 
> Another one is a little more personal, in a way. To me, Felicity as a CEO is perfection. That girl was born to rule the world, I have no doubt. But, and there is a but... she is also someone with an IQ of 170. I believe, wait, no I *know* that this comes with a bunch of potential problems. I, and both my brothers, are what it is called "high potential". I am nowhere near Felicity's genius (If I remember correctly, my IQ is between 125 and 135 and isn't, at all, focused on math and sciences.) but I do know the mountain of difficulties people like her face. Lack of social skills, anxiety, fear of failure, over performing, obsession, stress, inability to balance things and so on.  
> It made complete sense for me that Felicity would, at some point, be confronted with that. That she would want to shoulder everything, her fear of failure making her lose track of simple things such as delegating. That she would be more comfortable, more used to handling issues given to her rather than confront potential social problems, such as the board or her executives acting rogue. 
> 
> That's why Oliver and Felicity work so well. Yes, Felicity is the smartest one. Hands down. But... Oliver counterbalances her. She was Oliver's strength when she was his assistant, but now that she is CEO, she needs Oliver more than he needs her (regarding their jobs I mean). What she lacks of (social skills among others), that's what he has naturally. And just like, in the first part of this story, she was the one pushing him forwards, trusting him, believing in him, now it's the other way around. He's the man behind the extraordinary woman who is there to stop the train when he realizes she is losing herself. He grounds her, in a way that is completely different from the way that *she* grounds him but both are just as important for their future, as a couple and as individuals. They are reaching a balance in their couple where it's not the same one always pulling the other up. There is also a deep understanding, a deep trust that is, IMO their most solid fondation. 
> 
> So, there goes my little chapter focusing on Felicity, her struggles as she adapts to her new job, and the way Oliver sees her (with hearteyes, obviously).  
> Hope you enjoyed it, and the next few chapters will be on a much, much lighter side ;) (christmas yaaaay)


	42. All I Want For Christmas Is You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> So this my Christmas chapter, which, as you'll see, really doesn't start your typical Christmas chapter O_O (yes it's NSFW). I mean Oliver really wants to show her the magic of Christmas and all that jazz... wink, wink.
> 
> It's mostly a light, fluffy chapter that kicks start the end of the story, even though I am currently writing chapter 46 and I'm just finishing the plot. So yup... we should be between 50 and 60 chapters, like HGW.
> 
> Special thanks to PIdanka and mysticaldetectivepanda <3<3
> 
> Song; All I want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey

**"All I Want For Christmas Is You"**  


 

I don't want a lot for Christmas  
There is just one thing I need  
I don't care about the presents  
Underneath the Christmas tree

I just want you for my own  
More than you could ever know  
Make my wish come true  
All I want for Christmas is you, yeah.

I don't want a lot for Christmas  
There is just one thing I need  
And I don't care about the presents  
Underneath the Christmas tree

I don't need to hang my stocking  
There upon the fireplace  
Santa Claus won't make me happy  
With a toy on Christmas Day

I just want you for my own  
More than you could ever know  
Make my wish come true  
All I want for Christmas is you  
You, baby

Oh, I won't ask for much this Christmas  
I won't even wish for snow  
And I'm just gonna keep on waiting  
Underneath the mistletoe

I won't make a list and send it  
To the North Pole for Saint Nick  
I won't even stay awake to  
Hear those magic reindeer click

'Cause I just want you here tonight  
Holding on to me so tight  
What more can I do?  
Baby, all I want for Christmas is you  
You, baby

Oh, all the lights are shining  
So brightly everywhere  
And the sound of children's  
Laughter fills the air

And everyone is singing  
I hear those sleigh bells ringing  
Santa, won't you bring me the one I really need?  
Won't you please bring my baby to me?

Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas  
This is all I'm asking for  
I just want to see my baby  
Standing right outside my door

Oh, I just want you for my own  
More than you could ever know  
Make my wish come true  
Baby, all I want for Christmas is you  
You, baby

All I want for Christmas is you, baby  
All I want for Christmas is you, baby  
All I want for Christmas is you, baby  
All I want for Christmas is you, baby

 

 

 

 

 

 

Felicity was warm. 

Deliciously warm and… oddly relaxed despite the distinct breeze of cold air she could feel on her nipples. 

Her very, very naked nipples. 

She was in the middle of the most amazing dream which involved her lying on a picnic blanket and Oliver… 

“Oh, God, yes,” she moaned at the sudden flash of pleasure that spread low in her abdomen. 

Oliver’s hands were gripping her thighs tightly, pushing them down on the softest blanket she had ever been on, and there was a wet heat  right there, a slick caress that was sending waves of pleasure through her entire body. 

“MERRY CHRISTMAS HO HO HO!”

 The shout, and the loud banging on the door, awoke her with a start and she struggled to sit up for a few seconds before realizing that the dream wasn’t so much a dream. Except they were on Oliver’s bed, in the mansion, and not in a meadow. 

Her hand was still gripping his hair tightly, holding him where he was, and with the way he was holding her legs open it was no surprise she couldn’t sit up properly. 

“COME ON GUYS RISE AND SHIIIINE!!!” Tommy bellowed again, knocking so firmly she was half-expecting his fist to pass through the wood. 

Oliver didn’t even pause, his tongue curling against her clit before sucking it deep in his mouth and she let out a strangled moan. His eyes found hers and she saw determination and warning in them, as well as a deep, dark hunger that almost had her whimpering in need. 

“We… we’re coming!” she shouted weakly, her eyes still prisoners of Oliver’s who briefly closed them in approval. 

“We’ll wait for you by the tree!” Tommy yelled one last time, making her collapse back against her pillow in relief that he was leaving, her fingers relaxing in Oliver’s hair as he started to build up the heat once more, his tongue taking a lazy rhythm on her sensitive flesh. He suddenly sucked, hard, before letting go of her clitoris with a wet sound that should have embarrassed her, except it only turned her on even more. 

“Oliver,” she protested softly, silently begging him to get back to business. 

He smiled at her before nuzzling her inner thigh and nibbling delicately on her skin, going higher, and higher, back to her folds only to give her a single teasing, and very unsatisfying, lick. 

“They’re waiting for us,” she reminded him, half-tempted to take care of herself if he didn’t put it in second gear. 

He pressed one small, tender kiss on her mound before letting one of her legs go and reaching to the side of the bed. 

Wordlessly, a question in his eyes, he held out the small bullet-shaped toy that she recognized as the one he had all but begged her to order from her mom’s catalogue. 

Biting her lips, she took a small breath. Apart from their one time (and what a time it had been) with the little rubber duck, they had never used toys but Oliver had seemed so enthusiastic about it, and to be fair she was also slightly curious herself, that she had caved in without putting up much of a fight. It was not like she had never, ever used a vibrator, after all. She just wasn’t exactly used to this kind of shopping with a partner. 

With a lopsided smirk, Oliver switched it on, the small buzzing sound echoing in the room, only drownd out by the embarrassingly loud yelp she let out when it came directly into contact with her sensitive flesh. 

Oliver slipped the small vibrator up and down, barely teasing her clit, but she clearly didn’t need it, seeing how her arousal was spiking up again with a vengeance. 

“Oh, wow… oh… oh God wow!” she panted, her heels digging into the mattress in a pathetic attempt to keep her legs still. Funny how everything was much, much more intense when it was Oliver holding the vibrator. 

It seemed like all her nerves were directly stimulated by the small bullet, sending miniature shockwaves right up to her clitoris and she had to turn her head, burying her face in her pillow to muffle her cry when she felt Oliver’s tongue back on the small bundle of nerves while he now teased her entrance with the vibrator.

The pleasure was building so fast her legs were shaking, her back arching almost painfully, her walls clenching on an emptiness that was about to make her lose her mind. 

Oliver was now merely keeping his mouth open, his tongue sliding up and down her clit, making it roll softly, skillfully maintaining the exact pressure she needed, avoiding too much stimulation that would have made the pleasure dip into pain. 

Finally, finally, he pushed the bullet inside her and the combination of his mouth on her and the hard vibrations within was almost too much. Oliver pulled back on the bullet, adjusting it with a finger, then pressed it up and rubbed it directly on her G-spot.

Felicity lost it, her legs closing on his face as she stifled her scream by grabbing a pillow and shoving it on her face. The sensations were too much, the fire deep inside her burning so wild and it took about three seconds before she crashed down, still screaming nonsensical words and Oliver’s name as the orgasm hit. Hard. 

She was still wailing, mildly conscious of a few tears streaming on her face when the pillow was suddenly pushed away, Oliver’s lip catching the sounds spilling from her throat. She barely had the time to register that the bullet was gone before Oliver was pushing inside her with a deep, throaty groan that went straight to her core. 

“I can’t… I can’t,” she mumbled helplessly, her lips seeking his nonetheless as her arms went around his neck, holding him closer. 

Her orgasm hadn’t even died yet and Oliver was already building up his pace, a deep, hard stroking inside her that was teasing the fire once more. The feel of him, big and hard and ruthless, the sounds he was making, rough and desperate and so damn hungry had her insides clenching almost painfully, already chasing her second climax even though the first one had been so intense it was a miracle she was still breathing. 

It was unbelievably quick, for the both of them. One second, Oliver was slamming into her and the next thing she knew, he was pressing a hand on her mouth to try to keep the noise to a minimum as she came for the second time. 

“Oh fuck… fuck,” he said harshly, his face tensing up as his hips lost all rhythm, his eyes still fixed on hers and she barely had the reflex to cover his own mouth as well about half a second before he shouted her name.

Panting, they stared at each other, their intense pleasure mirrored in their eyes as they rode out the wave together, the room around them vanishing for a few seconds. 

Eventually, she saw Oliver’s eyes wrinkle on the edges as he was obviously battling a smile and she cracked up as well, giggling behind his hand. 

She freed his mouth just as he moved his hand. “I can’t believe you did this. Here,” she laughed. 

“I can’t believe you let me,” Oliver smiled widely with a deep chuckle. “Merry Christmas.” 

“Merry Christmas, Oliver,” she grinned happily. “You know I’m starting to see what the fuss is all about with this holiday.” 

“Oh yeah? I take it you liked what I filled your stocking with?” 

Felicity gasped, slapping his shoulder. “Oh my God, Oliver!” 

"I was talking about the chocolates," he said innocently.

"Sure you were!"

He burst out laughing, dropping his head on her shoulder. She slapped him once more for good measure before joining him, letting the sound of his laugh wash over her. Oliver had been more and more carefree as the months had gone by, slowly but surely becoming more like his former self. Felicity knew he’d probably never really be like the man he had been before the Gambit, and that was OK. She would probably never be the same woman either. But seeing him laugh, and tease her, happiness shining bright in his eyes, was bringing her a peace of mind she had been longing for. 

“Sorry,” he eventually said with a huge smile that told her he was everything **but** sorry. “I couldn’t resist.” 

“Keep going and you’re not getting any present this year,” she scolded him. 

“I don’t care. I already have all I want,” he whispered, gazing at her with such adoration that Felicity felt like she was about to melt like snow in the sun. 

“OLLIE! FELICITY!!” Thea’s voice startled them and their heads both snapped to the door. “I’d like to open my presents today if you don't mind!” 

“We don’t!” Oliver shouted back. 

“Ollie…” Thea repeated in a more normal tone, even though poison was literally leaking from that single word. “Don’t make me come in.” 

“If you think seeing my naked ass won’t scar you for life, then by all means, come on in, Speedy!” 

“Oliver!” Felicity gasped. 

“... EEEWWWW, you guys are… just… it’s Christmas for goodness’ sake!” 

“And I sleep naked for Christmas, just like every other day of the year,” Oliver shouted back, winking at Felicity. 

“We’ll be there in a few minutes, Thea,” Felicity said reassuringly, trying to push Oliver off her. 

“Just make sure he wears some pants, will you?” 

“I will!”

There was no answer this time, letting them know they were alone again. 

“Oliver, we have to get up, they’re waiting for us.” 

“Mmmhh…” Oliver hummed, nuzzling her throat with his nose. 

“Oliver…” 

“In a minute,” he whispered before pressing a kiss right underneath her jaw. 

“Whenever you say that, it never only takes a minute and you know it.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Thea was about to send the SWAT,” Walter welcomed them when they finally stepped inside the sitting room. 

Felicity blushed, ignoring Tommy’s knowing smirk as she sat down on the floor. She had managed to make Oliver move before things could really get out of hand but then she had needed to clean up and between two… okay three or four stolen kisses, it had taken almost ten minutes before they were finally presentable. 

Thea handed her a banana muffin and Felicity barely took the time to thank her before wolfing down half of it. She was starving. 

“Now that everyone is **finally** here, presents time!” Thea squealed, slapping her hands before grabbing a few wrapped boxes from underneath the tree, distributing them. 

Felicity saw that her first present was from Tommy and she almost hesitated before opening it, casting him a suspicious glance. He smirked at her, raising his mug of coffee and wiggling his eyebrows. 

“I helped him pick, don’t worry,” Thea whispered next to her. “I mean… it was his ideas we used, I just made sure you ended up with the least worst.” 

Slightly reassured, Felicity opened the large box then paused, blinking. Slowly, she raised her head, finding Tommy looking at her with a smug, excited look on his face as she picked up the object. 

“A toilet brush, really?” 

“I’ve been waiting more than three years for this moment, Miss Felicity.” 

“Jeez, thank you so much for helping him by the way, Thea,” Felicity snorted. “I’ll remember that when Oliver wants to buy you Barbie’s house for your birthday.” 

Thea giggled, spilling a bit of coffee on her shirt. “Hey! I made sure he picked a pink one!!” 

Oliver was chuckling, shaking his head as he let Walter in the secret story of when she had stumbled over Tommy in her bathroom, mistakenly taking him for a dangerous sexual pervert. 

Technically, she had been right about the sexual pervert part, though. 

“Come on, that’s not your real present, don’t worry,” Thea eventually said as she handed her a box that was smaller, but much heavier. 

“Oh my God! A Dr Who teapot!” she squealed, ignoring Oliver’s groan as she opened the box, delicately pulling out the blue, rectangular teapot that was unmistakingly a Tardis. 

“Oh, a fellow whovian,” Walter chuckled. “I should have known.” 

“See? I asked your boyfriend for the things you liked that he didn’t,” Tommy said proudly, avoiding Oliver’s hand as he tried to slap the back of his head. 

She ended up getting a wonderful basket with a selection of fine teas and biscuits from Fortnum and Mason from Walter, which had her gaping and gushing for ten minutes straight, fuzzy panda socks and a beautiful scarf from Thea and a gorgeous white gold necklace with a round ruby pendant circled by small white diamonds from Oliver which left her speechless for a good moment. 

“Felicity, there’s one last gift for us, do you want me to-” 

“Sure, sure,” Felicity answered, too busy gushing over the necklace with Thea to pay attention to any other present. It was so delicate, and so obviously carefully picked that-

“Wait. Who is it from? I opened all my gifts,” she suddenly said, realizing that the new data didn’t fit her math. 

Oliver looked up as he dropped the torn wrapping paper on the floor. “Your mom.” 

It was pure instinct that made her react. 

“No!” she shouted, half crawling, half running until she collapsed on Oliver’s legs, attempting to grab the box from his hands just as he was trying to help her up. 

Horrified, she looked as she slapped it from his hands, sending it toppling on the floor and spilling its contents in plain sight. 

The silence was deafening when the small, red little duck bounced, and rolled, and bounced, and rolled… and landed by Walter’s left foot. 

Felicity felt the blood leave her face, then come back in a rush as her shoulders slumped and she all but fell against Oliver’s legs. 

“Hum,” Walter coughed before taking a sip of tea and putting the cup down on its saucer. “I believe your mom sent another toy for your cat, Felicity.”  

“Someone kill me please,” Felicity moaned as she hid her face against Oliver’s thigh. “Or better yet. Kill my mom.”

 

 

 

 

“Why on earth did you think it was a good idea to bring my mom’s gift?!” Felicity screeched as soon as they had left the dining room after breakfast. 

Oliver stuttered, the tip of his ears turning a light shade of pink. “I… it’s… Felicity, it’s Christmas! How was I supposed to even think she’d send us a NSFW common gift for **Christmas**?!” 

Felicity glared at him, her hands on her hips. “It’s my mom, Oliver. You met her. And… how did Walter even know that I was lying when she sent that parcel to work?” 

“I didn’t tell him,” Oliver swore, holding his hands up in defense. “But I believe he put two and two together. No one gets that embarrassed by pet toys and you had a similar reaction both times.” 

“Ugh.” Felicity sat down on his bed, crossing her legs. 

“I’m kinda impressed she managed to find a rubber duck with a santa hat, though,” Oliver chuckled as he joined her, lying on his front so his face was close enough to touch her knee. 

Felicity rolled her eyes. “Of course, she wanted to make sure it was appropriate.” 

“Well… I can’t wait to see what she makes of the Easter bunny, then.” 

Felicity laughed, pushing on his shoulder. “Be careful what you wish for.” 

“Since we’re talking about what I wish…” Oliver trailed off, one of his fingers teasing her thigh. 

“Nope. I need a shower.” Felicity stood up, ignoring his groan of protest as he did the same. “Come on, I’ll let you rub my back.” 

She turned around, ready to head to the bathroom, when Oliver’s hand grabbed her elbow and turned her back to face him in one rapid, swift movement. 

“Wh-” 

His lips pressed against hers, soft but also somehow hard and determined as one of his hands cradled her face, tilting her head to deepen the kiss. Instinctively, her palm pressed against his flat stomach, nails digging into the hard muscles as she welcomed his tongue into her mouth. 

Just as she thought he was about to slam her against a wall and have his wicked way with her, he broke away, resting his forehead against hers and briefly closing his eyes. 

“That’s how I wanted to thank you earlier.” 

She smiled shyly, her finger tracing the watch he was now wearing on his left wrist, the one she had gotten for him. “You like it?” 

“Yes. I love it,” he smiled back happily. 

“I wanted a watch for you because… well, you know. But you’re not the gadget type of guy so I couldn’t give you one of mine.” 

She had bought him a simple, classic Patek Philippe watch with a dark brown leather band, one that she hoped would become soft and supple with the years. On the back, she had engraved three simples words: “To brighter days”, as well as her initials. 

Thea had let out a trembling smile when she had read the words and the two of them had shared a secret, acknowledging smile as they both remembered the first time they had met, by Oliver’s grave. 

“It’s perfect.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

“It’s perfect.” 

“Oliver, I’m literally naked.” 

“Hence the “perfect”, Felicity.” 

Felicity giggled, making her breasts bounce and he couldn’t resist, closing his mouth on a red nipple. “You, sir, are tipsy.” 

“I am so not,” he mumbled the best he could with his mouth busy laving his favorite boobie. Well... one of them at least. He was still unsure about which one he prefered, the left or the right. 

Seeing as he was right handed, it was probably better for him to use that hand to palm a boobie, so his mouth could focus on the other one. 

That made his favorite her left boob. Well, from his angle. For her, it was the right. 

“Oliver you just rambled over my “boobies”, you’re definitely tipsy,” Felicity laughed, freeing her nipple from his mouth. 

Raising his head, he asked, “I said that out loud?” 

“To be more accurate, you mumbled it out loud. I’m glad you couldn’t pick, though. And I like your flawless use of logic to still make a decision.” 

“You’re the one who rambles out loud without realizing it,” he whined, dropping his forehead on her shoulder. 

“Well, it’s good to know that all it takes is some… well scratch that, **a lot** of champagne to even the score.” 

“You kept filling my glass,” Oliver snorted as he reached to grab a small sausage-bite. 

They were celebrating New Year's Eve in his apartment, just the two of them. Everything had started well, Oliver having cooked most of the day while Felicity was finishing a few tasks at work and they had ended up on the thick carpet in front of the fireplace, sharing their appetizers and a bottle of champagne. He had indeed drunk much more than her and had soon started to feel very relaxed. Which had led to where they were right now: butt-naked as the day they were born, the fire keeping their skin warm and cold appetizers sitting in plates next to them. To be fair, Tommy had dropped by in the early afternoon and they had shared several bottles of beers while watching the parade on TV. 

He hadn’t consumed that much alcohol in years. 

“You know, those shrimps aren’t that bad cold but I’m starting to get hungry for some real food,” Felicity told him, distracting him from the very important trail his fingers were tracing up and down her stomach. 

“It’s your craving for real food that got us here, you know,” he gloated, his eyes fixed on the little circle he was tracing around her belly button. 

“If it makes you stand up faster, then yes, us having crazy monkey sex on the floor was my fault. I’m so sorry my slutty self got all over your hot body.” 

“Thank you for apologizing,” Oliver said gravely. “It means a lot to me.” 

After a little wink and a peck on her lips, he nonetheless stood up, pulling his boxers and jeans on before heading to the kitchen. Fortunately, he had prepared a stew in the crockpot, on the lowest heat, so nothing was at risk of burning despite their little interlude. He put some water to boil and tasted his beef Stroganoff, making sure it was seasoned well. He heard Felicity making her way upstairs, probably to clean up, just as he started to make the salad. 

Ever since their big talk-fight about her job and how she was pushing herself way too far, Felicity had managed to find some kind of balance. She was still working crazy hours, but had clearly managed to set strict limits with the board and, from what he could see, with most of her executives as well and now most of her extra time at work was spent doing things she loved, which was a drastic change. She was now happier, back to her bubbly self. 

Even in their relationship, he could see she was getting more at ease, more relaxed. She had loved their Christmas shopping together, only regretting that she had been so swamped at work, she hadn’t been able to celebrate Hanukkah with him and share her traditions as well. When he had told her they’d get to do that next year, she had smiled peacefully, her eyes shining bright with happiness, instead of the nervousness he used to see there. 

The new year really seemed to be as promising as could be. They were progressing, step by step, and each day he was falling even more in love with her, savoring their little domesticity, much to Tommy’s never ending amusement who kept teasing him about how he would eventually become a househusband within the next ten years. 

He gulped down his second glass of cold water in a row, already feeling his brain clearing up a little, then put the rolls in the oven. 

Felicity bounced into the kitchen a few minutes later, feet protected by thick wool socks, his buttoned shirt hanging low on her legging-clad legs. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and she was carrying the plates of appetizers. With a smile, she placed their leftovers in containers before approaching the crockpot with a look of envy. 

“I just put the pasta to boil,” Oliver reassured her as he opened the oven door to get the rolls in a basket. 

She tossed the salad and brought most of the dishes to the dining room and by the time they were sitting down, she had already poured the wine in their glasses. 

“It is New Year’s Eve after all,” she smiled with a wink. “I think we can allow ourselves a little leeway.” 

Once they were done, they snuggled on the couch to watch Home Alone, one of their common favorite movies and by the time it was over, it was almost midnight. 

He pulled one of the big leather armchairs near the tall windows so they could see the fireworks in the distance and he switched off all the lamps, the candles and the fireplace now the only source of light, while Felicity went to get their dessert - a giant slice of chocolate cake that would mostly be for her. In the background, they could hear the usual shows about new year’s celebrations going on in one of the big cities of the West Coast. 

“Any resolution?” Felicity asked when they were halfway through their dessert. 

“Mmmhhh. Several, actually.” 

“Feel like sharing?” 

“First one is getting to number five.” 

Felicity paused with her fork an inch from her lips. “Seriously, **that’s** your first resolution?” 

“Yup.” He grinned as he watched her shake her head and lick her fork clean before offering him a bite. “You?” he asked before taking the small piece of cake in his mouth. 

“Yes. I want to go on a small vacation at least once. Even if it’s just a few days.” 

“Great choice. I approve. I’ll add then that I want us to visit at least two cities together by the end of the year.” 

“Reasonable goal,” Felicity nodded. “I want to start working out.” 

Oliver almost choked on his red wine. 

“Don’t laugh!” 

“I’m not laughing but you told me you hated sports.” 

“I do. But I guess I could try running? Or bicycling? Or even hiking?” 

“We could go run together. And try to go on a hike at least once a month.” 

“You wouldn’t mind?” she beamed. “I know we’re clearly not on the same level though, so it might be boring for you.” 

“Felicity… you’ll be wearing tight clothes and shaking your butt, this is the farthest thing from boring by my standards.” 

“Shut up,” she grinned. “I better see you topless then.” 

“Deal. I usually run without a shirt on, anyway.” 

“God. Had you told me that earlier, I’d have joined you much sooner.” 

Oliver chuckled as he lightly slapped her butt before setting their empty plate down on the floor. Felicity got more comfortable on his lap, cushioning her head on his shoulder. 

His hand lacing through her hair, he continued, “Third resolution is to go on a boy trip with Tommy.” 

“That’s a good idea. I think you both could use a little bit of fresh air,” Felicity approved. “Mine is to create a scholarship in Ray’s name.” 

“He would have loved that.” 

“Yeah, I think so. You have any other one?” 

Oliver smiled as he gazed at the moon, tightening his arms around her. “Yes. But I’m keeping that one a secret.” 

“Oh, really?” 

“Really.” Dipping his head, he pressed a small kiss on her nose. 

“Fine. I’m not telling you mine either then,” Felicity huffed with a shrug. 

He smiled, wondering what was going on in that bright brain of hers, knowing she wouldn’t tell him anyway. 

“It was quite a year, wasn’t it?” he eventually murmured, remembering how far away he had been the previous New Year's Eve - in every meaning of the word. In a way, it almost seemed unreal to be there, in his own apartment, back in Starling, with Felicity curled up in his arms. 

“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I get my boyfriend back from the dead every year, and PT is the fifth company that landed in my lap. Oh and I unveil terrorist agendas every couple weeks. It’s kind of a hobby.” 

Oliver huffed out a laugh, his lips brushing her forehead. “You know, when I came back, I was so… afraid of things happening to you, or Thea, or my mom, or even Tommy. It almost paralyzed me, thinking if something bad did occur, it would be because of me and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to live with that. And now I realize that… a bunch of terrible things happened to all of you, yet…” 

“We all survived, didn’t we? It made us stronger. And it wasn’t because of you,” Felicity said softly as she raised her head to meet his eyes. “Thea’s had it hard for a while but she’s on her own path now. Your mother finally came to terms with what happened and is dealing with it the way she sees fit. Tommy… Tommy is freeing himself from his father’s influence and expectations even if right now it’s still tough for him. He’ll get there.” 

“And you…” 

“Are tremendously happy,” she finished for him. “Never doubt that,” she added in a whisper, her finger stroking the little mole underneath his lip. 

The peace in her eyes washed over him like a soothing balm and he couldn’t resist any longer, leaning over and shifting her until their lips could meet. 

Their kiss was soft and almost hesitant at first, lips brushing over and over again, hands finding each other and lacing their fingers together as they took their time, teasing themselves. It was slow, and it was perfect, the two of them in the dimly lit room, celebrating their journey back to each other and the long, long road that was now ahead of them, the promise of something bright and beautiful that they would build up along the way.  

He let Felicity take charge of the kiss, shivering when her nails dug into his skull just the way he liked it, her leg wrapping over his as her tongue invaded his mouth. She was nearly completely on top of him when a sudden burst of light startled her, making her break the kiss. 

“Wh-” 

“Fireworks,” Oliver smiled as he heard the typical “pop” sounds coming from outside. 

She grinned back, gazing at him with such a deep, profound love that he found himself unable to look away. “Happy new year, Oliver.” 

“Happy new year, Felicity.” 

“I have a feeling it’s gonna be a good one.” 

He smiled softly, his thumb brushing her eyebrow as he thought about his last resolution. “I really hope so.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“Debbie, glad to have you back,” Oliver smiled as he walked out of the elevator and saw his assistant at her usual place. 

“Thank you, Oliver. And thank you even more for this little spa trip. My daughter loved it.”  

“And your son?” 

“Loved the room service,” Debbie answered, completely non-plussed. 

Oliver chuckled, shaking his head. “At least everyone had fun. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” 

“I did. Very much. And as a thank you, I left you seven messages on your desk.” 

“You shouldn’t have.” 

“Least I could do. I also finished reading through this gigantic budget for the new year as well as the first draft for the partnership with Palmer tech.” 

“Now, **this** , you really shouldn’t have. I didn’t send you on a relaxing trip so you could work from there,” Oliver frowned, accepting nonetheless the file she was handing him. 

“Spend 72 hours with two teenagers and I promise your definition of work will take a whole other meaning.” 

“Hopefully, I still have a bunch of years to get ready for that. What did you think, though?” 

“The draft or-” 

“Yes.” 

“Well… financially speaking you’re asking a lot from them. I think it won’t be easy to convince them with this proposition. You might have to agree to let them have a bigger part of the profit or bring more workforce.” 

“We already deployed our employees to other services.” 

“Yes, but since this partnership is long-term, you could consider a progressive workforce, or financial support. You can promise ten of your people the first month, and add one more every month after, for instance.” 

“That’s actually a pretty good idea,” Oliver nodded, pointing the file in Debbie’s direction. “I’ll keep that one up my sleeve. I knew I was right pursuing you!” 

“Just making sure I don’t make you regret that car you got me.” 

Laughing, Oliver stepped inside his office, leaving the door open. He made himself a fresh cup of coffee then sat at his desk, attacking the messages and emails that couldn’t wait any longer. 

The first meeting with PT was scheduled for the next week and Felicity, just like him actually, was keeping her cards close to her chest. It was such an interesting dynamic to seek for a partnership, be in a serious, committed relationship and at the same time make sure they could get the best deal for their own company. It was a delicate balance and a challenge they were both looking forward to, even if they enjoyed playing the secretive part as well. Oliver had lost count of the number of times one of them had faked wanting to sneak in and catch a little glimpse on what the other was working on, only to end up with a makeout session or some raunchy sex on whatever flat surface was the nearest. 

Damn. He really couldn’t wait for the real negotiations to begin.

 

 

***

 

 

“What?!” 

“You heard me, Oliver,” Felicity said calmly, crossing her arms on her chest. 

“But this could take weeks!” 

“I know.” 

“You’re trying to use sex against me, aren’t you?” Oliver asked suspiciously as he untied his tie. 

Felicity sighed, tilting her head. “I just suggested we keep the weekends for our relationship, Oliver. Set strict boundaries. We did it for the mayor’s fair!” 

“And we had limo sex.” 

Felicity pinched her lips guiltily. “Well yes… we need to work a little bit more on that, I agree. But I really feel like it’s the best thing. I don’t want us to bring our frustrations from work into our bedroom.” 

“Please, hon, never use the words frustrations and bedroom in the same sentence again.” 

“My bad.” 

Oliver sighed deeply, kicking an invisible rock. “It’s five whole days, Felicity.” 

“I know. Five days, for a limited period of time, where we both focus on our jobs, our companies, 100%, so hopefully the contracts will be signed asap and nothing will come in the way of our best interests. The weekends are still just for us, and we won’t talk about Palmer Tech or Queen Consolidated.” 

Oliver sat down on his bed, his shoulders hanging low and it almost made her giggle to see his despair. “Is it because of the dinner?” 

Felicity hissed in a breath then eventually nodded. “We spent most of the dinner talking about the partnership and continuing the argument that had started during our meeting. I… I know it sounds weird or ridiculous but I don’t want that. I feel like we’re going to lose in one aspect or the other in the end. I don’t want our relationship to suffer from this but I also do not want to cave in to spare us either.” 

Oliver exhaled slowly, seeing her point. Truth be told he had been sharing the same fears. They were walking a fine line and even if he had no doubt their relationship was strong enough to survive anything, he also wasn’t completely sure he would be able to really put QC first if things came to a head. Felicity would always come first, in one way or another, even though his brain was telling him that, in this particular territory, it didn’t have to be that way. It made for a potentially messy situation and he wasn’t surprised to see she had been going through the same kind of doubts. When you love someone above everything else, how do you make sure you don’t let your feelings blind you when it comes to shouldering other responsibilities? 

Oliver had also learned from his past mistakes, and his father’s mistakes if he was completely honest. He wanted to avoid any kind of conflict of interest before they could even happen and be as professional as he could be. Nothing should ever taint either his relationship with Felicity or his commitment to Queen Consolidated and its employees. 

“And what about our rule?” he asked nonetheless, unwilling to admit how much he agreed with her train of thought. 

“I’m willing to adapt the rule,” Felicity agreed seriously. “From seven orgasms a week to four. Knowing you’ll have from Friday night to Monday morning.” 

“I want at least two blowjobs then.” 

“... are we negotiating our negotiations?” 

“It’s your idea,” he said innocently with a small shrug. 

“Alright then… Two blowjobs in one weekend… that seems doable but I think one of them will have to be pure foreplay or we might not reach my own four orgasms.” 

Oliver let out another deep sigh as he glared at her, realizing this no-sex during the week rule was going to seriously limit his possibilities to get Felicity naked. 

“If you prefer us to completely wait until the negotiations are done, I’m OK with that, you know,” she taunted him. 

He snickered at the idea. “You’d never make it. It should take about a month until we sign the contracts.” 

“ **I** ’d never make it?” Felicity snorted. “Oliver, you’re the one making it a big deal here. Not me. Believe me, I’ve lived without my mandatory orgasms for most of my life. I can do it again.” 

“Baby… I found you crying over a pint of ice-cream when you realized we wouldn’t be able to have sex for a week because of your period.” 

Felicity held her index finger up in warning. “It was a very good ice-cream.”

“So you think you could go sex-less for weeks then?” Oliver tested her with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. 

Felicity raised her eyebrows at him, unwilling as always to back down from a challenge. “Yes. It will also force us to focus on our professional partnership.” 

“Alright then,” Oliver said as he stood up. “We’ll see which one of us caves in first. For the record, my bed will be wide open for you.” 

“I won’t even be tempted.” 

“No oral sex either, no nothing? You sure? Last chance, baby,” Oliver added with a lopsided grin. 

“Bring it on, Queen.” 

“We need a price though.” 

“Damn. Whoever wins gets carte blanche for one weekend of sex?” 

“Choice of positions, outfits, places,... toys?” 

“Yes.” 

Oliver smiled before reaching out to shake her hand. “You got a deal.” 

Felicity let out a small, satisfied grin before heading to the bathroom. He watched her as he sat down on the bed and rubbed his chin. This time, he’d have the upper hand and wouldn’t let her get a head start in what was, without a doubt, going to turn into a massive case of blue balls for him.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things I kinda have to add. What Felicity had written on the back of the watch, To brighter days, is a direct call back to chapter 51 of HGW, and if I'm not mistaken, it is also kinda mentionned in chapter 2 of STAMTB. For those who don't remember and don't want to check, it's because of the plaque Felicity left on Oliver's grave. "The days will always be brighter because he existed. The nights will always be darker because he's gone." Same plaque that Thea took good care of during the two years Felicity was away, hence the little moment between the two woman.  
> I really wanted Felicity to offer Oliver a watch, because there is this whole symbol of time passing and also because of her own watch that she created directly inspired by him. But as she said, Oliver Queen isn't gadget-gimmick, so it wouldn't have worked. She went with something more classic, that she hopes he'll be able to wear for a long, long time. She added her initials so both of them have the initials of the other on their wrist <3 (as I mentionned in the prologue, Felicity often wears her own watch even if I don't explicitly say so)
> 
> Now, the resolutions. I know, I just KNOW what you guys think Oliver's final resolution is and there is 90% chances that you're wrong XD. You'll find out in chapter... 44 I believe.  
> As for Felicity's last resolution you'll also find out, but I still haven't written it.
> 
> Now, for the sex strike... at first I wanted them to use sex in a way then I realized it was kinda wrong. I made sure I portrayed them both as very responsible CEOs who take their responsibilities seriously so... them fooling around while they're negotiating something so important? It seemed off. Then I realized that... I could see them, especially Felicity, try to pull away to maintain a little bit of control and a cool head.  
> ... You'll see in the next chapter that even though it might have been a good idea, their whole competition will completely backfire. 
> 
> ANd finally, after all that teasing with sextoys, I couldn't finish the story without a sex toy smut scene lol


	43. Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Here comes the "war" chapter as I called it when I wrote it. It's long, quite long, and I hope it makes for a nice Sunday read!
> 
> Special thanks to Pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda for their help <3<3  
> Song Trouble by Pink

**"Trouble"**  
  


No attorneys  
To plead my case  
No opiates  
To send me into outta space  
And my fingers  
Are bejeweled  
With diamonds and gold  
But that ain't gonna help me now

I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I disturb my town  
I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town

You think your right  
But you were wrong  
You tried to take me  
But I knew all along  
You can take me  
For a ride  
I'm not a fool out  
So you better run and hide

I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town  
I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town

If you see me coming  
Down the street then  
You know it's time to  
Go (and you know it's time to go  
cause here comes trouble)

No attorneys  
To plead my case  
No opiates  
To send me into outta space  
And my fingers  
Are bejeweled  
With diamonds and gold  
But that ain't gonna help me now

You think your right  
But you were wrong  
You tried to take me  
But I knew all along  
You can take me  
For a ride  
Cause I'm not a fool out  
So you better run and hide

I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I disturb my town  
I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town

So if you see me coming  
Down the street then  
You know it's time to  
Go (go-oh-oh..I got)

Trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town  
I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town

Trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town  
I'm trouble  
Yeah trouble now  
I'm trouble ya'll  
I got trouble in my town  
I got trouble in my town  
I got trouble in my town

 

 

 

 

“Oh my God, I can’t do this anymore,” Felicity moaned as she all but fell down on the chair opposite Sara. 

“Hum… hello to you too,” Sara said as she slurped the last of her mojito. “What’s going on?” 

“The sex strike is driving me nuts.” 

“It’s… been like three days, Felicity.” 

“Three long, agonizing days you mean.” 

“It was your idea! I thought it would help you keep your head clear and make sure there was no conflict of interest or, and I quote, that you wouldn’t be tempted to use lingerie as incentive.” 

“I know, I know,” Felicity sighed. “And honestly, it seemed like a good idea. But… we had lunch today. Oliver, his attorney, my attorney and me, I mean. He wore his dark grey suit. With a vest, Sara. A vest.”  

Sara’s eyes shifted from the right to the left. “What, was he supposed to come naked?” 

“OK I know you don’t like men that way but surely… you can see it, right? Oliver Queen, stubble on his cheeks, messy hair, dark grey suit, and a vest that really fits perfectly over his shoulders?” 

Sara pinched her lips, then nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah… I guess I can see it, yeah. But, and excuse me for pointing this out, aren’t you wearing a super form-fitting dress, with a very nice, elegant boob-cut may I add?” 

Felicity glared at her friend. “You’re supposed to side with me and curse his ass to next Sunday.”

“Sorry. That asshole!” 

“Thank you!” 

“How dare he show off his broad shoulders and his tight butt!” 

“Exactly!” 

“And the dark grey suit, who does that?! That jerk knows it brings out his eyes!” 

“Oh my God, yes! And… wait, you noticed that?” 

“I might not swing that way, but I have perfect eyesight.” 

Felicity sighed as she grabbed the glass the waiter had just brought her. After one long sip, she put it down to munch on a pretzel. “So you agree, then? He did it on purpose, right?” 

“Well… OK I know I shouldn’t tell you this because technically I work for Queen Consolidated but-” 

“Girl code! I invoke the girl code!” Felicity hissed. “Did he tell you something?” 

“I heard him speak with Tommy and yes he totally wore your favorite suit on purpose. By the way, great choice, he looks amazing in it. Every girl in the company was practically drooling.” 

“That sneaky little…” 

Sara tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. “I’m pretty sure he had the exact same reaction when he saw your dress.” 

Felicity huffed. “I feel more confident when I dress nicely. Like a real CEO. And if I really wanted to play dirty I would have worn red, anyway.” 

“True,” Sara nodded, obviously remembering Felicity’s confession about Oliver’s favorite color on her. “So that means right now he’s in the lead, right?” 

“What? No. We’re still fighting over the financial shares and-” 

“I didn’t mean the partnership negotiation. I meant the Queen-Smoak war.” 

“Oh. Oooooh… damn it, yes he is!” Felicity cursed as she swallowed down the rest of her drink in one go. 

“That can’t be.”

“No, it can’t. He’s so damn sure I’m going to cave in and crawl into his bed.” 

“Do you want to?” 

“Oh God, yes,” she whined. “Three days, Sara. And not three days while we’re apart, but three days where he wears clothes that make me want to… climb him. Or he texts me… stuff,” Felicity added in a whisper. 

“Oh my God, he sends you dick pics?!” Sara gasped as she leaned over the table. 

“What the… No! Texts. Like… about how much he liked my dress and asking what I was wearing underneath… stuff like that,” Felicity whispered, ignoring the embarrassed blush on her cheeks. She wasn’t exactly used to sharing so many details about her private life but Sara had been her friend for years and the geographical distance had actually created a certain kind of ease in that aspect. Not to mention, Sara’s own laid-back attitude also invited confidence.  

“He’s trying to build up the heat. Smooth. That’s what I would do too.” 

“Not helping.”

“Sorry,” Sara hissed as she turned her straw around the ice in her glass. “OK. You have to hit back. And hard.” 

“How?” 

“Twist his actions. Let him know you see right through him. It should destabilize him that you don’t try to outdo him.” 

Felicity hummed, narrowing her eyes in concentration. “You mean some kind of innocent pay back that lets him know I’m fully aware of his little game yet won’t play it the way he wants to?” 

“Exactly. His goal, right now, is to make you outdo him. He probably hopes you'll wear some of his favorite clothes and lingerie, so he can tease you with that, which then will make you flirt, which then will probably end up with hot limo sex.” 

“So I need to find something else to get my point across,” Felicity nodded as she patted her chin with a finger. “I think I have an idea.”

 

 

***

 

 

“So, how are you holding up?” Tommy asked with a smirk as he sat on the chair opposite Oliver. 

“Good.”

“And was I right?” 

“Yup,” Oliver grinned as he remembered the way Felicity had all but eaten him up with her eyes during their last two meetings. 

It was day five of their sex strike, a strike he was very confident would end that night. He had worn her favorite suits to each and every single one of their meetings, rolling up the sleeves just the way she liked as soon as it was possible, sending her teasing texts, throwing her heated glances and, generally speaking, making sure to get his message across. His bed was open and he was willing. Very willing. 

“Was she wearing red?” 

“Nope,” Oliver frowned. That had surprised him. After his little stunt with the dark grey suit, the one with the vest, he was damn sure she was going to reciprocate with a red dress. But she hadn’t, picking more neutral colors - but still form-fitting and showing off her glorious butt. 

“And the contract?” 

“It’s going well, actually. Our attorneys are quite pleased for now, and it seems very promising. Our first forecast predicts a major money saving.” 

“So everything…” Tommy started, only to trail off when a knock on the open door interrupted them. 

“Oliver? I have a delivery for you,” Oliver’s assistant said as she carried a small parcel inside his office. 

Oliver raised his eyebrows in surprise before getting up from the couch to take the small box from Debbie’s hands. 

“Security scanned it since it has no sender identification, but if you want someone else to open it, I can call-” 

“No, no. That won’t be necessary,” Oliver mumbled as he put the box down on his desk. “Just… can you close the door when you leave, Debbie?” 

“Sure.”

Tommy stood up as well with a concerned look on his face. “Are you sure you shouldn’t get someone else to check it out? It’s unusual to get…” 

“No,” Oliver shook his head as he opened the drawer to pick up a pair of scissors. “Believe me, our security is tight. If it was anything even remotely suspicious, I would have been informed right away.” 

With a wince, he cut through the tape that was holding both lids of the box closed and tore open the rest. 

“Is it safe?” Tommy asked from several feet behind him. 

Oliver snorted as he picked up a folded note that was resting on top of a paper-covered package. “I’m still alive, right?” 

 

**Seeing your desperate -and pointless- attempts, I gathered you were in dire need of some stress relief.**

**Enjoy.**

**~ Felicity ~**

**PS: Feel free to share with the doofus you chose as partner in crime.**

 

“What the…” he mumbled before getting rid of the paper. He stopped, his mouth dropping open once he saw what was underneath it. 

“Are those… are those Playboy magazines?!” Tommy squeaked as he rushed to Oliver’s side. “Wait a second, what's-”

Oliver closed his eyes, slowly shaking his head as a smile crept up on his lips despite his best efforts. “Glasses.” 

“Hum… what?” 

Oliver opened his eyes, finding Tommy already browsing through a magazine. “Who did this? All these doodles on their faces?” 

“It’s not doodles,” Oliver explained. “She drew glasses over their faces.” 

“But… why?” Tommy all but whined, frantically turning the pages in an obvious attempt to find a decent picture.

“Because I once told her that... hum… the Russian edition of Playboy didn’t have blonde girls with glasses, so it wasn’t my cup of tea,” Oliver smiled as he checked the rest of the magazines. Indeed, in all of them, Felicity had added a pair of glasses on each model. 

At least now he knew why she hadn’t doubled down on him. She had been preparing a coup. 

“Oh my God, she also put stickers on some of the girls’ titties! Oh hell no! You don’t put stickers on titties, Ollie! Never! That’s… blasphemy!” 

“It’s Felicity, what did you expect?” 

“Some respect for Mother Nature, that’s what I was expecting!” 

“Most of these breasts are fake, you know that, right?” 

“Don’t.” 

“Tommy…” 

“Oliver, don’t,” Tommy warned, holding out a hand. 

“You’re almost thirty years old, I think it’s time.” 

“No. Never. All these beauties have natural boobs. Period.” 

Oliver rolled his eyes as Tommy picked up Felicity’s note. “Aww… she thought of me!” 

“Is it the partner in crime or the doofus that sold her out?” 

“Doofus,” Tommy replied with a grin. “It’s almost a term of endearment coming from her.” 

“Pretty sure Sara told her you were in.” 

“Still. It’s the thought that counts!” 

“Why do you even care… you just said it was blasphemy.” 

“Because she just declared war and made an enemy out of me,” Tommy answered with glee, vigorously tapping on his back. “Dude… we can’t let her win, tell me you agree. We have to stand up for all the titties of the free world. They're counting on us.” 

Oliver tilted his head. On the one hand, she had only responded to his own behavior, in a very typical Felicity way: by catching him off guard. On the other… she was obviously poking the bear on purpose and he didn’t like to back down from a challenge. 

A slow, wicked smile grew on his lips as he turned to face his best friend. “What do you suggest?” 

“I suggest we pull the big guns.” 

“Meaning…?”

“Meaning we bring Mama Smoak into the fold.”

 

 

 

 

Oliver took a sharp breath when Felicity walked into the restaurant.

 _Damn it, woman._  

For some reason, she had kept the same attitude concerning her wardrobe. Not a single time had she worn red. But that wasn’t to say he hadn’t been tortured just as well. They were in their second week of negotiations, and their second week of sex strike. Which meant he was on edge and every single interaction with Felicity had only worsened what was bound to turn into the worst case of blue balls in human history. Both of them equally stubborn, they had pretended to be dealing just fine with the situation when they had met for dinner on Saturday night - before driving back to their respective apartments after a heated make-out session in the parking lot that had been stopped by a security guard. The only plus side was that they had been working so much that they were hoping to finalize the draft of the contract today, and the signing could happen in the next few days, which meant his days of torture were slowly but surely reaching their end. 

It wasn’t just the sex he was missing but also, actually mostly if he was honest, sleeping in the same bed and being able to kiss her anytime he wanted to. Now that they were mostly living in their respective places again, only meeting for work or dates during the weekend, he missed her terribly. But he couldn’t deny their little game was also extremely entertaining and he was also almost ready to admit that they had managed to avoid any kind of tension between the two of them regarding their work. 

Now if only his crotch could get the message that it was mostly a game, that would avoid a very awkward situation. 

With a small shake of his head, he glared at her as she approached him with an innocent look on her face, as if the plum dress she was wearing didn’t have a slit up her thigh that had him dying to feel with his hand. 

Or lips. 

Or tongue. 

By the time she reached their table, she was sporting a knowing little smirk - as if the extra sway of her hips hadn’t been enough to show she was fully aware of her effect on him. 

“Sorry if I’m late,” she said as she sat down next to him. 

“No, no, you’re just in time,” Salia, one of their attorneys, reassured her. 

“I suggest we dive straight in,” Oliver’s financial advisor, Juan, started as soon as they gave their orders. “I think it’s no secret that things have been going smoothly. We only need to fix a few details and have one last check up. Do we still agree on the numbers? PT bringing in 70% of the capital needed, QC offering a full team of their engineers?” 

“I’m sorry, and we’ve talked about this, but seeing as we agreed to provide so much in terms of capital, a team of eight seems a little short to me,” Felicity said with a slight shake of her head. “We bring the cash, you bring your expertise and right now eight people doesn’t seem enough compared to our part.” 

Oliver nodded, knowing this would have caused an issue at some point. “Would a team of eight to start, with another employee added every two months be more… satisfying for you?” 

Felicity narrowed her eyes at his choice of words but maintained her professional smile. “Well… That depends on your limit? I assume you have a maximum workforce you’re willing to put on the table?” 

“Yes. We can go up to thirteen eventually.” 

Felicity shared a look with her head of HR who nodded. “That seems more acceptable. We still want to run the project within Palmer Tech’s walls.” 

Oliver shook his head, this time not willing to compromise, but Juan beat him up to it. 

“Miss Smoak, I understand, and you have a good point about the modernity of your infrastructures, but you can’t compete with decades of expertise stocked inside our own facilities.” 

Felicity bit her lower lip. “I don’t like the idea of shouldering so much responsibility in terms of finances and not have the opportunity to keep a close eye on this.” 

“Our department is in a separate building, and not that far from Palmer Tech,” Salia said. “I suggested to Mister Queen, and he agreed, that we could make an office for you there, so you would be able to work there as well.” 

“If we can agree that when we have to use PT’s technology, the tests have to be held inside our building, that could work for us,” Felicity agreed. “I worry about confidentiality and the stability of our prototypes.” 

“That seems reasonable. I’m good with that,” Oliver nodded before taking a sip of water. 

“We still agree that the profits will have to be cut in a 70/30 percentage, like the initial investment?” 

“Yes. But I hold firm on Palmer Tech getting an extra share when the profits go beyond the expected numbers.” 

“Our projections are usually realistic, so I’m not sure it will go beyond that,” Juan said gently. 

“Then it shouldn’t be an issue to add that clause, I guess?” Felicity grinned innocently. 

“This will have to be discussed with Walter and probably the board,” Oliver intervened. 

“Better discuss it fast because I want it written in black and white, Mister Queen.” 

“I seem to remember you like to add special clauses, Miss Smoak.” 

“I hope you also remember I’m not afraid to use them when necessary.” 

Oliver smiled as they playfully stared at each other. Felicity had a gleeful look on her face and he forced himself to keep a poker expression as he thought about the delivery that should arrive in her office any day now. 

“Hum… the food is here,” someone on his right coughed awkwardly, almost startling him. Felicity blushed lightly as they forced their gazes away, and he almost smirked when he saw the heat in her eyes. She was struggling just as much as he was. 

Discreetly, Oliver’s hand reached over her leg, brushing against the skin of her thigh for the smallest second before pulling away. He heard her little gasp and saw from the corner of his eyes the way she suddenly stiffened on her chair, knowing without a doubt she would make him pay. 

Which was totally the reason why he had done it in the first place, after all. 

Felicity turned her head to glare at him but he kept his eyes focused on the plate that had been put in front of him, noticing the way she was grabbing her glass of cold water as if she was trying to keep herself from throwing it at him. 

“So, Mister Queen, when do you plan on presenting the offer to your board?” One of Felicity’s attorneys, an older man with a distinctively Irish accent asked him. 

“If we do wrap up everything today, my team should come up with a draft within the next two days. That gives us plenty of time before the signing itself. Although I’ve kept them updated and so far there is very little that will really need their…” Oliver froze with a small hiss before coughing to clear his throat. “Sorry, too much pepper,” he apologized before continuing, “as I was saying, there is very little that will need their approval anyway. But Juan is the one who has been presenting the technicalities to them so he can confirm himself.” 

As Juan started to explain how they had made sure to walk hand in hand with the board as to avoid any last minute misadventure, Oliver discreetly lowered his hand and grabbed Felicity’s wrist, letting out a tiny sigh of relief when her ice-cold hand left his crotch. 

“Just wanted to help with the blue balls,” she leaned in to murmur unapologetically. 

Oliver had to gulp down half his own glass of water to get over the fact that his girlfriend, the same one who had started the sex-strike for the sake of avoiding any conflict of interests, had all but grabbed his balls in the middle of a business meeting. He was certain there was a deep meaning in there but wisely chose the self-preservation approach and didn’t try to tease her any more during their meal, fearing for his ability to father children in the future. 

 

Once their dinner was over, everybody left apart from Oliver who went to pay the bill. He was actually surprised to find that Felicity was still in the restaurant, near the entrance and obviously finishing a conversation on her phone. 

He waited patiently, his hands in his pockets until she hung up. 

“Sorry. They tried to reach me all night just so I would approve of a vegan menu in our cafeteria,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “Like I’d say no or it would need the approval of the CEO within the hour.” 

Oliver smiled as he held the door open for her. “Do we have time for a drink? It’s still early.” 

“It’s… Wednesday, Oliver,” Felicity answered, eyeing him with suspicion. “We only go on dates during the weekend.” 

He shrugged. “I know.” 

She looked at him for a few seconds, her face softening. “Yeah… I’d like that.” 

With a wink, he walked her to his car then held the door open. “I don’t see your car?” 

“I came in a cab and was about to call one.” 

“I’ll drive you home afterwards, then.” 

“I noticed you only had one glass of wine. I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist their red wine.” 

Oliver smiled at her as he started the car. “Things have been going great, right?” 

“Yes. Everyone is actually surprised it’s going so smoothly.” 

“We do know each other quite well, it makes things much easier.” 

“And you can’t deny that separating our private lives from the equation only sped things up as well.” 

Oliver groaned but couldn’t deny there was some truth in her words. Putting their full, sole focus on their jobs, not having to worry about the impact on their relationship because both were being completely separated, had helped, no question. 

But he hadn’t really enjoyed it. 

“That doesn’t mean I like not seeing you everyday,” Felicity added quietly. “But I feel like it’s a necessary sacrifice. It helps me know I’m not mixing things up or being influenced one way or another.” 

“I know, baby,” Oliver reassured her, picking up her hand to drop a kiss on her knuckles. “I just miss you. A lot.” 

“I miss you too,” she grinned, resting her head back on the seat. “And don’t think there won’t be hell to pay for your choice of wardrobe when all is said and done, by the way.” 

“As if you don’t give back just as hard,” Oliver chuckled, letting his hand rest on her bare thigh. 

“But you started it.” 

“Just wanted to spice things up,” he winked at her as he parked the car. “I like that I can do that with you.”

 

 

***

 

“Oh now he’s **really** started it!” Felicity fumed, trying to ignore Daniela’s hiccups. 

“I can’t believe he’d send you that,” her assistant said as she wiped the tears off her face. “I mean, I know you sent him Playboy magazines, but this… this is taking it to a whole other level. I mean… have you seen the size of that thing?” 

“I think even the people of Krypton can see the size of that thing!” 

“Do you think he actually knew because… I admire a man whose masculinity is strong enough that he doesn’t feel threatened by a… it must be at least fifteen inches?” 

Felicity breathed slowly through her nose, releasing just as slowly through her mouth, her eyes unable to leave the gigantic dildo in front of her. It was probably as long as her forearm, bright purple with a hint of glitter, and a suction cup was attached to the base right underneath some very realistic looking testicles. “What the hell am I supposed to do with that?” 

“Well…” 

“I mean figuratively speaking, Daniela,” Felicity added, rolling her eyes. 

“Oh. I guess it could make a decent toilet paper holder?” 

“I don’t know where you get your toilet paper but mine would never be able to squeeze itself on… nevermind.” 

“Bracelet holder maybe?” 

Felicity glared at her. 

“Just trying to help. Although you’re right, with this girth, it would work better for necklaces. You could stick it to your bathroom’s mirror,” Daniela added with a barely hidden smile. “What does the note say?” 

Felicity shook her head, remembering there was a note attached to her… present. Unfolding the small piece of paper, she saw it was printed, confirming that maybe Oliver hadn’t seen the sex toy before picking it. 

 

**To deal with your own frustrations.**

**Oliver.**

**PS: Until you get the real thing again, obviously.**

 

“Oh my God, please tell me he didn’t see that thing before sending it to you,” Daniela gasped. “If he really wants you to play with it, I mean. Because, wow.” 

“He’s so going to pay for that.” 

“Oh, yes! He has to! What do we do? Send him strippers? Male, of course.” 

“No. Too subtle.” 

“Too… subtle? OK…” 

Grabbing the box, Felicity picked up her purse then walked to the door. “I’m taking an hour.” 

“You sure one hour is gonna be enough? I mean I’d need at least one hour of warming up before-” 

“Daniela.” 

“Nevermind,” her friend laughed. “I’ll hold your calls don’t worry. What are you going to do?” 

“Teach him a lesson he won't forget any time soon.”

 

Felicity took a deep breath as she parked in front of QC’s building, the giant sex toy safely hidden in a totebag. 

Their negotiations had been going great, and she had been involved in a little teasing game with Oliver ever since the start of their sex strike. This time, though, it was the tie-breaker. And there was no way she was going to lose this game.

 

 

 

***

 

 

“Seeing as both companies now have new leadership, the younger generation, I think it would be good to maybe skip the usual galas and such. At least for this year.” 

Oliver nodded as he shared a look with Tommy. He saw his friend closing off, but he also knew that Denis was right. As head of public relations, he always had good advice and his suggestion made a lot of sense. 

“Publicly, I understand why it’s better to not showcase the bonds between Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated,” Tommy eventually said. “But I don’t want to bail out on you either, Luke.” 

“Same for me. We’ve had a partnership for years now, and even if I understand that being discreet is better for everyone involved, Queen Consolidated still wants to honor that.” 

Luke Donaldson, one of Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated’s common clients, smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. And I agree with all of you. We’ve had this partnership going for years now, no need to promote it, but also no need to cancel it. I know what happened put both of your companies in a bad situation, but I’m a businessman first and foremost and our best interest right now is to continue with you two.” 

“There are just a few adjustments we should make, then,” Denis said. 

Oliver listened as the discussion turned into more specific details concerning budget and finances, making a few notes every now and then. He heard a door closing rather violently not too far away, followed by the fast, steady clicking of heels on the marbled floor and instinctively, he recognized the sound. 

He had heard it so many times when Felicity used to work for him that it was engraved on his brain. 

That pace was the sound of a seriously pissed-off Felicity Smoak. His eyes went past the men facing him in the conference room by his office, staring at the wall of glass where he saw her pass and the pen he was holding fell from his hand when he recognized a very, very familiar dress. 

The grey one with the yellow squares on her hips. That dress had been his kryptonite when she had worked for him and he had lost count of the number of times he had day-dreamed about bending her over his desk when she had worn it. 

Luckily, he and Tommy were the only ones able to see her, the rest of their little group having their backs to her, because she was wearing a hard, stubborn expression on her face that let him now he was probably in trouble. 

“What the hell is she…” Tommy whispered in shock, forcing Oliver to tear his eyes away from her ass to her hand as she briefly turned to face him and waved at him with a… 

“Holy fuck,” Tommy murmured. 

Oliver’s mouth dropped when he saw Felicity’s smug expression as she raised her hand, waving at him innocently with the biggest fake penis he had ever seen in his life. She didn’t linger, and by the time the rest of the men around him had turned around to see what was holding his attention she was already out of sight, making him and Tommy sigh in relief, about two seconds before a loud bang was heard from his office. 

“What was that?” Luke asked, interrupting Denis. 

“Pipes,” Tommy replied, completely non-plussed. “There have been a few issues with Oliver’s pipes lately. They need a good pumping.”  

“You should get a plumber, this sounded like a big issue.” 

“Pretty big, yep,” Tommy nodded with a small shudder before leaning in to whisper in his ear. “Tell me you don’t have a coffee maker in your office.” 

“Fuck,” Oliver swore, already making a mental note to order a new one. 

“You’re lucky she probably won’t go at it on your computer, by the way. Your ass, though, I’m not that sure.” 

“Very helpful.” 

“Anytime.”

 He saw Felicity walking back to the door of his office, the door closing much more quietly now and he shared another glance with Tommy as his guest stood up. 

“Just in time,” Tommy breathed. 

“Oliver, Tommy, we’ll be in touch but everything seems in order for me. You’ll probably deal with my son, I’m getting a bit too old for all that paperwork and he’s been itching to send me into retirement,” Luke said with a small laugh as he grabbed his walking stick. Oliver and Tommy rushed ahead of him, both to make sure Felicity wasn’t waiting for them with her personal baseball bat. 

Oliver stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he walked out of the conference room, Tommy bumping into him. 

“Humpf. What are you... holy mother of God.” 

Oliver turned around swiftly, making a barrier with his body as he put a professional smile on his lips, Tommy doing the same right next to him in a desperate attempt to hide the dildo now standing proudly right in the middle of his desk for all to see. 

“Have a safe flight back home,” Oliver said distractedly as he shook Luke’s hand. 

“I live just outside of Starling, son.” 

“I meant ride. Sorry,” Oliver mumbled as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. 

 _God damn it, Felicity._  

Oliver and Tommy followed the three men until they were at the door of his office, awkwardly keeping the desk from their views as best as they could. 

“Jesus Christ, that thing is huge,” Tommy said as they eventually walked to his desk. 

“Yeah, I noticed,” Oliver snapped. “Take it down, now.” 

“What?” Tommy squealed. “It’s your desk!” 

“It was **your** bright idea!” Oliver hissed, pointing at the dildo. 

“It’s **your** crazy ass girlfriend who stuck it in the middle of your desk like a fucking trophy from the Academy Awards!” 

“What happened to the “she made an enemy out of me and now I’m in this war” speech you gave me?” 

“Listen, dude, I have a rule. I do not put my hand on a dick that’s not mine and my skin tone is a delicate caucasian with a hint of olive, not bright purple with glitter in case you never noticed!” 

Oliver glared at him, crossing his arms on his chest. “I probably won’t get laid for another six months, don’t you think I’m already punished enough as it is?” 

Tommy sighed, lifting his hands in the air. “Fine. Rock, paper, scissors?” 

Oliver rolled his eyes then shuffled a hand in his back, waiting for Tommy to do the same. “Three games?” 

“Yup. One, two, three.” 

“Shit,” Oliver cursed when Tommy made the scissors movement to cut through his paper. He then used the rock against Tommy’s scissors, knowing his best friend always had the habit to repeat his pattern whenever he won. 

“Damn,” Tommy hissed as Oliver used the scissors against his paper. He put his hands on his hips, looking at the giant dildo. “OK… well… OK.” 

With a deep breath, he reached out before hesitating, his hand hovering as he obviously didn’t know how to grab it. 

“Tommy, just grab the thing.” 

“Easy for you to say,” Tommy snapped before finally wrapping his hand in the middle of the plastic penis and pulling it towards him. “Oh God. I can’t even wrap my whole hand… Damn it,” he grunted when the suction cup resisted his efforts. His eyes bulging, he gripped the dildo tighter, pulling on it firmly but all they heard was the faintest squeak as the cup slipped about a millimeter on the glass surface. “Please tell me she didn’t glue the thing.” 

Oliver paled, gulping as he tried to remember if Felicity was holding something else when she had walked past them. Unfortunately he had been too hypnotized by her ass, then too horrified by the dildo to pay much attention. “I don’t think she would go that far?” he eventually said in a small voice. 

Tommy paused in his efforts to stare at him in disbelief, one hand resting on his hip, the other one distractedly covering the tip of the plastic phallus as he leaned against it like it was a walking stick. “You think the girl who just stormed into your office to stick a sixteen inch purple dildo on your desk while you were with a client in the next room wouldn’t go **that** far?!” 

“She wouldn’t want to ruin my desk,” Oliver replied sheepishly. They both had fond memories of his desk and he knew very well she had hopes they might one day continue some of the activities they had started on it a few years ago. 

“Again, we’re still talking about Felicity Smoak, the girl who went all MMA on an innocent coffee maker? **That** girl wouldn’t want to ruin your desk? I’d say it’s a fucking miracle she didn’t booby trap your entire office!” 

Oliver folded his lips behind his teeth, unable to find a counter argument as he observed Tommy whose fist was now squeezing the tip as he leaned against it. “Hum… it kinda looks like you’re giving it a handjob.” 

Tommy stared at him, confused for about a second before his eyes drifted south to the way his right hand was indeed firmly wrapped around the bulbous head, his thumb nervously tapping it. “Oh Jesus,” he breathed before jumping a foot backwards. “Why couldn’t your girlfriend be more normal and send you strippers as retaliation instead? It was the next logical step! Male strippers or drag queens!” 

“Because she has an IQ of 170? Because the reason why she is my girlfriend in the first place is that she always manages to see right through me even when we’re just bickering? Because this is Felicity Smoak we’re talking about? Or maybe because she decided to teach us a lesson? Or-” 

“Yeah, yeah… I got it,” Tommy mumbled. “170, really?” 

“Yeah, really.” 

“Damn. You should have told me. I thought we had a chance.” 

“I figured you learned from that time in Vegas. You remember your bachelorette party?” 

Tommy glared at him. “Yes. I still get texts for my birthday from the maid of honor. And the bride sends me home-made cookies for Christmas,” he added with a little smile. “They’re really good actually, she makes them with peanut butter and-” 

“Tommy.” 

“Right. Sorry. You know since we’re talking about serious stuff, are you sure you want kids? With her, I mean? Because… and I’m just saying but a teenager with a brain like hers and your own behavior back then…” he trailed off with a whistle. “Don’t feel obligated to name me godfather, now that I think of it.” 

This time, it was Oliver who glared at him. 

Tommy had the decency to appear sheepish, mumbling. “Anyway, sorry buddy but you’re gonna have to help me there. That thing won’t bulge.” 

Oliver tilted his head at the pun. “Please tell me you didn’t-” 

“No I didn’t make that pun on purpose, and it’s killing me when I think about it.” 

With a sigh, Oliver held the base of the fake penis firmly in his hand, letting Tommy handle the upper part since he seemed comfortable with it. “On three. One, two and three.” 

Gritting his teeth, Oliver pulled, his eyes widening at the unexpected resistance but after a second, the tension suddenly let go and they both stumbled backwards a few steps as it finally broke free with a weird ripping sound. 

“Jesus Christ,” Tommy breathed, leaning heavily on his knees. “These suction cups are no joke.” 

Oliver groaned, throwing the sex toy on the desk when he saw that said suction cup was still firmly in place, the fake testicles as well. They had torn the dildo in two, ending up with the shaft, the balls and suction cup still stuck to his desk. 

“Son, I think I forgot my pen. It’s a gift from my wife and she’ll make me sleep on the couch if I lose it.” 

Oliver closed his eyes, his head dropping in defeat when he heard Luke’s voice as he walked through the door, heading straight to the conference room. He just had the time to throw the dildo at Tommy, who was closer to the trash can, just as Luke walked back inside the office. Tommy’s face turned into pure panic as he twirled around, trying to look for a place to hide it, ending up awkwardly holding it behind his back as he shifted on his feet. 

“Is this a Robert Doisneau?” Luke asked as he pointed towards a photograph behind Oliver’s desk. 

“Hum? Yes, yes it is,” Oliver said hesitantly. “It was in my father’s office.” 

“That’s why it was so familiar. One of my favorite photographers,” Luke nodded as he approached the frame. “Lovely, really. If you ever consider selling it, please let me know. My wife would love it.” 

“I… I don’t think I will but if I change my mind, I won’t hesitate,” Oliver answered while trying to point to the trash can to Tommy when he saw the tip of the dildo pointing from behind his back. 

“And what is that?” Luke asked in confusion as he pointed to the fake testicles, tapping them with his walking stick. “My eyesight is very good from afar, but… not that great up close,” he mumbled under his breath as he searched into his inside pocket before taking out his glasses case. 

“My doorknocker,” a clear voice answered him from Oliver’s office door. 

Tilting his head, he glared at his girlfriend who made her way to them in a proud, satisfied little strut. 

 _I am **so** spanking her ass._  

“Or at least it will be by tonight. I even plan on getting two of them,” Felicity added sweetly, her eyes travelling from Oliver to Tommy. 

Luke hummed, using two fingers to bounce the rubber socket against the suction cup. “It doesn’t seem very efficient, I’m afraid.” 

“Oh don’t worry, this is only a prototype for the design. I plan on covering it with metal. Hot, liquid metal.” 

“Why, yes, that would work better. The suction cup underneath is a good idea, I have to admit, especially if you don’t want to drill a hole.” 

“Isn’t it?” Felicity all but beamed. “And I really don’t think I’ll be in the mood for any hole to be drilled at my place **any time soon** , ” she added with a threatening glance at Oliver. 

 _Damn_. 

“Anyway, my driver is probably waiting for me,” Luke said with one last smile as he walked out of the office, leaving Oliver and Felicity glaring at each other. 

“Well… I’ll just go too,” Tommy said quietly as he tried to take a step forward and past Felicity. 

“Not so fast, mister,” Felicity stopped him. “I know you’re in this just as much as my dimwit of a boyfriend.” 

Oliver winced. “Technically, you started-” 

Felicity held out a finger in front of his face, her eyes shooting daggers. “Don’t you dare.” 

Oliver snapped his mouth close, knowing that he had been the one who had kick-started the whole thing this time. 

“I really think you two should talk it out or fuck it out, whichever you prefer-” 

“You called my mom, didn’t you?” Felicity slowly directed her eyes at Tommy, obviously intending on scolding them both. 

“I… I… I mean…” Tommy stuttered as he stepped back behind Oliver. “No… yes… how…” 

“I recognized the package. It’s from the same company she always orders stuff from for me. And the color either screams Donna Smoak or Tommy Merlyn, definitely not Oliver Queen.” 

“You put stickers on titties!” Tommy blurted out. “It’s your fault, I would have never-” 

“Ugh!” Felicity groaned as she walked past Oliver, grabbed the dildo that Tommy, for some reason, was still holding and slammed it on his arm as he raised it in self defense. 

“What the fuck?!” 

“My fault? **My** fault?! **You** sent me a giant fake penis at work! My assistant saw it! One of my executives caught the tip of it when I-” 

Tommy snorted, straightening at her verbal faux-pas. “Just the tip? Your executives lack ambition, Miss Felicity.” 

 _Oh, dude… no._  

Felicity froze, her nostrils shaking with outrage before she swang the fake phallus and slapped Tommy’s lower back with it. 

“Owww! Jesus Christ woman, are you PMSing?!” Tommy asked as he tried to cover from her by circling the desk. 

Oliver mentally face-palmed. It would be a miracle if Felicity didn’t- 

“I’m going to show you PMSing by shoving this up your-” 

 _Yup. Totally saw that one coming._  

Oliver shook his head as he bit back a smile then grabbed Felicity by the waist to lift her off the floor and put his own body as a shield between his girlfriend and his best friend just as Tommy was about to duck under the desk. 

“I think he got it, baby,” he murmured as he repressed his laugh. 

Felicity looked at him, and he saw her rage was already fading away, probably satisfied by the vision of Tommy Merlyn all but running for his life. Understanding she mostly wanted to teach Tommy a lesson, he released her with a small smile. She threw the dildo in the trash can as Tommy was standing up and straightening his clothes. 

“I… I’m sorry, Miss Felicity. I promise I will never suggest to send you a sex toy at work ever again.” 

“And?”

“And I won’t ask for your mom’s help in the future either.” 

“And?” 

“And… hum… not say you’re PMSing whenever you feel like assaulting me?” 

Felicity crossed her arms on her chest, throwing him a glare that made Oliver want to cower under the desk himself. 

“I meant… not say you’re PMSing when you are justifiably mad with me,” Tommy corrected. 

“Better,” Felicity nodded in approval. 

“And to my defense I didn’t know it would be that massive,” Oliver coughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I… didn’t even know they made them so big to be honest.” 

Felicity smirked as she slowly turned to him. “You could have asked me, I would have told you.” 

“Felicity…” 

“Oliver… you wanted to play. I only humored you,” she said with a small shrug before patting his cheek and turning around. “I should also thank you for reminding me I do have several possibilities to deal with my frustrations at home. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go buy some batteries to last me another couple of weeks.” She stopped as she reached the door, turning around to face him with a saccharine smile. “At least.” 

Oliver watched her as she walked away, feeling something close to despair when he realized she was wearing a dress that had occupied most of his fantasies for months and he was unable to do anything about it without running the risk of really having his balls end up as Felicity’s doorknocker. 

“You know… I think she won this round,” Tommy said quietly as he sat down on the corner of Oliver's desk. 

Slowly tearing his eyes away from the door where Felicity had just disappeared, Oliver turned his head to face him. “You **think**?” 

Tommy nodded. “Pretty sure, yeah.”

 

 

***

 

 

With a proud, satisfied little smile, Felicity stepped inside the elevator and beamed at a QC employee she recognized from their engineering team. 

“Ground floor?” he asked her, his hand hovering over the control panel. 

“Yes, thank you.” 

Before the doors could close, a hand blocked them then pushed one back to reveal Oliver standing there with the shadow of a wolfish smile playing on his lips. He cocked his head to the side, looking at her intently before glancing at the other man in the small space. 

“Weston,” he acknowledged curtly as he stepped inside the elevator as well. 

“Mister Queen.” 

Felicity moved silently against the back wall, giving room to Oliver as he joined her, letting Weston face the doors by himself. 

“Will I ever win against you, Miss Smoak?” Oliver asked calmly just as the doors started to close again. 

“I strongly doubt it, Mister Queen,” Felicity answered just as calmly, glancing at him. His eyes were fixed on the small digital panel above the doors indicating the floors. 

The lopsided grin on his face brought a smile on hers as well, and the rush of their little banter, combined with the glorious exhilaration of knowing she had won that particular round, built up her confidence. “At least until you manage to get to your beloved number five, obviously,” she added in a slow, calculating tone, watching him from the corner of her eyes as he let out a small, soundless chuckle and licked his lips, nodding his head. 

Weston glanced at them, smiling awkwardly as his eyes darted between the two of them. 

“Interesting new piece of art in your office, I must say, Mister Queen,” she continued innocently as the elevator stopped again to let another woman in. 

“Isn’t it? Suggestion of my best friend. It was supposed to be a gift but apparently it didn’t… fit the expectations.” 

“I assume whoever you had intended it for has very… high standards in that department then.” 

“I sure hope so,” Oliver answered in a low, warm voice that made her insides tingle, the elevator seemingly getting smaller by the second. It didn’t matter that there were two other people with them who were giving them curious glances. It didn’t matter that to them she was Felicity Smoak, CEO of Palmer Tech probably visiting their boss for a serious, multi-million dollar contract. It didn’t matter one bit because her breathing was shortening, her body reacting to Oliver’s proximity as if on auto-pilot, sending short messages to her brain such as “climb him”, “pull on his tie” and “kick everyone out”. 

Biting her lips, she closed her eyes in an effort to refrain from doing exactly that and a few other things, barely noticing they were slowing and stopping. 

The sound of the doors closing again finally made her open her eyes and she blinked when she saw they were alone. Turning her head, she saw Oliver was staring at her intently, his eyes traveling up and down her body until their gazes met. 

Electricity sparked inside the closed, tiny space. The heat in Oliver’s look made her body temperature rise and she automatically took a step backwards, desperately hanging onto her sanity - or whatever was left of it. 

“You drive me crazy,” Oliver breathed as he took a step forward, pushed against a button on the panel that stopped the elevator abruptly.

“Oliver, there’s a camera,” Felicity said weakly, her eyes drifting to the corner of the elevator. 

He didn’t look away from her, his arm merely reaching out to grab the small electronic device and tearing it off its socket. “Not anymore.” 

Her mouth opened in surprise, her small breathy gasp echoing loudly around them. 

Oliver threw the useless camera on the floor, resting his hand on the wall as he stood a good foot away from her, tall, strong and devilishly handsome. He didn’t need to make a move, letting her call the shots and the way he was looking at her, with such a deep hunger, made something snap deep inside her. She dropped her purse then took the two steps separating them, her hand gripping his tie firmly, pulling his face to hers until they lips were brushing, their breaths mingling. The tip of her tongue peeked out and she touched his lips, earning a deep strangled groan from him as his eyes instinctively closed for a second before she was roughly pushed against the back wall, Oliver’s hands in her hair and tilting her head. His lips were on hers less than a heartbeat later and her moan was loud and clear when their tongues met in a battle for domination. She let go of his tie, preferring to pull on his hair as his hand travelled south, roughly palming her thigh then the cheek of her ass. The proof of his desire was pressing against her stomach, hot, hard, and she bit his lower lip when he pulled her flush against his strong body. 

“I want you so bad,” he murmured against her lips. “This is driving me nuts.” 

“Are you saying you can’t take it any longer?” she asked, panting when he moved to her jaw and her neck, the stubble on his chin making her shiver as he peppered kisses all over her sensitive skin. 

Oliver froze against her as he slowly raised his head. “And lose the bet?” 

Felicity let out a breathless laugh as she dug her nails into his scalp, watching the goosebumps erupting on his throat. “You just seem awfully… tense.” 

“And you seem awfully hungry yourself,” he smirked as he dropped his gaze to her chest where, evidently, her nipples were struggling against the fabric of her clothes. “Anything you’d like to admit, Miss Smoak?” 

Felicity licked her lips, straightening in Oliver’s arms and putting a few inches between them. “No. Not particularly,” she answered with a much calmer voice than she had thought she could manage. Leaning, she picked up her purse and pressed on a button on the panel, putting the elevator back in motion. 

“Damn it, Felicity,” Oliver cursed, shifting on his feet as he tried to rearrange his pants to cover what was a very impressive erection. 

The doors opened and with one last innocent smile, she stepped out, only to be stopped by his arm on her elbow. She didn’t even have the time to turn around that Oliver leaned in to whisper in her ear. “When that contract is signed, I’ll be inside you within the next ten minutes.” 

She stumbled as she walked out of the elevator, feeling a telltale blush invading her cheeks when she realized there was a group of at least five people waiting. Oliver walked past her, his hand brushing her butt not so innocently as she battled with the strap of her purse, her heart beating wildly. 

She saw him again just as she was about to walk to the main entrance, barely a minute later. He was talking with an employee as she passed by him, but he caught her eyes and mouthed “ten minutes.” 

Unwilling to let him have the last word, she cocked an eyebrow then made sure to add an extra sway to her hips as she walked past him. When she reached the entrance door, she turned her face to cast one last look at him and couldn’t help the deep, intense feeling of pure feminine satisfaction when she caught him gaping at her backside, the poor girl by his side trying to get his attention back. 

_Smoak 3, Queen 1._

 

 

***

 

“Oh, great, you finally remember I exist,” Tommy welcomed him, snickering, when he walked back in his office. 

Oliver paused, having, indeed, forgotten that he had all but abandoned his best friend to rush after Felicity. 

“And wow, you either had some crazy monkey sex in the elevator or she just chopped off your balls with her stiletto and force-fed them to you.” 

Oliver groaned as he loosened his tie and dropped on the couch. 

“I take it option number two is closer to reality?” Tommy asked with a wince. 

“That woman will be the death of me.” 

His friend snorted as he picked up the newspaper on the coffee table. “Dude, she’s been the death of you ever since you met her.” 

Oliver dropped his head against the backrest, chuckling. “Yeah she has.” 

“And he likes it,” Tommy said with a huge sigh. “One could wonder if you’re not slightly masochistic, Oliver.” 

“One day, you might meet a woman who hits back and believe me… it’s fucking amazing.” 

Tommy pursed his lips in a very sceptical way. “If you say so. I’d rather one who fucks me back but to each their own.” 

Oliver threw a cushion at him before stretching his arms on the backrest. 

Tommy observed him quietly, his eyes narrowed. “You really like it, don’t you? This whole fighting stuff?” 

“Yeah,” Oliver grinned goofly. “She gets that fire in her eyes and I can literally see her brain working to find a way to get back at me and even though I **know** she’s gonna hit back... she still manages to catch me off guard.” 

“Even if there has been no action for little Ollie in what, two weeks?” 

Oliver grimaced at the reminder. “Yeah, that part is less fun. But… it’s good for us to put our jobs first. At least temporarily. And whenever we’re together, together, work isn’t mentioned at all. We managed to find a balance and neither of us has to cave in or compromise because we made a clear separation.” 

“Also, you know that the sex is going to be explosive in the end, right?” Tommy smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Oh yes,” Oliver answered dreamily. First, they’d have to take the edge off, which meant they’d probably still be half-dressed. Then he planned an entire night of messing the sheets. Then- 

“And… I mean… you’re not tempted to…” 

“To what?” Oliver asked with a frown, realizing Tommy’s tone had shifted to serious. 

“Well… women have been throwing inviting looks at you everywhere we go. I’m not saying you should or could do anything,” he rushed to say, lifting his hands in defense before Oliver could say anything. “But… I don’t know. The thought never crosses your mind?”

Oliver blinked. “No. Never. I love her. I… I can honestly say I don’t even see those other women you’re talking about because I didn’t notice anything.” 

“It’s just…” Tommy sighed. “I see it, you know. The way you look at Felicity and it’s fucking obvious that you’re totally gone for her. Sometimes I just wonder how it is though. Like are you not straying because it would be wrong, or because you don’t even think about it.” 

“Both, honestly. I obviously don’t even think about it,” Oliver explained, understanding that for Tommy, the whole being in love was quite a novelty. He couldn’t exactly judge him since, before Felicity, he had been exactly that way too. “But even when I stop and… think about it, like right now because my best friend is asking me to, it seems so wrong. The idea of being with someone else? No… just… no. It’s unfathomable to me. What I have with Felicity is something I have never found with anybody else and I think we can both agree that I have had my fair share of girls in the past. I’m not going to waste it. It’s too precious. She’s the one. What we have is… it’s something I know I’ll never find again. And honestly… dude, nothing I’ve ever known even comes close to what we have, in every single aspect if you know what I mean. My thoughts are just so full of her, there is no room for another woman, it's as simple as that. She is the only one I want. I’m really not the same man I used to be.” 

Tommy smiled. “I can see it. It’s just… sometimes it’s weird to realize how much you have changed in that aspect yet still remain mostly the same in others.” 

Oliver smiled, nodding. “I know. The thing is… the way I was… I don’t even know how to explain but it just felt like this was how it was supposed to be in a way. Girls, booze, fun, money. And they all let me get away with it, you know. I never once had a girlfriend who broke up with me because of how I treated her. And I’m not saying it’s their fault if I was a jerk, not at all. But I guess it just… reinforced that feeling that this was how relationships were. Deep down, I knew you don’t cheat on your significant other, I wasn’t an idiot. I just never thought I would once be with someone who would make me feel the way Felicity does. It matters to her, the way I treat her, the way I respect her. Actually it’s all that matters to her. I know, without a doubt, that she’d be with me no matter what my name was, no matter how much there is in my bank account. I never really had that, you know. Like… it’s the two of us, in every way. It’s not a facade, it’s not for the sake of respectable appearances, it’s not a matter of having the same person on my arm in society. I’m with her for a gazillion reasons, and they all have to do with us, not with the rest of the world.” 

“I’m really happy for you, you know. Just… curious sometimes.” 

“I know,” Oliver chuckled. “Who knows, maybe you’ll understand first-hand one day.” 

“Me? Nah. I’m a ladies man, you know it. Always have been. Always will be. Not to mention, with you out of the picture, ladies need me.” 

“I do have a hard time picturing you settling down,” Oliver admitted with a nod. “If you ever do, though, I really hope it will be with someone who makes you half as happy as Felicity makes me.” 

“I’d rather you hoped she didn’t call for sex strikes. By the way, do you think I can add being dick-slapped to the list of my homosexual experiences? Chicks dig it when guys are sexually open.” 

A knock on the door interrupted them before Oliver could reply and they both watched as Debbie walked in, her arms full of files. 

“I have all the documents you needed, Oliver,” she said with a smile. “I also checked that budget, it’s at the bottom of the pile.” 

“Amazing, thank you,” he grinned. "There is a red file on my desk, could you take it to Walter’s office, please?” 

“Sure. I’m leaving at one today, do you need anything else done?” 

“No, thank you,” Oliver yawned then froze halfway, his mouth still wide open. Tommy raised his eyebrows in surprise, then his face turned into an expression of horror as well and they both stared at each other, not daring to make a move. Tommy’s horrified eyes confirmed what Oliver had feared: the plastic balls were still stuck on his desk. 

The very same desk his assistant was walking to. 

“Hum,” Debbie coughed a second later. “Oliver?” 

Oliver closed his eyes, slumping down on the couch as Tommy cowardly hid behind the newspaper. 

“Yes?”

 “I’m really not sure what you put in the trash can belongs there. I doubt it’s considered suitable for recycling,” Debbie answered, the smile obvious in her voice. “Also… Use a knife or a letter opened, slip it underneath the suction cup, it will let air pass and it will get unstuck in the blink of an eye.” 

“Oh my God,” Oliver mumbled, hiding behind his hands. “Debbie, I’m so sorry. This is absolutely not what it looks like.” 

This time, Debbie’s laugh was loud and frank. “I know. I might have witnessed Miss Smoak make her entrance. And exit, actually.” 

Groaning, Oliver lowered his hands, meeting his assistant’s eyes as she picked up the file she was supposed to bring to Walter’s office. 

“I mean, I obviously don’t know the backstory but I can recognize a woman on a mission when I see one,” Debbie continued as she started to walk out. “I’m starting to understand why you took the habit of bringing coffee to your assistants and not the other way around, though. I guess it was survival 101 because I definitely wouldn’t do anything to piss her off either.” 

Tommy laughed as she closed the door behind her. “You really know how to pick your assistants.” 

“Shut up.”

 

 

 

“This was, without a doubt, the smoothest partnership I’ve ever had the pleasure to supervise,”  Oliver’s attorney commented as he pointed where he was supposed to sign. 

“Likewise,” one of Felicity’s advisors said with a beaming smile. “Such a pleasure to work with the both of you. I can’t believe it barely took us a few weeks to settle everything.” 

Oliver nodded, signing the last page of the large stack of documents before handing them to Walter to do the same. 

Once Walter was done, Felicity was passed the papers and Oliver leaned back against his chair, watching the sun play in her hair. It was late afternoon and finally, finally, the contract was being signed. Palmer Tech and Queen Consolidated were officially partners in what would hopefully be a revolutionary step in terms of medical discovery. Time would tell but Oliver had great hopes and after spending so many days analyzing everything, he was more enthusiastic than ever. There were amazing possibilities and he knew, without a doubt, that if things went as planned, this partnership could lead to one of the most ambitious innovations of the twenty-first century. QC’s expertise and knowledge, combined with the innovative technology of Palmer Tech could literally change thousands, if not millions of people’s lives. 

Once Felicity put down the pen, Oliver caught her eyes and he smirked, raising an eyebrow, making a show to look at the big clock on the side of the conference room they were currently in. 

A small blush invaded Felicity’s cheeks as he mouthed “ten” and she stood up, holding the edge of the table for support before shaking hands with Walter. Oliver watched, leaning on an elbow, his index finger lightly tapping his chin as she got caught up in a conversation. Her eyes drifted to him and the clock a few times and a slow smirk spread on his lips when he saw the nervousness taking over her body. 

After five minutes, he slowly stood up, buttoning his jacket and tilting his head when she looked at him like a deer caught in headlights. 

“I have to come,” she blurted out to Walter when she saw him approaching. “Sorry, no, I mean I have to **go**. I have a… a video conference and…” 

“Of course,” Walter said right away. “We’ll celebrate tomorrow with the rest of the teams.” 

“Yes! The dinner, of course!” Felicity said as she pushed a chair out of her way and sneaked a glance to her watch. “Hum… I’ll leave you with Lincoln while I… I go… do my thing with my webcam.” 

“I hope all this extra work wasn’t too much of a burden for her,” Walter said as she hurried out of the room. “She did seem to handle everything just fine but I don’t forget she also shouldered her responsibilities as CEO at the same time.” 

“Don’t worry. I believe she just realized the clock was ticking,” Oliver reassured him. “Speaking of which, I have to go as well.” 

With a few quick goodbyes, he left the conference room, turning right as soon as he walked out and heading straight to Felicity’s office. The hallway was empty and he knew her assistants were probably done with their day seeing as it was past five. His steps fast, he pushed through a door, uncaring of the loud bang it made when it hit the wall, too focused on how his girlfriend, whom he hadn’t touched in almost three weeks, was just a mere feet away from him. 

He stopped dead in his track when he heard the voice of a man right as he was about to burst through her closed door. 

 _You have got to be fucking kidding me._  

He raised his fist, about to hammer it against the innocent door then paused, breathing heavily through his nose. A few calming breaths later and he was stepping towards Daniela’s desk and sitting on the edge of it, willing himself to wait patiently for whoever had dared to cockblock him to get the fuck out. 

The door opened barely a minute later and a young, tall black man came out, pushing his glasses up his nose. “I honestly can’t wait. I’d rather keep my office, of course, but I never say no to observing other people working and as long as I can keep doing my research here-” 

“Yes, Curtis. As I said… you’ll keep your office, equipment, everything,” Felicity explained patiently. “And I’m sure we’ll have the opportunity to discuss this longer tomorrow during our dinner. Remember both teams will be there.” 

“Yes! Great! Oh, hi, Mister Queen.” 

Oliver nodded curtly, gritting his teeth. 

“Hum… I didn’t know you had an appointment, Miss Smoak. Especially since Mister Queen is-” 

Oliver raised his eyes, glaring at him. 

“You know what? Nevermind. Thank you for your time,” Curtis shook his head with a sheepish smile before walking backwards as if he didn’t dare to lose sight of Oliver, who stood up to move next to Felicity. With one last awkward wave, Curtis disappeared from their sight but they didn’t move until they heard the ping of the elevator confirming he was gone. 

Then all hell broke loose. 

Felicity grabbed his jacket and pushed him inside her office, letting him kick the door closed just as their lips met furiously. He guided her towards her desk, and he didn’t even look before pushing whatever was on it out of the way.

“My keyboard,” Felicity moaned into his mouth, her arms circling his neck. 

“I’ll get you a new one,” he panted, lifting her to sit her up on the desk. “Thank God you’re wearing a flowy skirt.” 

“I knew you’d appreciate it,” she breathed as his hand sneaked underneath the fabric. 

He groaned when he felt the garter belt underneath his fingertips, and he stepped between her thighs to press himself against her. “Honey… this is gonna be quick.” 

“Yes. Please, yes.” 

“No more sex strikes,” he said against her lips as he buried his hand in her hair while Felicity started to unbuckle his belt. 

“No.” 

“Never.” 

“Well maybe when we-” 

“Never.” 

“I was going to say there might be some good reasons in the future,” Felicity finished nonetheless, her lips trailing down his jaw to nibble on his ear. "I fully plan on making sure to spice up our life every now and then."

 _Our life._  

He stiffened in her arms, a sudden warm feeling spreading in his chest, slightly taming the intense lust boiling in his veins. He forced himself to pull away from her, fighting against himself when she whimpered and tried to chase another kiss but he held strong, cradling her face between his hands as he waited for her eyes to meet his. 

“I love you.”

Felicity smiled, holding onto his wrists. “Do you think you could also love me… biblically?” 

“What I have in mind has very little to do with what is considered biblical.” 

“Even better.” 

One hand on her ass, he pulled her until she was sitting on the edge of the desk, then slipped his fingers underneath the hem of her panties, stifling a groan when he felt how aroused she already was, the wetness on his palm making him even more painfully hard. 

“Felicity, at the risk of repeating myself, it’s been three weeks and-” 

“I know. I know,” she moaned, guiding his mouth back to hers. “I just want you.” 

He battled with his slacks and boxers before lowering them underneath his ass while Felicity pushed his jacket out of the way. 

“Lay down,” he ordered, pushing gently on her chest before taking off his shirt. 

She bit her lips then did as he asked, her legs circling his hips and pulling him to her. 

“Fuck, don’t do that,” he breathed out a laugh when he felt her heels digging into the back of his thighs just as his cock brushed against her panties. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to maintain at least a little bit of control on his body and not completely embarrass himself. 

“Already losing your touch, Mister Queen?” she asked teasingly. 

He smiled, grabbing her thigh and pushing it up higher on his waist before letting his thumb tease the tender bundle of nerves between her legs. 

“You were saying, Miss Smoak?” he asked innocently when she tensed and arched her back into his touch. Her answer was a mix of strangled moans and whimpers as he continued to lazily trace little circles on her heated flesh, his eyes fixed on hers. She blinked then went to take her glasses off but he shook his head. “No. Keep them on.” 

With a luscious smile, she pulled on his arms until his body rested on hers, then pressed on his ass firmly with the palm of her hand. Getting the message, Oliver pushed her underwear to the side, before nudging her entrance with the tip of his cock and pushing in slowly. His breath caught in his throat when he felt her muscles around him, so warm and tight and wet as they welcomed him back. 

The tension at the base of his spine was already tight, weeks of frustration building up his orgasm alarmingly fast as his hips set up a steady rhythm, Felicity’s hands on his back only spurring him on. Burying his face in her neck, he crashed his lips against her throat, hearing her panting breath in his ear, letting it guide him. Her legs around him, holding him close, her nails digging into the muscles of his back, the sounds spilling from her lips… everything was making him lose complete control over himself. Desperately trying to ground himself, he sought her lips, but the rough movements of his hips made their kiss sloppy and messy, which only turned him on even more. 

“Felicity,” he whispered as he grabbed one of her hands and linked their fingers together before putting it down on the table, by her head. 

“Yes… yes,” she moaned loudly, arching her neck as her thighs tightened around his hips. 

Unable to resist, he let his tongue travel up her throat, savoring the taste of her skin before suckling on the flesh. Felicity’s fingers gripped his even tighter, her nails almost piercing his skin and he raised his head just in time to see her mouth drop open as she sucked in a breath before biting her lower lip almost viciously, her eyes rolling. 

He felt her inner muscles almost spasming about a quarter of a second before a long, strangled wail tore from her throat as the orgasm crashed through her body, triggering his own. Unable to hold back, the vision of Felicity falling head first in her climax caused a spark low in his abdomen and he let out a grunt as his own pleasure hit. Wave after wave, he felt the tingles spread from his lower back to the rest of his body, his hips jerking as he stroked the end of his orgasm inside her. 

He crashed onto her, completely boneless and almost dizzy with satisfaction, his breathing loud and ragged while Felicity gently started to lace through his hair. 

The buzzing in his ears eventually faded away and he settled more comfortably on top of her, nestling his face in the crook of her neck. 

“Signing this contract with you was a pleasure,” Felicity eventually said with a smile in her voice. 

He chuckled, keeping his eyes closed. “And to know I didn’t even take one piece of your clothing off.” 

“That takes talent.” 

“Yeah, it-” Oliver stopped mid-sentence when he heard steps outside of Felicity’s door. He was rising up on his arms when the door opened abruptly, Felicity’s assistant’s voice reaching him. 

“Wait, I’m just going to drop this on Felicity’s…” Oliver grimaced, closing his eyes. “... boyfriend’s butt,” Daniela continued in an awed voice while said-Felicity turned into a block of ice underneath him, her eyes wide. 

“I… just… sorry,” he heard about one second before the sound of a closing door reached him. 

“Oh no. Oh my God, oh no. Oh no oh no oh no oh God no,” Felicity chanted, hiding her face behind her hands as he pulled out of her, cleaned her up and straightened his clothes. She was still frozen on her desk when he was done. 

“Hum… hon,” he coughed when he saw she had decided not to move. 

“No. No, no, no. My assistant did **not** just catch me red-handed.” 

“Felicity… it’s… it’s not that bad.” 

That made her lower her hands to glare at him. “Oh, really?”

“Well at least we had the time to finish?” he offered. 

Narrowing her eyes at him, she sat up on the desk. “Oh yeah it would have been so much worse if she had caught us before.” 

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck. “You have to go out and talk to her.” 

“Or I could quit.” 

He tilted his head, resting his hands on his hips. 

“I’m just saying,” she mumbled before climbing down from her desk.

 

 

***

 

 

Felicity took a deep breath before opening the door to her office, trying to ignore the intense heat emanating from her face. This was one of the most embarrassing moments of her life - and she had grown up with Donna Smoak, so that was saying something. 

Daniela was sitting at her desk, facing her computer and Felicity bit her lips nervously as she carefully walked to her, her eyes fixed on the clock on the wall behind her assistant. “Daniela, I’m so… so… so sorry. I… I promise you I always make sure to keep my private life separated from my job. Actually this is the reason why I jumped… I mean this is the reason why you stumbled upon… this scene. Which should have never, ever happened. Believe me, I know that my office wasn’t built for this kind of activity and it won’t happen again. If you want to inform HR, I totally understand and will deal with the consequences of my actions.” 

Twisting her hands, Felicity waited patiently for a reaction. Daniela remaining silent, she risked a glance at her. “Hum… is there anything I could do?” 

Daniela didn’t reply, her eyes still glued to her computer. 

“I just want you to know I thought you were gone. I would have never… never ever if… I had thought… I mean I might have because it’s been three weeks and Oliver gave me a ten minute window so that limited my possibilities but it was exceptional circumstances,” Felicity tried again to explain, her brain coming up with threats of sexual harassment complaints. 

 _Is it sexual harassment if it’s about someone who doesn’t work in the company though? Maybe I should ask my attorney… or not. Maybe I shouldn’t attract anyone’s attention to it._  

“Daniela, please say something. Do… do you need therapy or something?” 

“What a fantastic butt,” her assistant finally breathed, her eyes wide. 

Felicity blinked. “Hum… what?” 

“I knew it, Felicity. From the very first day I saw him waiting for you outside, I knew he’d have the butt to end all butts. I just never thought I’d get to see the real thing. You know... **in the flesh**. Thank you… thank you so much.” 

“So… you’re not… you’re not offended?” 

“Offended? Please. I just feel like I need to go to Church and bathe in holy water for a few hours, that’s all.” 

Felicity winced in shame. “This is the most embarrassing thing, I can’t believe you saw us almost naked.” 

Daniela paused, her eyes finally meeting hers. “I saw Oliver’s bare ass, that’s a far stretch from seeing the both of you almost naked.” 

“You didn’t… I mean, my legs, or…” Felicity trailed off, not brave enough to voice out the rest of her question. 

“Honey, when a woman comes face to face with an ass like that, she wouldn’t even notice Jesus Christ if he was standing in the room.” 

“Oh thank God,” Felicity exhaled, sitting down on a chair in relief. 

“Oh, yes. Thank God indeed.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So to answer your question: Technically, Felicity won. Why? Because Oliver didn't play fair and... to be specific he stalked her to her office so he made that first move. But it's all semantics anyway, because he knows the price leaves no one on the side ;)
> 
> Tommy sported a bruise on his butt for five days after his encounter with Felicity. 
> 
> And yes, this kind of gigantic dildo with a suction cup exists. I saw one on Amazon (but they didn't mention if the purple/glitter color was a possibility and I didn't look much further to be honest XD). 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked this much, much lighter chapter and as always, don't hesitate to tell me your thoughts <3


	44. Sugar, Sugar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> I'm a bit behind on the comments, but I'll get to it this weekend, I promise!! Thank you so much for your feedback, I'm sooooo happy you enjoyed the last chapter as much as I did XD  
> This chapter has quite a bunch of fluff, hence it's title. And it also kick starts a small arc that is going to really wrap up a bunch of storylines...
> 
> Song: Sugar, sugar - the Archies
> 
> Special thanks to Pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda <3<3

**"Sugar, Sugar"**  
  


Sugar, ah honey honey  
You are my candy girl  
And you've got me wanting you  
Honey, ah sugar sugar  
You are my candy girl  
And you've got me wanting you

I just can't believe the loveliness of loving you  
(I just can't believe it's true)  
I just can't believe the one to love this feeling to  
(I just can't believe it's true)

Ah sugar, ah honey honey  
You are my candy girl  
And you've got me wanting you  
Ah honey, ah sugar sugar  
You are my candy girl  
And you've got me wanting you

When I kissed you, girl, I knew how sweet a kiss could be  
(I know how sweet a kiss can be)  
Like the summer sunshine pour your sweetness over me  
(Pour your sweetness over me)

Sugar, pour a little sugar on it honey  
Pour a little sugar on it baby  
I'm gonna make your life so sweet, yeah yeah yeah  
Pour a little sugar on it oh yeah  
Pour a little sugar on it honey  
Pour a little sugar on it baby  
I'm gonna make your life so sweet, yeah yeah yeah  
Pour a little sugar on it honey

Ah sugar, ah honey honey  
You are my candy girl  
And you've got me wanting you  
Oh honey, honey, sugar sugar...  
You are my candy girl...

 

 

 

“Seriously?” 

“What?” Oliver asked with confusion. 

“You asked me to tag along, on a Saturday afternoon, to go Valentine’s day shopping?” 

Oliver shrugged, his eyes turning back to the jewelry display. “I told you we’d go have a drink afterwards, Tommy.” 

“Oh my God, what has become of us,” Tommy sighed, dropping his head. “What happened to no Valentine’s day shopping, only time for flings?” 

Oliver glared at him. “I have seats for the hockey game tonight so I figured you’d rather I take you along over somebody else but if you really don’t want to be seated in the front row, no problem.” 

Tommy raised his hands in defense. “I love shopping for girls.” 

“Sure you do,” Oliver mumbled underneath his breath. 

“So what are we looking for? Engagement ring?”

"You’re worse than Thea, you know that?” 

“We… might have a bet going on.” 

Oliver rolled his eyes, silently counting to five. “No engagement ring, no. Sorry.” 

“Damn. I said you’d pop the question by Valentine’s day.” 

“Tommy, I’ve only been back for about six months.” 

“And I've caught you glancing at Bride magazine at least twice since then. And I know you weren’t checking her rack, it was the cake page.” 

Oliver chuckled. “I won’t lie. I think about it. But no, not now. Felicity is not ready and we don’t have the time right now to focus on planning a wedding. Not to mention… the more I think about it, the more I realize I’m not really ready either. My instinct is to cling to what we have because I’m afraid to lose it but it’s not healthy, and not a good reason to get married in the first place. I have to work on that, first. So, sorry but you’re going to lose your bet.” 

“Nah. Thea said you’d propose by May, so I think we’re both going to lose based on what you just told me.” 

“Is there anybody else involved in that bet?” 

“Yes. Dig. Apparently someone from Felicity’s office. And your mom.” 

Oliver paused, turning to face Tommy. “Hum… excuse me? My mom?” 

“People feel very invested. Moira says you’ll propose by Christmas, and Felicity’s assistant said it will be during your summer vacation.”  

At a loss for words, Oliver stared at his best friend. “... Are you serious?” 

“Yup,” Tommy shrugged. “I think it’s going to be between them because Dig said it won’t be until next year and there’s just no way you’ll be able to wait that long. I’m surprised Felicity isn’t knocked up already, to be honest.” 

“Well, I’m glad all of you seem so involved in my private life,” Oliver said sarcastically. “But just because people are waiting for us to take the next step doesn’t mean it’s going to happen any time soon.” 

Oliver didn’t explain that, even though his relationship with Felicity was nothing short of perfect, he also knew there was a fragility in it and Felicity’s abandonment issues were only slowly starting to be dealt with. No matter how much he wanted to make things official, he knew it was a bad idea to do it while she was still struggling with them. He didn’t want their marriage to be a way to prove he wasn’t leaving. He wanted her to fully accept that before anything else and trust him, 100%, because she should trust their relationship 100% first. They still weren’t quite there yet and it was alright. They had time. Felicity had built up a wall for more than fifteen years and he was more than OK with taking the time to help her bring it down. Marriage wasn’t about fixing things. It was about loving someone enough to accept their flaws, enough to make a commitment that was supposed to last a lifetime. To make that commitment required a deep, unbreakable trust in each other but also in oneself. And you couldn’t build that in just a few months. Not to mention, Oliver was also becoming aware of his own coping mechanism playing a part in his desire to get married, that had him wanting to hold tight onto her in fear of losing her. He was starting to realize maybe he also needed time to let his fear of losing her slowly die.  

“So… bracelet? Necklace?” Tommy nudged him. 

“I was thinking earrings? She loves earrings.” 

“I like those ones,” Tommy said, pointing to a very simple pair. It was a white pearl, hanging at the bottom of a thin gold chain. “It’s classy and the kind of jewel she’ll be able to wear her entire life.” 

Oliver’s eyebrows reached his hairline. 

“What?” Tommy asked defensively. “You asked for my opinion.” 

“I’d like diamonds,” Oliver muttered. He didn’t share that his father had raised him with the concept that diamonds were given to your wife or fiancée, something he had unknowingly followed all his life. 

“May I suggest the drop earrings, then?” a clerk asked from behind them. “We have a beautiful selection.” 

Tommy flashed her a smile. “That you-”

Oliver elbowed him viciously in the ribs. 

“Humpf,” Tommy winced, throwing him a glare. “I meant… Yes, please, thank you.”

 

 

 

Oliver carefully hid the small parcel in the inside pocket of his jacket before opening the door of his apartment. He shrugged his jacket off, hanging it in the closet by the door before making his way to the living room, where he could hear the TV playing in the background. 

“Hi, hon,” Felicity welcomed him with a small distracted glance before focusing again on her task. 

He stopped, watching her as she sat on the floor, a mess of wires and bits and pieces on the coffee table. In the last month, he had lost count of the number of times he had walked back into his apartment - or hers - only to find her in a similar position, whether it was over the coffee table, the dinner table or, in the worst case scenario, over his beloved kitchen counter. 

“... I thought you had promised not to bring any work home anymore?” he asked with resignation before leaning in to press a kiss on her head and sitting down on the couch. 

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s not work!”

Blinking, he stared at the coffee table, waiting for her to clarify.

“Hum… care to explain?” he eventually asked as seconds started to stretch. 

“Mmhh…” she mumbled, her lower lip between her teeth as she started to twist two wires together. “One sec.” 

Oliver waited patiently, wondering if this was what the rest of his life was going to look like. 

“OK, done,” she finally said, grabbing something from underneath the table. 

“... Is that our toaster?” 

“Yup. I forgot to have dinner then got hungry and felt like having some toast.” 

“Let me guess, it wasn’t working?” 

Felicity looked at him sheepishly. “No, it **was** working. I just… I suddenly wondered **how** it was working, and if I couldn’t make it work even **better** , you know what I mean?” 

Oliver blinked, staring at her. “I can honestly say that… no, I don’t know what you mean.” 

“Mom never let me play with our toaster when I was a kid.” 

“Which, believe me, is actually good parenting.” 

Parenting that I hope you’ll share with our own kids, he thought worriedly, his mind filling with pictures of his kitchen on fire because their daughter had wanted to find out if they could improve their microwave. 

Tilting her head, she glared at him. “Anyway… I was bored, my bread was toasted and there was nothing interesting on TV.” 

“So you decided to dismantle it?” 

“Yes,” she grinned, pushing her glasses up her nose before apparently putting everything back where it belonged. “I thought it was a bit slow to reach its peak temperature and I’m pretty sure I fixed that by shortening the length of the wires and replacing them with copper wires. Of course I then had to twist the thermostat a little and-” 

“Where the hell did you find copper wires?” 

“Your hairdryer,” she winced, slowly holding out something that indeed looked like the black hairdryer he had brought from the mansion, even if it was opened in half and almost completely empty, a few small bits and strings hanging limply from its carcass. 

He couldn’t help but chuckle and roll his eyes. “Oh my God, Felicity!” 

“You don’t need it anyway and I have my own!” 

“Is it wrong of me to be glad you’re actually so bored you started dismantling our home appliances?” Oliver asked as he stretched out his legs. 

Felicity laughed, still focused on her task. “What a change compared to the last six months or so, right?” 

“You could say so.” Oliver smiled, thinking about how Felicity was now blossoming in her work, having finally found her balance. The Palmer Tech/Queen Consolidated partnership was also absolutely booming, even if it had only been a few weeks. PT’s nanotechnology had opened a whole new world of possibilities for Queen Consolidated and Felicity was apparently having the time of her life supervising the whole project, bringing prototypes home every now and then. Her own team obviously already knew her well, but it had been a joy to see his own employees slowly but surely fall in love with her as well. He knew they probably were not used to having top executives speak their language and be so hands-on or as enthusiastic and understanding as Felicity was. More often than not, they would directly ask her for advice, approaching him for questions relative to the work force instead, or anything company-related. Naturally, they had both found their own place, each according to their strengths. Felicity was becoming the dreamer, the idealistic brain, inventive and instinctive, while he was the down-to-earth force counterbalancing her. 

And, more often than not, the last line of defense between poor innocent pieces of technology and Felicity’s grabby hands. 

He watched her a few more minutes, marvelling at how normal his life was turning out to be. 

Well, as normal as could be when you were sharing it with a woman like Felicity Smoak, he thought when he saw her grabbing his kitchen blowtorch and a pair of protective glasses. 

“Felicity, my love… I’ve told you a million times. That blowtorch is for crèmes brûlées.” 

“You’re not seeing a crème waiting to be brûléed, are you?” she asked back, adjusting the protective glasses on her eyes. 

With a chuckle, Oliver watched her as she apparently melted two wires together before stuffing them back in the toaster. 

“I also added a special sensor for pastries,” she said once she was done. “They weigh more, so all I had to do was insert springs at the bottom, and when something as heavy as a pop tart is introduced, it automatically activates a lower temperature.” 

“We… never have pop tarts.” 

“It also works for eggo waffles.” 

“Baby, I make waffles, I don’t buy them frozen.” 

Felicity looked at him, pursing her lips and he couldn’t help but laugh. “But I guess it’s good to have that possibility in case we do buy some one day,” he compromised as he grabbed the TV remote in hopes of catching a movie. He wasn’t tired, and judging by the empty cup of coffee by Felicity’s side, she probably wasn’t either. 

He tried to change the channel, frowning when nothing happened. Trying several digits and other buttons, he then shook it. “Come on, the batteries can’t have run out yet, it’s only been a few months.” 

Felicity winced, avoiding his eyes. “Hum… I told you about the springs in the toaster, right?” 

He stared at her, not answering.

_What the hell has she done now?_

“I… used the tiny springs underneath each button,” she whispered sheepishly. “It’s all I could think of.” 

Again, he just glared at her. 

“Think about the pop tarts?” she finally offered, biting her lips. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he breathed before reaching in a basket on the floor where they kept the remotes. He knew Felicity had managed to program one remote control for all the TV equipment, even if he never used it himself. He looked, only seeing the remote for the DVD and the Blue Ray. “Where’s the…” 

He heard Felicity take a deep breath and turned to face her, watching her close her eyes. “In the fridge.”

“In… the fridge?” 

“I was really hoping you wouldn’t notice. You usually never watch TV, Oliver! I would have had plenty of time to replace it!” 

“We’ll talk about how you were trying to sneak an innocent remote control behind my back later and focus on what the hell is it doing in the fridge in the first place?” 

Felicity hung her head in what looked like shame. “You know the chip?” 

“The chip, your chip? Well, our chip?” 

“Yes, that one. You know we are going to have to make sure it works in the human body, so we’ve been trying with a temperature of roughly 100 degrees but I also want to make sure that it wouldn’t be affected by cold temperatures. Obviously the human body would never get as low, but for the sake of our product’s stability, we need to work on that too. Surgery rooms are very cold, for instance, I don’t want the circuits to fail because it would have stayed in a cold environment for too long.” 

“But what does it have to do-” 

“I introduced the chip in the remote because it was the only small device I had with a lot of small wiring and circuits. Obviously it doesn’t work as a human body but, and that’s the great thing about it, technically speaking it works in a similar way. You give an order through a button, it goes to the central circuit then dispatches it and in return it changes the channel or turn the TV on. The human body and nerves work in a similar fashion.” 

Oliver gaped at her. “Oh my God… Felicity I was gone for what… six hours?! And you managed to destroy my hairdryer, turn our toaster into some kind of a robot and sacrifice our second remote control to test something that you could have done, wait scratch that, **should** have done at the office?!” 

Felicity lowered her eyes sheepishly. “I… I was a bit bored.” 

“Should I expect to find myself walking into the Matrix next time I come back home and you’ve been, God forbid, **really** bored?” he asked in resignation, wondering if that would be covered by the security deposit.  

_Maybe we should buy our own place. It’s only a matter of time before she decides to work on the alarm system or, heaven help me, the elevator._

_Oh God, no. Not the elevator._  

“No. Of course not. The Matrix is a virtual reality and… hum… I don’t… don’t have the abilities to create one just in your apartment. Unless… well technically I could set the whole place and we could use those special glasses…” Felicity trailed off when he crossed his arms on his chest and slowly shook his head. “But I won’t. Matrix is a hard limit, I can see that,” she added with a small nod of her head. 

Oliver folded his lips behind his teeth, trying to keep his laugh at bay at the way she was nervously twisting her hands in her lap. Truth be told, he didn’t care about his hairdryer. Or the toaster. Or the remote control. Or even the second remote control. He cared about seeing Felicity happy, and blooming. And she was just so damn adorable at the moment that even if she had burnt down his kitchen, he probably would be too enamoured to complain. 

“I’m sorry, Oliver. I know I shouldn’t have… I mean I know I should have stopped with the chip. But I had all my tools out and… I couldn’t resist. It’s been ages since I last did something with my hands, you know, and God I missed it so much,” she groaned, crawling to rest against his legs, her arm circling his calf as she rested her chin against his knee and gazing up at him with pleading eyes. 

“You could have waited for me. I’d have kept your hands busy,” he taunted her with a lopsided grin. 

“Not… not that way,” she huffed out a laugh as she straightened. “They’ve been plenty busy that way as you know. I just wanted to work on something bigger. Not… oh God, no not physically bigger, but bigger metaphorically speaking. I’m very satisfied with your girth and length but I can’t exactly play with… wait no, I **can** play with it but it doesn’t stimulate… ugh, it **does** stimulate me just not the same way and you can’t deny you’d rather I used your blowtorch on wires rather than on your… You know. Not that I would want to use your blowtorch on… your schmuck although it’s kinda funny that we say **blow** job now that I think of it,” she paused in her rambling with the cutest frown he had ever seen and suddenly, the words were out of his mouth before he could even stop them. 

“Move in with me.” 

“The whole purpose of a blowjob is to suck, not blow, so technically shouldn’t it be a…” she continued until his words finally caught up with her. Her mouth dropped, and she blinked once, twice, her eyes landing on him with a question in them. 

“Please. Move in with me,” he repeated in a soft voice. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while… ever since I got this place to be honest. I know it was too soon then and afterwards there was the partnership and… I know we’ve only been back together for less than six months but-” 

“Yes,” Felicity cut him off, positively beaming. “But are you sure? I just… literally dismantled everything I could think of and you just left me alone for six hours. I might be more maintenance than a puppy when you think about it.” 

Pulling her into his lap, he didn’t bother answering, kissing her hard and deep instead. They were out of breath when he pulled away and he pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. “Do your worst. I don’t care.” 

“But this was just me on a normal lazy Saturday. Can you imagine-” 

“I don’t care,” he repeated gently. “Yeah sometimes it scares me how far and fast you get carried away, I won’t lie. I’m not looking forward to the day I’ll have to explain to our landlord why you turned the elevator into a Tardis but… this,” he said, his arm circling the coffee table, “this is so you, Felicity. I could never hate it or regret it when I get to have you happy and content in my arms every damn night. If having to buy remote controls every couple of weeks is the price to pay, I’ll gladly do it.” 

Felicity chewed on her lower lip for a few more seconds before a smile finally lit up her face. “We’re going to live together.” 

“Yes, we are,” he smiled back just as wide, the warmth in his chest spreading to his entire body when he realized that his last new year’s resolution would come true much sooner than he had hoped it would. 

Her eyes literally sparkling, Felicity leaned in, her hands cradling his face. He was already meeting her halfway for a kiss when she paused suddenly.  

“Is the Tardis elevator **really**  a hard limit as well or…?” 

Oliver tilted his head, looking at her sternly. 

“Just checking.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

“Oh my God, I’m going to die,” Felicity panted, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “Oliver, you said we’d start slow!” 

“This **is** slow,” he chuckled, jogging backwards to face her. “We’ve only done half a mile.” 

“Wh… only half a mile?!” she whined, resting her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. 

“And barely,” Oliver nodded. “Now, come on. It will be worse if you stop abruptly. Better slow down first and then stretch out.” 

“Could we try bicycling next week?” she asked as she started to slowly run along his side. 

“Nope.” 

“But-” 

“I can’t see your ass if you’re sitting on a bike, honey,” he cocked an eyebrow at her before slowing down so she could be a few steps ahead. “Damn… these yoga pants are perfect.” 

She huffed out a laugh but was too out of breath to argue. 

It was Sunday and she had finally decided to work on her new year’s resolution. She had bought a few cute outfits and had spent the entire week walking in her running shoes to break them in, as Oliver had advised. It was cold outside, since it was the middle of February, but it was dry and the air was clean and crisp in the wooded park Oliver had picked. 

“Come on, finish this lap then you can walk, how about that?” Oliver asked her. 

She raised her thumb up, nodding as she set her eyes on the small bench where they had started their run. Oliver had made them jog around a large pond, saying the field was more level, therefore would be easier for a beginner. 

Seeing how her calves were burning in protest, she was thankful he hadn’t picked a path in the woods. 

“Nope, nope, nope,” he laughed when she went to crumble on the bench, the sounds escaping her embarrassingly similar to those of a dying whale. 

“Oliver,” she moaned as he held her up by her waist, her body weirdly bent with her feet firmly on the ground and her hands grazing the back of the bench. 

“You have to stretch, Felicity,” he chuckled as he pulled her upwards again. He showed her a few exercises then allowed her to sit down as he took hold of her foot and straightened her leg, pushing it upwards then doing the same with the other one while she sat like an overcooked noodle. 

“I know you didn’t run nearly enough,” she eventually said after gulping down half her bottle of water. 

“It’s OK. I liked doing it with you,” he smiled softly, stroking the naked skin of her leg between the end of her yoga pants and her sock. “You’re actually very entertaining.” 

“Ugh,” she waved him off, too tired to take offense. “You can keep running. I can walk if I get bored?” she offered nonetheless, feeling the burn in her lungs fading. 

“You sure you don’t mind?” 

“Oliver, I’m going to get a hot and sweaty boyfriend in the end, so no I don’t mind one bit.” 

He leaned in to press a quick peck on her lips and then he was gone, his strides long and graceful. She watched him, slowly sipping from her water as he ran lap after lap, his face a mask of concentration, and she got slightly aroused when she realized it was a little bit similar to how he looked when they were having sex. Focused, heavy breathing, flushed cheeks… His whole body taut and firm and sweaty... The only thing that managed to break her gazing and internal drooling was when a woman, probably only a year or two older than she was, used the bench to stretch her legs before sitting down as well. 

“Nice view, right?” she said with a small smile as she watched Oliver running as well. “He comes here almost every week and sometimes he even takes off his shirt.” 

Felicity pinched her lips. “Oh really? Lucky you.” 

_I saw his naked butt this morning in the mirror above our bed when we had good morning sex._  

“I think he is gay, though. They always are,” the woman sighed deeply. 

“He doesn’t… seem gay,” Felicity said, biting back her smile as she remembered the way he had eaten her out the night before, like she was the last meal he’d ever get. 

“I’ve tried to talk to him. He’s always charming and polite but… nothing. Three of my friends have tried as well and with no result.” 

“Maybe he’s spoken for?” Felicity tried tentatively. 

The woman let out a loud, sparkling laugh before pushing her breasts forward. “Look at these. I can guarantee you that spoken for or not, men always at least look at them.” 

Felicity’s gaze dropped to her own modest breasts and she grimaced before shrugging a shoulder. “Maybe he’s more of an ass guy?” 

The woman stopped with her bottle of water midway to her mouth. “Oh. You might be onto something.” 

“Just a thought,” Felicity added innocently, grinning when Oliver started to approach and slow his pace. 

“Oh, maybe today is my lucky day…” the woman whispered as she straightened on the bench but before Felicity could say anything, Oliver was bending down and grabbing her by the waist before standing up with her hanging from his shoulder. 

“Oliver!” she screeched as he started to walk away. Upside down, she just had the time to see the look of surprise on the woman’s face when Oliver’s hand landed roughly on her butt. 

“Well, girl… I told you he was an ass man,” Felicity chuckled to herself. 

“What?” Oliver asked as he started to walk back to his car. 

“Nothing.”

 

 

 

 

“Oliver I’m still half dressed,” Felicity giggled against his lips as he pushed her inside the shower stall. A second later, she was squealing, loudly, when ice cold water started to pour down on her. 

“It’s going to warm up real fast,” Oliver mumbled as he pulled her T-shirt up, forcing her to raise her arms to be freed of the fabric. Her brand new sports bra followed suit, as well as her panties that Oliver sent flying across the room before closing the stall door. 

“We still haven’t had shower sex,” he murmured as he started nibbling on the skin between her neck and her ear. 

“Unforgivable, I agree,” she moaned, her hand reaching for his hair to press him tighter against her. 

His mouth laving on her neck, he palmed her breast, his thumb circling the hard little nipple and she let out a small laugh, realizing her small breasts were actually perfect for Oliver’s palms. There wasn’t an inch of flesh that wasn’t covered and taken care of by him. 

The water was now deliciously warm and thanks to Oliver’s fancy shower, there were streams coming from the sides, tickling her ribs. With a small pull on his hair, she forced his head backwards until she could meet his lips, thrusting her tongue inside his mouth as her knee bent and her thigh rose on his, the sole of her foot resting on his calf. 

Hungrily, Oliver chased her tongue with his and she tasted the water that was falling on their lips, her hands roaming his broad chest and feeling the hard muscles playing underneath his damp skin. 

“We… we have a reservation at Table Salt,” she struggled to say just as her fingers flexed and dug into his pecs, completely unable to stop herself. 

Oliver groaned, resting his forehead against the wall behind her and despite what her brain was telling her, her hand moved on its own, sliding down his chest until she found his erection. 

“Not helping, Felicity.” 

She let out a strangled moan in response, biting his bicep as she closed her fist around his length. A quick glance down confirmed he was more than ready, long, hard and the head an angry shade of red. 

“Quickie?” she squeaked as her hand started a long, slow caress from his base to the tip. 

Oliver straightened suddenly, his hand buried in her hair as his mouth claimed hers again. “Fuck, yes,” he breathed in her mouth before his fingers slipped down her stomach, down between her thighs to glide over her heated folds, stroking and teasing her mercilessly. His fingers were wet, warm, making the friction so, so good as he lazily scissored them, massaging the outsides of her clit. 

Felicity let out a small moan when his hand left her, moan that turned into a sharp cry when his fingers were replaced by the water coming from the shower head. “Oh God.” 

Her head fell back with a loud bang against the wall, teeth digging into her lower lip as Oliver expertly guided the water jet exactly where she needed it, keeping the pressure just hard enough. Her hand automatically squeezed him and he hissed in return, pushing his hips further into her fist. 

“Felicity, look at me.” 

She struggled to open her eyes then felt her breath catching in her throat when she saw him, gloriously naked with droplets of water falling down his face, encased by the steam of the shower. His eyes were dark, his jaw locked and his lips a thin line as he stared at her, seemingly gazing into her soul. Reaching out, she had to grab his shoulder to keep her balance, the pleasure between her legs coming in waves. He must have seen something in her eyes because suddenly the blissful shower head was gone and Oliver was grabbing her ass and lifting her. With a startled cry, she wrapped her legs around his hips, her hands tightening on his shoulders, holding tight. She felt him shift between her legs and a second later, he was pushing in, hard and deep, filling her to the hilt in one thrust. 

The position should have been hazardous but Oliver was holding her firmly, the wall at her back steadying her and the way her legs were wide opened was allowing his pelvic bone to press against her clitoris on each thrust. There was nothing she could do in this position, except let Oliver take her where he wanted to, and trust him to take care of her. 

Which worked perfectly for her. 

His hands were digging into the flesh of her ass as he held her steady for his thrusts, their lips brushing in small hungry kisses and swallowing each other’s moans. 

She didn’t know what it was, their slick bodies moving against each other, the way Oliver had been looking at her all morning or the novelty of having shower sex, but the pleasure built up fast, even faster than it usually did with Oliver. The heat started to grow in her lower belly, each stroke of him inside her stoking the fire until her orgasm hit almost out of nowhere, taking her by surprise with its sudden intensity. 

“Oh,” she gasped, her breathing hitching as her fingers gripped Oliver’s hair. She felt Oliver stiffen in her arms and he pressed her even harder against the wall as he thrust once, twice, stopping when he was deep inside her. With a loud, throaty groan, she felt him let go, felt the rush of heat and the jerking of his cock against her clenching walls and she crashed her lips against his cheek to muffle her cries, the knowledge of his pleasure making hers peak. 

Oliver’s breathing was unusually loud as he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes now closed as he savored the last of his orgasm. 

Her arms around his neck, she eventually rested her head against his throat, pressing small kisses in his rough stubble. 

“My legs are shaking,” he finally let out in a small breathless chuckle before gently lowering her to the floor. 

“So are mine,” she grinned before reaching up on her toes to press one small, lingering kiss on his lips. “Happy Valentine’s day.” 

“It’s definitely off to a great start,” Oliver smiled with a wink before grabbing the shower gel.

 

 

***

 

 

 

Their brunch at Table Salt was nothing short of perfect. They were both absolutely famished after their run -not to mention their athletic shower- and she even let Oliver have a few bites of her waffles in exchange of her eating half of his omelet. They hadn’t planned on doing anything special for Valentine’s day and seeing as it was Sunday, Felicity had prefered they skipped a dinner date. When they got back, she buried herself in work, trying to get ahead as much as possible so she and Oliver could, with a bit of luck, go on a little getaway weekend in the next couple of weeks. Oliver had gone to the grocery store, and when he got back, she was already so lost in the blueprints of their newest prototype that she barely paid attention to what he was doing. 

Finally, she stretched out her arms above her head, stifling a yawn. “I rearranged my entire schedule, got ahead on a few reports, so technically, I might be able to take Friday off in two weeks if I keep this up.” 

“Awesome,” Oliver said from the kitchen where he was currently beating eggs as far as she could tell. Standing up, she grabbed her empty coffee cup and brought it to the dishwasher, stopping by the dining table with a smile when she saw the fresh flowers he had bought. She saw he was still wearing his pair of black slacks and a button up shirt and she quickly went to change into something a little more appropriate than her ragged sweatpants and overlarge t-shirt. A little black dress, with the necklace he had gotten her for Christmas, and her hair freshly brushed with a hint of makeup was enough to bring at least a little bit of ceremony to their dinner. 

Valentine’s day had never been her thing, if she was honest, but after missing out on so much with Oliver, she wasn’t about to complain, especially if he was cooking. 

One last stop by her nightstand, she carefully picked up the small box she had hidden there a few days ago. She had bought him cufflinks with his initials, having noticed he only had one pair of them for some reason. Seeing how much she loved him in tuxedos, it was more than fair that she paid attention to those details, after all. 

By the time she was back downstairs, Oliver had set the table and she winced in shame, thinking how she hadn’t helped at all. 

“I don’t mind,” Oliver reassured her with a kiss before handing her a glass of wine. “If that means I get to have you for a three-day weekend within the month, I think I win.” 

“By the way, a little bird told me we might already get the approval from the FDA to take our tests to the next level.” 

“Seriously?” Oliver asked in surprise, a wide grin stretching his lips. 

“Yup. But it’s still unofficial. A former employee of PT works there and told Daniela who of course texted me right away.” 

Oliver raised his glass, clinking it against hers. “I knew teaming up was a good idea, but I honestly didn’t know it was going to get results so fast.” 

“I know,” Felicity squealed. “And also we have Scientific American that heard about our project and asked for an interview. I personally think it’s a little too soon, but I still said I had to talk about it with you.” 

“No, I agree. But maybe set a date with them, or promise them the exclusivity as soon as we’re ready to share our results? It’s always good to have this kind of magazine on your side.” 

“Here comes the former head of marketing,” she smiled as she took a sip of wine. 

“Can’t help it.” 

They sat down to eat the pasta dish Oliver had prepared and tried to decide where they would go on their very first, official romantic getaway. 

“Only three days, but maybe we can leave on Thursday night?” Oliver asked. 

“Mmhmmh,” she nodded, her mouth full. “I think San Francisco could be good? It’s a couple hours by plane.”

“It’s going to be a bit cold, though, you don’t mind?” 

She sighed, putting her glass of wine back on the table. “If only I had a hot boyfriend to keep me warm.” 

Oliver grinned. “Challenge accepted.”

 

 

 

 

 

“This is kinda awkward,” Felicity said with a small grimace. 

“Shhh.” 

“Hum, Oliver, it’s been at least two minutes. And two minutes is a really long time when you’re standing half-naked, being stared at.” 

“I’m not staring, I’m appreciating a masterpiece.” 

She couldn’t help but laugh nervously as she let her eyes travel past him and onto the bed. When they had made it to the bedroom, she had pushed Oliver onto the bed, slowly peeling off her dress for him. His mouth had dropped open before a wide smile had stretched his lips once he had seen she was wearing the red corset she had bought in New York. He had made her turn around, his hand automatically reaching for her butt just as his lips had pressed the softest kisses right underneath the corset, in the small of her back. 

Then he had made her turn around and had been gazing up at her ever since then. 

She felt Oliver’s finger trace the edge of the corset, brushing the top of her breast, then dipping lightly in the valley at the center of her chest and she couldn’t help but lower her eyes at him. He licked his lips before pulling on her hand and making room for her to join him on the bed. She almost said something about shoes in bed but the heat in his eyes made her snap her mouth shut. 

“God, you look perfect,” he breathed in a low, rough voice as he let his eyes travel from her toes to her face, his hand stroking her thigh, rubbing the small patch of skin left naked by the stocking. 

“Why, thank you,” she said in a small voice, her hand covering her eyes when she saw he was back into gazing mode. 

“I’ve been waiting forever to see you in that corset. But… there’s something missing.” 

Felicity frowned, mentally going through her checklist. Corset? Check. Garter belt? Check. Tiny panties? Check. Stockings? Check. Stilettos? Check. 

She felt a small weight on her stomach and she smiled before moving her hand away. Oliver was lying down next to her, leaning on an elbow and watching her with a small, boyish smile. Unable to resist, she ruffled his hair before grabbing the small present. She undid the bow then opened the box, gasping at the pair of diamond drops earrings she found inside. 

“If you don’t like them…” he said nervously, looking at her with hesitation. 

“What? They’re… gorgeous, Oliver,” she quickly denied. 

Oliver let out a relieved smile before raising up. “Try them on.” 

With a smile, she put the first earring on, then the second before picking up the small pocket mirror from her nightstand. She bit her lip when she saw the way the stones were catching the light, incredibly classic and elegant and drop dead gorgeous at the same time. 

“You really have great taste in jewelry,” she said in awe, lightly touching the delicate piece of jewelry with the tip of her finger. 

“I just observe you a lot,” he shrugged. “And I mean that in a totally not creepy way.”

She giggled, lowering the mirror. “I can’t believe you were nervous about this.” 

“I’m sure you can guess but I used to have my assistants pick Valentine’s gifts, so…” he trailed off sheepishly, avoiding her eyes. 

“You’re extremely lucky I was hired a month after Valentine’s day, then.” 

Oliver laughed. “I don’t even dare to think of what you would have done if I had asked you to get a present for a girl.” 

“I think it’s better if you never know,” she whispered, before pulling on his arm until he was above her. He smiled softly at her before lowering his head and she decided that knowing this was the first Valentine’s day he actually cared about made the holiday pretty damn special, after all.

 

 

 

With a little sigh, she took off the earrings and put them back in their box before cleaning her face.

“We need to get you something other than a basket to put your stuff,” Oliver said as he finished rinsing his mouth. “Maybe we should also get a small vault in my office for your jewels?” 

“Mmhhmhh,” she nodded, her mouth full of foam. Oliver continued to talk about all the things they were going to need now that there would be two of them living in the apartment permanently and she almost choked on her toothbrush when he asked her if she needed a special place for her lady stuff in the downstairs bathroom as well. 

“I… I don’t know, I’ve never lived with a girlfriend before,” he mumbled sheepishly when she stared at him with wide eyes. 

Rolling her eyes, she rinsed her mouth. “Thank you for your concern, but I should handle it fine using this bathroom.” 

“I don’t mind adding a small cabinet or something, you know.” 

“Are you offering to go furniture shopping with me again?” she asked cheekily. 

“I know you have a heavy schedule so I wouldn’t ask that of you, of course.” 

With a smile, she walked out of the bathroom, letting him switch off the lights. 

“Is your appointment with your attorney tomorrow?” she asked as they both slipped underneath the sheets. 

Oliver nodded, shifting to face her. “Yes. They say the trial might happen in the next couple of months and they just want to make sure I’m ready to be called to testify and things like that.” 

“Seeing as you’re the last person to have talked to Malcolm Merlyn, it makes sense.” 

“Yeah but… seeing as I’m also the son of someone currently in jail, the DA might just ignore me. Which would be my preference, honestly.” 

Felicity grimaced, reaching out to stroke his cheek. “Yeah, I get it. The less you’re asked to testify, the better.” 

Oliver turned his head, pressing a kiss in the palm of her hand. “We’ll see how it goes though. Whatever happens…” 

“We’ll deal with it,” Felicity finished for him. “Is Thea still coming back this week?” 

“Yup. She wants us to go out for dinner at Big Belly Burger. She’s apparently sick and tired of Shake Shack. And she also said “about time” when I told her you were moving in.” 

“So did Dig,” Felicity frowned before laughing. “We’re gonna live together, Oliver. A year ago I was… and now we’re going to live together.” 

“Yep,” he smiled at her, his eyes crinkling with happiness. He suddenly let go of her hand and rolled onto his back, reaching for his night stand. He shoved a file at her, followed by a pen, and finally a brand new set of keys. 

“Hum… Oliver, I already have a key.” 

“You have a spare key. This is the real deal. With the key for the mailbox and the back entrance and all that jazz.” 

“And…” she trailed off, opening the file. 

“I want your name on the lease too.” 

Felicity frowned. “Damn. We need to discuss rent and stuff. Oh wow. Do we need a shared bank account? Should one of us pay the rent, the other the utility bills and the groceries and stuff? Oh wait, the rent for this place probably costs much more than everything else put together. We could either do half and half or one month out of two?” 

“I wasn’t expecting you to pay rent, Felicity.” 

She raised her eyebrows at him. “Do you want my name on that lease?” 

“Yeah but-” 

“Then I’m paying the rent too.” 

Oliver opened his mouth to argue but must have sensed the odds for a round two would drastically diminish if he continued because he snapped it shut. 

She smiled, patting his cheek before leaning in to press her lips against his, the two of them smiling into the kiss. 

She was going to live with Oliver. His apartment would become theirs, the place where they’d wake up everyday and go to sleep every night. The place where they’d create new memories and take yet another step in their lives. And she understood why Oliver had waited. He was right, she wouldn’t have been ready three or four months ago. Then Palmer Tech had fallen in her lap, and then the partnership and their lives had been at their fullest. But now? Now, everything was falling into place. They were insanely in love, in a good place in their lives and she was ready to let go of her first home, ready to embrace their next step.

And knowing how Oliver had waited for her, understanding without words that she had needed a little more time, made her love him even more.

 

 

 

***

 

 

“Oliver, Mister Steel asked you to go to his office as soon as possible,” Debbie welcomed him nervously as soon as he stepped out of the elevator after his appointment with his attorney. 

“Did he mention why?” he frowned, searching his memory to see if he had missed a meeting. 

“No but his secretary seemed slightly… on edge?” 

With a nod, he turned around, a bad feeling growing in his gut. He took the stairs, knowing it would be faster than the elevator anyway. Barely a minute later, he was breezing past Walter’s secretary who looked relieved to see him, barely nodding that he could walk through the door. 

“Oliver, good.” Walter stood up, walking to him and guiding him towards the small conference room by his office. 

“What’s going on?” 

“Marisol was preparing our taxes, which you know we usually start doing early in the year.” 

“Yes, and?” 

“There is more than one million dollars missing,” Marisol, their head of finance, said. 

“What?” Oliver breathed, sitting down. 

“We are trying to look into it as discreetly as possible at the moment, because it’s absolutely not the right time for this kind of attention. Things were barely starting to calm down and QC was just getting back on track, thanks to our new partnership… it’s just yet another thing that is going to weaken us if it ever comes out, I’m afraid,” Walter sighed. 

“Can we keep this private?” Oliver asked, his fingers drumming on the table. 

“Well… if we can find one million dollars to fill the gap… we might be able to but…” 

“OK. Hum… is there a possibility it was an honest mistake?” 

“I doubt it,” Marisol said with a grimace. “I took the time to double-check and I found that a small amount of money was disappearing every day. It didn’t raise any flags because the amounts were too small. I strongly suspect it’s a computer worm or a Trojan horse because it happened every single day for almost an entire year, including Sundays and holidays.” 

“Money can’t disappear without leaving a trace, though. Where does it end up?” 

“A private account in the Caymans.” 

“So it is embezzlement, then,” Oliver said for confirmation. 

“It really, really looks like it, yes. Unfortunately, you know the Caymans’ rules. I don’t have the name of whoever that account belongs to. Even with a warrant, I doubt we’d get it. Unless one of you knows someone who works for the bank itself, I doubt we’ll be able to find out discreetly.” 

“I… might know someone who could find that information,” Oliver said slowly. “But… under the radar. We could only use the information on the inside, of course.” 

“I am mostly worried that whoever has been stealing from us is still working here,” Marisol said in a lower voice. “Or has accomplices.” 

“Do you think it’s possible to contain this? Even if we have to fire people?”

Walter nodded. “Yes. NDA can also be used in this kind of situation but that means they wouldn’t be sued.” 

“What do you think? Which way should we go? Take the risk of a public scandal or allow thieves to get off scot-free?” 

“I don’t think this is a situation where we can win, either way. But QC’s image needs to be protected as much as we can, that’s for sure.” 

“Alright, then.” Oliver stood up with a small nod. “I’ll be in touch with you as soon as… I get new intel from my friend in the Caymans, then. Let me know if you find anything else and please, Marisol, be as discreet as possible.” 

“Of course, Oliver. Don’t worry I will personally look into it with my most trusted employees. I know we’re walking a fine line.” 

Oliver rushed back to his own floor, his mind reeling. Of course, things had been going way too smoothly. He should have expected the other shoe to drop. He was completely aware that they were on the edge of a situation that could potentially be the final hit that would bring the company to the ground. Walter had publicly and officially announced he was resigning in sixty days, which had already caused a little wave of shock, even though they had made sure the transition had been smooth. Nonetheless, seeing the CEO leaving after having worked for the company for decades was still a huge change. They clearly didn’t need an embezzlement scandal on top of everything else. 

“Debbie, I don’t want to be disturbed, unless it’s a call from Walter or Marisol,” he said as soon as he walked into his assistant's office. 

“Marisol, head of finance Marisol?” Debbie asked in surprise. 

“Yes,” Oliver answered curtly before closing the door behind him and getting his phone out. He quickly speed dialed as he walked to his desk. 

“Yes?” Felicity replied after three rings. 

“Felicity… I need your help.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

“I told you we were right not to get rid of my perfect hacker kit,” Felicity said with a small smile as she sat down at his desk, getting a laptop and a signal scrambler from her messenger bag. 

“In my defense, I wasn’t expecting us having to deal with this kind of situation again,” Oliver muttered as he grabbed another chair to sit by her side. 

“All I have to do is access your financial files, which should be done easily. Then I’ll track the bank account and… shimmy my way into the bank’s files to find the identity of our mysterious thief.” 

“In other words…” 

“A piece of cake, yeah. I’ll be done in time for my lunch,” she replied as she fired up the laptop. 

Oliver huffed out a laugh. “And I suppose I’m expected to bring you said lunch?” 

“Grilled chicken salad and chocolate cake for dessert, please,” Felicity said with a big innocent smile. “Chop, chop.” 

As she was expecting, it barely took her a few minutes to find the information they were looking for. “Awww… dear old Alfred. We meet again.” 

It looked like Alfred had been either preparing his exit or had figured he could also get away with theft while he was head of the board. 

Figuring out his accomplice took a little bit more time and whoever had used that computer worm might have been good, but not as good as her. The name of the guy was oddly familiar, and she remembered he was working in IT back when she was still Oliver’s assistant. 

“So?” Oliver asked as he walked back in his office, carrying two paper bags. 

“The account definitely belongs to Alfred. Actually, no, not to him, but to some kind of fictional company based in the Caymans that apparently belongs to him. I also found the employee who helped him set it up. Ryan Kingsley, IT department.” 

Oliver paused as he started to unload his bags. “Wow. Hum… do you mind waiting here while I go tell Walter? I got you breadsticks.” 

“Oh, if you got me breadsticks, then by all means, go tell him,” Felicity grinned. “Just so you know, seeing as it took you so long, I already found that Ryan resigned the week after Alfred was arrested. I take it he got cold feet and panicked.” 

“That makes things actually easier,” Oliver frowned. “If I replace the money, no one has to know.” 

“I froze the worm, by the way. I don’t want to leave any trails so I couldn’t destroy it, but I confused it by making it think it had already stolen money for the next seven days. It should give plenty of time to your IT department to find it and get rid of it.” 

“Always two steps ahead,” Oliver smiled as he booped her nose with his index finger. 

She smiled. “I told Daniela we had to discuss something urgently, by the way. If people wonder why I was here, just tell them you had to inform me of something confidential.” 

“That way if somehow people find out about the embezzlement and that you were here, we have a good excuse. I could have told you in order to protect the partnership.” 

“Yup.” 

“Marisol and Walter think I have a contact in the Caymans, anyway.” 

Felicity took a small intake of breath as she battled to open her bottle of water. “We really need to add the Caribbean to our list now that I think of it.” 

“Let’s try to go to San Francisco first,” Oliver said, taking the bottle from her hands and untwisting the cap in about one second. She pursed her lips as he took a long sip of it before handing it back to her with a wink. 

“Let’s hope nothing else falls into our lap, you mean?” 

“Yup.”

 

 

 

 

***

 

_“Our sources are telling us that a massive case of embezzlement is about to hit Queen Consolidated. An employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, confirmed to us that the top executives of the company found out earlier this week that more than a million dollars had been stolen over a period of one year. We tried to reach Queen Consolidated, but they declined to comment.”_  

Oliver sighed, dropping his head in his hands as Felicity shut down the TV. 

“What is going to happen now?” Thea asked in a small voice. 

“We’re going to release an official statement. Walter is handling it with our attorneys right now.” 

“Thankfully you hadn’t replaced the money yet, which could have pointed to you as being guilty or covering for someone,” Felicity murmured. “Any idea where the leak is coming from?” 

“No. Marisol kept the circle as tight as possible and the employees who worked on it were some of our most reliable. I know the ones who took care of the computer worm were also extremely vetted. It could be anyone, or someone who was in our offices when we first found out about the missing money. There’s no point in trying to find the leak now anyway. It would make us look even more suspicious if we focused our energy on finding out a potential mole rather than the culprit,” Oliver said, linking his hands together as he rested his elbows on his knees. “Right now, the best thing we can do is stay mum and wait for our attorney’s instructions. It’s not the end of the world. We were hoping we could cover it up, it doesn’t seem possible… we’ll deal with it. None of us did anything illegal.” 

It was Wednesday night and it seemed to him like weeks had passed since they had found out about the embezzlement, instead of a couple of days. Their IT department had finally found and gotten rid of the computer worm, something that had taken them thirty-six hours while Felicity could have done it in less than one. Truth be told, the head of IT had been asked for the utmost discretion, so it hadn’t helped to speed the process. Oliver had just received confirmation from his financial advisor that they had the money ready to be transferred to fill the gap when Walter had summoned him to his office, stopping everything just in time. The last thing they needed was Oliver being in the spotlight and trying to cover up a crime, even if his reasons had nothing to do with guilt. 

Thea was staying with them for a few days, having being asked to accompany her boss while they were visiting Palmer Tech’s headquarters. At first she had wanted to stay at the mansion, but Oliver knew Walter would spend most of his time at the office. He was currently busy wrapping things up as co-CEO, trying to make sure everything would be in order for Oliver once he left the company. He had already found another position, which didn’t surprise Oliver one bit, and would in two months be in charge of Starling City bank.

After having sworn to her that there would be nothing freaky happening on the kitchen counter - or any other surface unsuitable for such activities - she had arrived a few hours earlier, dropping her bags in her bedroom and raiding Oliver’s fridge like there was no tomorrow. 

“Are you OK?” Felicity asked him as they were in bed later that night. “I mean… really OK and not just reassuring your little sister?” 

Oliver smiled before gathering her in his arms. “I am. I wish we could catch a break, don’t get me wrong but… we always get through everything somehow. As long as I have you, and my sister is in a good place and our employees still have a job… I’m good.” 

 

 

 

 

“Walter,” Oliver answered his phone as he was heading towards his office. 

“I assume you saw the numbers?” 

“Yup,” Oliver winced. The first thing he had done in the morning was check CNBC. Queen Consolidated’s stock had literally plummeted. 

“We have an emergency meeting at eleven. We’re going to try to do some damage control.” 

“If it’s not too late,” Oliver said grimly as he walked into Debbie’s office, hanging up. “Debbie, can you please hold all calls and-” 

“Oliver you have a visitor,” his assistant interrupted him with wide eyes, discreetly pointing towards the open door of his office. 

Oliver frowned, knowing Debbie usually never let anyone in his office while he wasn’t there, and approached her desk. 

“I figured it was better if no one saw… I’m sorry, I wasn’t sure what to do,” she whispered. “I tried to call you but-” 

“No, no, that’s fine,” Oliver interrupted her with a reassuring smile before walking to his own office. 

He stopped abruptly when he saw who was waiting for him on one of the designer chairs. 

“Hello, Oliver. Long time no see.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is... is that a cliffhanger? O_O  
> I almost forgot what they looked like, it's been so long :'( :'(
> 
> As I said in my notes at the beginning, this will kick start a small arc (it will really mostly completely develop in the next chapter, but there will be... ripples? Is that the right word? Anyway... we're going to wrap up some important storylines) that I've had in mind for about a year and a half (I'm a patient girl O_O).  
> Oh and I'm positive you guys have an idea or two about who could be waiting for Oliver in his office? I can honestly see three possibilities... maybe four. You'll get your answer in the next chapter ;)
> 
> xoxo
> 
> PS: congrats to those who had guessed right. Oliver's last resolution *was* for them to live together ;)


	45. Sledgehammer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> This chapter will bring you a bunch of answers to a few questions I saw popping every now and then in the comments and finally takes us to a place I wanted to reach ever since HGW.
> 
> Song: Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, the whipped cream and strawberries on my waffle <3 and to all of you who reach out for your comments and encouragements (... you guys are the cup of tea that goes well with my waffle)

  **"Sledgehammer"**  
  


You could have a steam train  
if you'd just lay down your tracks  
you could have an aeroplane flying  
if you bring your blue sky back

all you do is call me  
I'll be anything you need

you could have a big dipper  
going up and down, all around the bends  
you could have a bumper car, bumping  
this amusement never ends

I want to be your sledgehammer  
why don't you call my name  
oh let me be your sledgehammer  
this will be my testimony  
show me round your fruitcage  
'cos I will be your honey bee  
open up your fruitcage  
where the fruit is as sweet as can be

I want to be your sledgehammer  
why don't you call my name  
you'd better call the sledgehammer  
put your mind at rest  
I'm going to be-the sledgehammer  
this can be my testimony  
I'm your sledgehammer  
let there be no doubt about it

sledge sledge sledgehammer

I've kicked the habit  
shed my skin  
this is the new stuff  
I go dancing in, we go dancing in  
oh won't you show for me  
and I will show for you  
show for me, I will show for you  
yea, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do mean you  
only you  
you've been coming through  
going to build that powerr  
build, build up that power, hey  
I've been feeding the rhythm  
I've been feeding the rhythm  
going to feel that power, build in you  
come on, come on, help me do  
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you  
I've been feeding the rhythm  
I've been feeding the rhythm  
it's what we're doing, doing  
all day and night

 

 

Of course. 

Four years ago, Oliver would have been caught off guard. 

But he had changed. And he wasn’t about to let his opponent play him again. 

“Isabel,” he said calmly. “I wish I could say it’s a good surprise but…” 

“But we’re way past meaningless salutations, aren’t we?” Isabel finished for him with a cold, calculating smile. 

“I believe that happened right around the time when you were asked to empty your office, indeed,” Oliver sighed as he walked to his desk, wordlessly telling her to follow him. “What can I do for you?” 

“I believe a more appropriate question is what can  **I**  do for you?” 

Oliver huffed out a dry laugh as he sat down. “Now that would be a first. Isabel Rochev, selfless philanthropist?” 

“People change, Oliver.” 

Something in her tone made Oliver wary. Her confident, secretive voice let him know she probably had a trick up her sleeve. He merely cocked an eyebrow though, unwilling to give her any indication that her behavior had his instincts on high alert.

“Despite your mother’s pathetic attempts to damage my career, I am now the Vice-President for acquisitions at Stellmoor International.” 

“I might have heard, yes,” Oliver said distractedly. “I do fail to see how that concerns me, though. Unless… is this visit personal? Is it about your…” he trailed off, wondering about her child. His father’s child. He hadn’t thought about it in forever, knowing how messed up the situation was. But he couldn’t deny that knowing he had a half-brother or sister whose mother was borderline hating him and his family, never really sat well with him. But at the end of the day, it wasn’t his choice or responsibility. The only thing he could do was be ready to accept them as best as he could if they ever wanted to get to know him. 

A flicker of pain passed over Isabel’s face before being replaced by a cold, determined anger. “Let’s not pretend like you care, Oliver.” 

“I’m not pretending. But you can’t honestly blame me for not sending you postcards and gifts when you know how we parted ways. Not to mention… I was a little busy for three years in case you didn’t hear.” 

Isabel stared at him coldly. “Don’t worry. No one will come to contest your place as the heir to the throne.” 

Oliver frowned. “I wasn’t worried about that. Unlike you, I don’t consider my job as my reason to live and by the time they’d be old enough, QC will have probably changed drastically anyway. Someone inexperienced, with their sole qualification being that their father used to be CEO decades ago hardly poses a threat.” 

“Your half-brother was stillborn,” Isabel let out in a flat voice. 

Oliver didn’t expect the shockwave he felt at her words. He shouldn’t have felt anything - after all, all he had known about this kid was that Robert was their father. 

But he felt something close to a punch to the gut nonetheless.

“I… I’m sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. “I didn’t know.” 

“Let’s not pretend like it’s not a thorn out of your thorn in your side." 

Oliver narrowed his eyes at her. “I don’t know what you’re implying, but the man who didn’t want anything to do with him was his father. Not me. Don’t direct your anger at me for a situation I had no part in. And seeing as how you’re not here for family reasons, let me repeat myself: what can I do for you?” 

“When you got me fired, I was planning on building my life away from Starling and this company. But by some very odd coincidence, I was sent back here. Queen Consolidated is not in a good spot at the moment.” 

“It’s temporary.” 

“Oliver, please,” Isabel chuckled. “It’s been going on for months now. Without Robert at the wheel, something has been missing and you know it. This company needs the right leader and you haven’t found it yet. Then we find out that Moira was planning on destroying half the city and murdering innocent people…” she hissed in a fake sympathetic voice that had Oliver’s temper rising. 

“She wasn’t a part of it. She was blackmailed and threatened into silence. That’s why she won’t be part of the trial.” 

“Semantics, Oliver, semantics,” she brushed him off with a flick of her hand. “And before that, you found out your head of the board was an accomplice as well. The very same head of the board who opposed my candidature as CEO. Interesting that he would support Moira’s position seeing how they were both… clearly on the same side. Don’t you think?” 

“Why don’t you get straight to the point, Isabel?” 

“Of course. Your time is… precious, after all. Stellmoor International is interested in buying into QC’s capital.” 

“No way,” Oliver huffed out a laugh. 

“This latest scandal is, and I’m sure even you are aware of that, also the latest blow in a long list of hits that has brought this company to the ground. Murdered CEO, head of the board and Vice-President complicit in a terrorism attack, and now embezzlement? It’s a lot for one company, Oliver. I saw your stock numbers. Your shareholders haven’t seen a bonus in a while. What are the odds they would be willing to sell their shares and leave the ship before it sinks to the bottom of the ocean? Pun unintended of course.” 

“So, that’s why you’re here? So you can finally get QC?” 

“Except it won’t be QC for long once I have my hands on it. It’s time someone cleans up the mess you Queens have created.” 

“That is not gonna happen, Isabel. Almost four years and you’re still bitter over your failed attempt to take over my family’s company?” 

“We both know I should have gotten that position. And we can be damn sure if I had, I would have gotten rid of Alfred before things blew up in our faces.” 

“You knew?” 

Isabel let out a dry laugh. “Your father shared more with me than he ever did with your mother, Oliver. I tried to pull him out of that foolish project but no… no… Apparently, I couldn’t understand. I wasn’t born in Starling City. I had not seen the decline. Your father and his friends had a God complex and I was the only one trying to keep him grounded.” 

“Why didn’t you use what you knew to discredit Alfred then?”

Isabel didn’t answer, her mouth set in a firm line.

“Of course.” Oliver smiled bitterly. “You didn’t want to taint my father’s memory, did you?” 

“It wasn’t him that I was protecting.” 

Oliver nodded, understanding she hadn’t done it so much for Robert’s memory, but mostly for her unborn child. He couldn’t help but be confused by the woman in front of him. She was remorseless and manipulative to the bone but there was also, obviously, a part of her that was protective and, in her own twisted way, honorable in some aspects. 

“So you spent what… four years plotting your revenge?” 

“That sounds awfully pathetic, if you ask me. No, Oliver. I went on with my life. I heard about Queen Consolidated’s failures and yes, it hurt me to know that what your father had built, so brilliantly, was now reduced to a company merely being fodder for the tabloids. Son lost at sea, son found alive, daughter following her dear brother’s footsteps, widow of the late CEO marrying the new CEO… it was almost hard to keep up. QC has been failing since long before the project was brought to light, Oliver. Your family turned it into a mockery. I didn’t have to keep tabs on it, just reading tabloids once a month was enough. And my company specializes in buying failing businesses and making them profitable again.” 

“By that you mean dismantling them and selling bits and pieces, right?” 

“It’s better than a full bankruptcy.” 

“QC is not on the edge of a bankruptcy.” 

“Who’s fooling who now?” 

Oliver shook his head, understanding this whole meeting was pointless. “If this was the only reason for your visit, I don’t think it’s worth continuing.” 

“My visit was purely out of loyalty for my former company, Oliver. Stellmoor is going to make an offer and a little bird tells me your shareholders will be very interested. If you make things easier for us, I’m ready to offer you the title of Vice-President once I’m officially named CEO.” 

“CEO of a company you’re going to cut into pieces?” 

“This kind of thing takes time, as you know.” 

“If you really think I’ll cave in, or let you destroy my family’s legacy, you’re sorely mistaken, Isabel.” 

“I believe you didn’t need me to destroy this legacy, Oliver. You all have been doing a fine job as it is. Just by yourselves.” 

“And you either have the best sense of timing in the world or were just waiting for the right time.” 

With a cryptic smile, Isabel stood up. “I think you know me well enough to figure that one out, Oliver.” 

Oliver watched as she walked out of his office, his eyes never leaving her until she closed the door. 

He knew what game Isabel was playing. She wanted to destabilize him. But he also knew her well enough to understand that if she had shown up today, it was because she had a plan, and that plan was already well under way. He wouldn’t underestimate her, especially not when QC was, indeed, in a very bad position. God knew what tricks she had up her sleeve, and she was ruthless. 

“Debbie,” he said suddenly as he pressed the button for the intercom. “Can you send someone from security to my office as soon as possible?” 

Her reply was just as short and he pressed the button again to end the conversation. He needed to tread carefully because if his instincts were right - and he had learned to trust them - things were about to go south.

 

 

 

***

 

 

“I don’t get it.” Felicity’s voice on the phone sounded puzzled and unsure. 

“I’m not sure I do either,” Oliver replied as he was walking back to his apartment. After Isabel’s visit, he had had security scan his office to make sure she hadn’t installed microphones or anything of the kind, and had informed Walter as well. It might have seemed a little over the top but he couldn’t afford to be careless. 

“You know as well as I do that this woman is no good news. But why would she show up like that? Out of the blue?” 

“She must have… something in mind. What? I don’t know.” 

“And here I was, hoping she had all but forgotten about us,” Felicity sighed. 

“Same. Where are you now?” Oliver asked as he turned into his street. Felicity had stayed late at the office and he had taken the opportunity to go for a short run in a nearby park. 

“Almost there. Carl is dropping me off as we speak. I just need to get something from my car first.” 

He heard the sound of a car door closing as she mumbled a goodnight to her driver. “Good. We’re going to Big Belly by the way if you want to change.” 

“Oh, yes, I doubt my business suit is-” she stopped mid-sentence, letting out a loud gasp before he could hear a shout and the sound of a struggle. 

“Felicity?” he asked, his heartbeat picking up as a shiver ran down his spine, instantly breaking into a run. “Felicity?!” 

She didn’t reply, but he heard her muffled shouts, and he sped up, thighs burning as he ran like his life depended on it - in a way, it did. He could sense it, something was wrong, something was awfully wrong and Felicity was in danger and he could see his building, so close but yet so far, his phone clenched in his hand almost painfully as he ran on the pavement, his feet hitting the stones in a staccato, his entire body focused on one thing and one thing only: to make it in time. 

He had no idea what was happening, had she fallen, had she been hit, had someone tried to steal her purse, he didn’t know but it didn’t matter in the end. He had to get to her. 

He heard her scream, loud and clear in the empty street just as he saw her struggling with a man dressed in black who was obviously trying to push her into a van. One of her shoes was missing, probably kicked off in her struggle, and he was merely thirty feet from her when she viciously hit the man in the genitals with her closed fist, causing him to release his hold long enough for her to shimmy out of it and grab something from the ground Oliver couldn’t make out. 

A loud yell of pain echoed just as Felicity stumbled backwards and his instinct was first to catch her, and check on her with a glance to make sure she wasn’t seriously wounded. Just before she could fall on the ground, he slipped an arm around her waist, straightening her up. 

The click of a gun made him raise his head and he felt the blood rush from his face when he realized Felicity was directly in its sights. Quickly, he pushed her behind him, trying to figure out the best way to proceed while making sure she would remain out of harm’s way. He could take the guy down, of that he was sure, but the risk of a stray bullet was way too high for his liking. Not to mention, he didn’t know for sure if the man was alone and, seeing as he was obviously trying to kidnap her, chances were that he wasn’t. The van Felicity was being pushed into had tinted windows and he had no idea if someone else was inside or not. 

“Whatever you want, you can have it,” Oliver said calmly, raising both his arms while stepping back, hoping Felicity would understand he wanted her to hide behind a car. 

The man in front of him was wearing a thick black beanie, low on his eyes and with the lack of public lights in the street leading to his building’s garage, Oliver could barely make out his face. Caucasian, definitely. But that was about it. 

The man smirked as he tightened his grip on the gun. 

“No!” A loud voice shouted, a voice that Oliver recognized instantly. 

Shocked to the bone, he looked at the man who stepped down from the van and the sense of dread he had been feeling all day plummeted down to his stomach. 

“I want him alive,” Slade said in his characteristically quiet, low voice. 

Felicity’s small moans and ragged breathing behind him, her fingers pulling on his shirt as she awkwardly tried to cover his chest with her tiny hands, were the only things still making sense at the moment for him. It was like his past and his present were trying to mix, and for a few seconds, he was the young, clueless man who had been stranded on a cold island almost four years ago as he stared helplessly at the man he had come to consider a lost friend.

Both men locked eyes for what seemed like minutes - in reality barely a couple of seconds. Then he heard Thea’s voice. Her tone showed her surprise at the scene she was just stumbling on and before Oliver could warn her, she was already jumping out of her car, engine still running, and rushing her way to them. 

Slade’s face turned into a slow smirk as he gave just a shadow of a nod to the man Felicity had fought with. 

“No!” Oliver shouted, lunging at him, understanding in a flash what was about to happen. 

Thea’s yell was loud, high-pitched, so, so similar to the sounds she used to make when she was scared as a kid and it twisted his insides painfully even before he saw her being grabbed, a forearm going around her neck. 

“You move, your precious Felicity dies.” Slade said calmly, stopping him instantly, freezing him on the spot as he watched, powerless, Thea being pushed inside the van. Thea’s panicked eyes met his and he couldn’t help but move towards her, towards the little sister who had always looked up to him, but the sound of a clicking gun and Felicity’s whimper froze him on the spot again, his eyes searching hers. 

Her hands were raised, her face a mask of fear at the gun that was pointed straight to her head. 

Oliver knew Slade. If he wanted to kill Felicity, there was nothing Oliver could do to stop him. He wouldn’t be fast enough. He wouldn’t be able to outsmart the one who had been his first mentor. 

His whole life, his future, everything could be destroyed in a quarter of a second if Slade pulled that trigger. 

And the thought paralyzed him.  

Pictures of all his dreams flash in front of his eyes. 

Felicity in a wedding dress. 

The two of them visiting their future house… then playing with their dog in the gigantic garden. 

A lazy Sunday morning in bed, his hand on Felicity’s swollen belly, patiently waiting for their unborn child to wake up as well. 

Stepping on a lego and some computer wires in the middle of the night. 

Birthday parties with balloons and cakes and presents and so many little feet running everywhere. 

Their house so full of love and laughter that he could feel it in every cell of his body, a happiness he had once thought he’d never find… 

A happiness that was one bullet away from being torn away from him. 

“Please… please… not her,” he begged in a ragged breath. 

“You do as you’re told, and none of them will be hurt,” Slade stated calmly just as the van pulled off the curb.  “I’m not interested in them. But don’t think I will hesitate. They’re nothing to me.” 

“It’s OK, Oliver. It’s OK,” Felicity whispered, her throat obviously tight as her eyes shone with love and understanding. 

“No,” he breathed, shaking his head, knowing he wouldn’t be able to move an inch. Not when it was her life that was at stake. His feet were literally stuck on the ground. “No. I… I can’t.” 

And, completely powerless, he watched as Slade jumped in the van, leaving Felicity unscathed but taunting him with the vision of his 19 year-old sister gagged on the floor as she struggled to break free. 

It was only when the van sped away that he suddenly found his will back and he broke out into a desperate, futile run as he chased it down the street, that last image of Thea already haunting him. 

Too focused on the van, he didn’t realize he had drifted onto the road until he crashed into a bicycle, sending him toppling to the ground. 

“No… no…” he whispered as he watched the van turn left and disappear. 

“Hey dude, are you alright?” The courier asked him, panic clear in his voice. “You just… appeared out of nowhere and…” 

“I’m OK,” Oliver answered automatically. “I… I’m OK.”

He had never told a bigger lie in his life.

 

 

 

 

Felicity fell on the ground, swallowing giant gulps of air as her heart tried to calm its furious beating in her chest. Her brain, usually her best ally, was numb. Everything was fuzzy, from her innocent phone call with Oliver to the moment a man had grabbed her and tried to push her inside a van. Pure instinct had kicked in and she had battled, fiercely, using every technique her muscle memory could come up with. It had been just enough to gain time until Oliver had shown up and her instantaneous feeling of relief had been short lived. Thea had appeared at the worst time possible and she had read, in the men’s behavior, their immediate change of plans. 

She had watched Oliver as his sister was being pulled away, knowing the only reason he hadn’t moved, he couldn’t move, was the gun pointed at her own head. Oliver, the man she had seen, with her own eyes, take down several assailants at once, had been paralyzed with fear, unable to choose between his sister and the woman he loved. 

And in an instant, she had been ready to make that choice for him, feeling her sense of protection spreading to the young woman struggling as she was taken away. 

Oliver’s phone, which had ended up on the ground, rang suddenly and it was out of pure habit that she picked it up haggardly, blinking when she saw he had an incoming text from Thea. 

A wave of pure, exhilarating hope washed over her as she opened it, suddenly standing up and looking towards the street where the van had disappeared - and Oliver as well. 

The picture of the young woman, already gagged with fearful eyes, twisted her gut and she read the accompanying message with dread. 

 **Do not contact the authorities. She will not be harmed if you do as we ask. We want one million dollars. Instructions will follow.**  

Shakily, she leaned against a light pole and tried to clear her head. They needed to find her, and fast. She didn’t, couldn’t trust whoever had Thea to keep their promise and not harm her. 

Wiping the few tears off her face, she picked up her shoe and put it back on. She sensed more than heard Oliver coming back to her, and she felt a new wetness in her eyes when she saw his face. Crushed, defeated and so, so scared. 

Wordlessly, he reached out for her, pulling her in his arms and squeezing her tightly. The sound of his beating heart was a small comfort to her, knowing he was safe and sound. 

“Are you OK?” he asked in a rough, strangled voice as his hand caressed her hair. 

“Yes. Just a few scratches.”

“I… I couldn’t move, Felicity,” he whispered, his lips crashing on her forehead. “I just couldn’t… They took Thea and I couldn’t...” 

Felicity nodded, understanding his feeling of helplessness oh too well. “I know, Oliver. I know.” 

 

 

 

 

 

“We need to tell the police,” Walter said as he paced the living room of Oliver’s apartment. 

“No!” Oliver exclaimed. “You saw that text. I do not trust SCPD to not screw things up.” 

“What exactly can we do then?” 

“I lost Thea’s GPS signal. They must have turned off her phone or gotten rid of it,” Felicity said, biting her lip. “They said they would contact us, so I should be able to pick up some signal at the very least. Dig took me to the office and I brought back a few things that could help us track the call, even if it’s from a cell phone.” 

“Walter, you need to go to QC tomorrow and pretend nothing happened. We can’t have people asking questions and bringing attention to this.” 

“It can’t be a coincidence, Oliver. You had a million dollars ready to be transferred to QC’s bank account to cover for Alfred’s theft and a few days later, Thea is ransomed for the same amount.” 

Oliver shared a look with Felicity. “I know. I’m also very suspicious of Isabel showing up right around that time.” 

“And officially launching an hostile takeover, as you know,” Walter sighed. “My hands are tied, Oliver. I’m the outgoing CEO, there is only so much I can do or say to reassure our shareholders.” 

“What we need right now is to make sure they don’t think we got in touch with the authorities. That means we have to be as normal as possible, in public at least,” Felicity said quietly as Walter nodded then picked up his jacket. 

“I’ll be at the mansion tonight then will spend the day at Queen Consolidated. Please… get in touch as soon as you find out anything.” 

“We will, Walter. Thank you,” Oliver replied quietly. 

“Oliver, I hate to ask but… are you sure you can trust Slade not to hurt her?” Felicity asked in a hesitant voice as soon as soon as Walter was gone. She was still setting up her small equipment, having replaced Oliver’s phone with a much more sophisticated one. 

“I… I don’t know, Felicity. I honestly don’t know,” he said in a shaky voice. He blinked, trying to get rid of the burning in his eyes as he watched the dark city through the windows. 

His sister was out there, alone and scared, and he had no idea what to do. 

“Hey… we’ll find her,” Felicity whispered as she went to him. Her hand reached out, rubbing soothing circles on his back. “Whenever they call, ask to talk to her so you will at least know for sure she is alright.” 

“Yeah… I just… I should have looked for Slade when I came back, Felicity. I knew there was a chance he was out there and I knew he probably hated me but… I didn’t do anything. I was so stupidly blinded by everything… being back with you, and then uncovering Malcolm’s project and… I pushed everything back. It’s my fault.” 

“No. No it’s not. Slade kidnapped a nineteen-year-old girl because he has a beef with a thirty-year-old man. And just to make sure you wouldn’t move, he put a gun to my head. That’s pure cowardliness, and  based from what you told me of him, it’s not something you could have foreseen. And how exactly could you have found him anyway if he was with Argus?” 

“I don’t know, but… she was taken because of me, Felicity. He first went after you because of me, then got to her because she was an easier target.” 

“Oliver… you ended up on a boat that sank in the middle of the sea because of Malcolm Merlyn. You were stranded on an island, kidnapped, tortured and only released to be forced to join a mob in a foreign country. You were brainwashed, manipulated but not once, not once, have you even entertained the idea of using Tommy to get back at Malcolm once you found out he was responsible. Not once have you considered the possibility to use an innocent to get your revenge. This is not your fault, Slade isn’t a victim. He’s the villain in this story and he  **chose** to be a villain. You are the living proof that there is another way. He just didn’t pick it. And that is not on you.” 

“She’s right, man,” Dig said suddenly from the elevator doors. Oliver jumped, already pushing Felicity behind him before he recognized his friend. 

“Dig,” he breathed. 

“Sorry, man. Felicity gave me a key when I dropped her off. I hope I have everything you need, by the way,” he added as he put what looked like a heavy box on the dining table. “Raisa let me in without a problem and she doesn’t seem suspicious of anything.” 

“Good,” Felicity said as she started to look in the box that Dig had brought back from the mansion. When they had emptied the foundry, they had dispatched their equipment. Some had ended up at the mansion. “I need to hack through the city’s security footage and I can’t do that with our processor.” 

“How are you holding up,” Dig asked as Felicity was setting up her equipment. 

“I don’t know… I’m stuck here, waiting for a phone call.” Truth be told, Oliver really didn’t know how he felt. Scared. Angry. Helpless. A little bit of everything probably, and it was taking every ounce of strength in him to maintain control of his emotions and not just ransack his apartment in order to blow off some steam. Knowing that wouldn’t help the situation was barely enough to hold him back. 

A part of him was sure that Slade wouldn’t hurt Thea. He would use her to get what he wanted then vanish. But… could he really be sure of anything concerning the man he had once considered his friend? Never would Oliver have thought he would stoop low enough to attack a defenseless girl or coldly threaten Felicity with a gun. 

The ringtone echoed loudly in the mostly silent room and Oliver’s eyes snapped to Felicity who nodded, pushing the phone towards him as she fired up one of her magical programs. The number was unknown. 

“Hello?”

“Hey, Kid.”

“Slade, whatever you wanna do to me, do it, just leave-” 

“Easy, easy. Your sister is fine. We just fed her her favorite burger. Nothing will happen to her if you do as I say.”

“What do you want?” Oliver gritted through his teeth. 

“One million dollars.” 

“I want to know that Thea is safe and sound first.” 

“Fair enough.” 

There was a sound of rustling in the background, then Thea’s sharp breathing could be heard, a second before her voice. 

“Ollie,” she cried. 

“Speedy, are you OK? Did they hurt you?” 

“No. No they didn’t. I’m in a room and I don’t know where, I had a blindfold on. I’m sorry I don’t know where I am.” 

“No, no it’s OK. We’ll give them what they want and you’ll be fine, OK?” Oliver said in a strangled voice. “Are you sure… they didn’t hurt you?” 

“No. Not at all. They tied my wrists but that’s all.” 

Oliver let out a small breath of relief when he heard the truth in her words. She wasn’t lying. 

More rustling could be heard and then Slade was back. “See? I don’t plan on hurting the little princess.” 

“Why did you take her then?” Oliver growled. 

“Because your precious Felicity put up a fight, that’s why. I had to go with Plan B.” 

“What guarantee do I have you will free Thea when you get the money?” 

“Nothing. And I won’t free her. You’ll come and get her yourself. You and I need to have a little chat.” 

“Is this… is this the reason for your whole plan? To get back at me?” 

“Of course not. I need to start a new life. Amanda Waller made sure I had nothing to go back to. I need money and I remembered my good old friend Oliver Queen was quite the billionaire. I told you I’d find you and make you pay for betraying me. I don’t intend to make your sister pay for your sins, don’t worry. She’s just a means to an end.” 

“I didn’t betray you,” Oliver roared. 

“Tsk, tsk… don’t test my patience. Gather the money, I’ll call you tomorrow to tell you where and when to meet us. And don’t do anything stupid like calling the police. I don’t want to hurt your sister so don’t give me a reason to.” 

Oliver stared at his phone as Slade hung up, a sense of dread washing over him. He felt cornered. He felt danger but had no idea how to face it. He felt anger, a deep, violent anger that was bubbling underneath the surface, looking for any excuse to come up. 

“I’m tracing the signal as we speak,” Felicity said in her cold, methodological voice. “Crossing it with the last trace we have of Thea’s cellphone…” 

Her voice was enough to make Oliver snap out of it and he shared a glance with Dig who merely shook his head and stood up. “Do you have…” 

“Yup,” Oliver nodded as he reached into the drawer of a shelf, retrieving a gun and a magazine. 

“I have my usual in the car.”

“Good.” 

“I have a perimeter around the stadium, west of the city. It’s full of warehouses and abandoned houses, ideal place to hide someone,” Felicity said. “There is also a Big Belly Burger not far away and-” 

“He said he gave her her favorite burger. Let’s go,” Oliver said curtly as he accepted the comm Dig was handing him. “I’ll take my bike, you follow me in your car?” 

“Yup.” 

“I’m going to try and narrow it down as much as possible,” Felicity shouted as they rushed inside the elevator. 

“You don’t have to come with me,” Oliver said as they were going down. 

“Yes, I do,” was Dig’s only answer as they parted ways in the garage. 

As Oliver sped past the stadium, Felicity’s voice resonated in his ear. “So I’ve been pulling every city camera I could think of and we’re pretty lucky because I finally caught the van, ten minutes more or less after it left our street. It went straight into a factory that was recently closed. If you’re on Maple Avenue, continue until you reach Glastown Street on your right. It’s about a mile and a half after the stadium. There is still a big sign for a plastic factory, you should see it easily.”

“Got it.” 

He had lost Dig somewhere along the way, his bike speeding up much more easily even though the traffic was quiet at this time of the day. 

“I see it,” he said once he saw the factory Felicity had mentioned. 

“I’ll be there in two or three minutes,” Dig said. 

“I’ll be inside.” Oliver parked his bike further up the street, unwilling to attract their attention. 

“Oliver, maybe you should wait for-” 

“No, I’m going in. If the situation calls for help, I’ll wait. I just want to check.” 

The lack of light was offering him good cover and he wanted to take benefit of it. Not to mention, the sooner he’d find Thea, the better. 

“Oliver I saw the van entering through a big garage entrance, can you see it?” 

“Yes.” Discreetly, he ran there, noticing a few windows on the ground floor. The whole building was dark and completely silent and he had to squint his eyes to see through the dusty glass. The whole place was empty. 

He could make out a big garage door on the other side, and a few smaller doors running on the other walls of the warehouse. Sticking to the walls, he quickly circled the building, arriving on another street. A sinking feeling in his stomach, he checked once again through the windows, seeing that both garage doors were directly leading to a street. There was no way a van could be hidden in another part of the building if it had come through the way Oliver had. 

“Felicity, did you see the van leave the building?” 

“... No. I just checked and I actually saw you on the footage but… no. It’s not there?” 

“No. But the warehouse directly communicates with the street right behind the one I came from.” 

He heard Felicity typing furiously. “I… I can’t find a camera in that area at all. They all seem out of order.” 

“Man, maybe the van left but that doesn’t mean Thea isn’t inside,” Dig said quietly. “I just parked the car, making my way to you.” 

Oliver circled to the back of the building, knowing Dig had a point. But his gut was telling him that they were long gone. 

As soon as Dig was there, Oliver picked the lock and they made their way inside, both holding their guns and a small flashlight. One by one, they went through each door, checking every room but, as Oliver had suspected, found nothing. 

“She’s not here,” he eventually let Felicity know as they were back in the main room. 

“Did you find anything?” 

“Yes. There was a room that was mostly clean, with a chair, a sofa and a bathroom attached. The water had run recently in the sink and there was a few paper towels on the floor. There was… there was also a hair tie, I think it’s one of hers.” 

“I think they stopped there and they were still there when they called you. Then they moved. It’s actually smart, when you think of it.” 

“Oliver,” Dig called him suddenly, pointing to a pillar with his light. 

Oliver saw a note, stuck to the wall with a long, sharp army knife. 

**Kid,**

**You didn’t really think it would be this easy, did you?**  

“Damn it,” Oliver swore when he saw that the notepaper used was a receipt from Big Belly Burger. 

“It’s OK, man. Keep in mind that even though this was only a stop, they made sure Thea was in a decent room and they fed her. It doesn’t seem like they plan to hurt her.” 

 

 

 

Oliver looked at the clock above the TV. 

3:56. 

Thea had been missing for more than eight hours. He still hadn’t heard anything from Slade and, judging by the lack of cops or reporters banging at his door, they had managed to keep her kidnapping a secret. 

He had sent Dig back home, wanting him to be his eyes and ears at QC the next day, and he was currently sitting on the couch in his living room. 

Felicity had eventually fallen asleep a little more than an hour ago, curled up on the other side of the couch. She had managed to find the van they had used, abandoned a little further from the factory, but despite her many tries, hadn’t been able to find which vehicle they had used afterwards. 

They were back to square one, with Oliver keeping his phone close, even though he knew there was little chance it would ring for a few more hours at least. Walter, with his connections, had managed to notify the bank that Oliver would need a large sum of money, in cash, and he should be able to get it sometime during the morning. 

All that was left for him to do was wait. 

He didn’t even know how he could tell his mom that her daughter had been kidnapped - kidnapped by a man hell bent on revenge against her son. They had no way to let her know until the next day anyway and he was still wondering if he should or not. 

There was nothing Moira could do, except worry and potentially raise suspicions. And Oliver couldn’t help but hope he’d manage to get his sister back before things could turn really bad. 

Felicity shifted on the other side of the couch, a small whimper escaping her. He saw her face tense as her fists were tightly closed and grabbing a cushion. She was having a nightmare. 

“Hey… hey, it’s all good,” he said quietly as he kneeled down next to her, his hand stroking her hair out of her face. 

He didn’t forget that she had been the victim of an attempted kidnapping, and even though she had seemed to hold strong all evening, he knew better than anyone how fears usually found a way to sneak into your sleep. 

She didn’t wake up and he eventually sat down on the floor, his fingers still lacing through her hair as he murmured reassuring words. 

There was nothing he could do about Thea at the moment but Felicity was there, right next to him and after all the times she had guarded his sleep and kept the nightmares at bay, it was time to give back.

 

 

 

***

 

 

“Yes. Thank you, Daniela.” 

Felicity hung up her call. She had gotten in touch with her assistant to warn her she wouldn’t be able to come to the office today, hoping, like Oliver, that they would find Thea soon and would be able to hold the pretense that everything was fine until then. 

She saw that Oliver was on the phone, probably with Walter judging by his conversation, and she made her way to the kitchen to make some very much needed coffee. Dig was at Queen Consolidated, like Oliver had asked, making sure to be within reach if they needed his help though. 

“We’ll get the money by eleven,” Oliver said as he accepted her mug of coffee. 

“Oh, good. The sooner we get it, the sooner you can make the exchange.” 

“Yes… I guess so.” 

Felicity frowned, noticing there was something more that he wasn’t telling her. She sat down next to him, her hand resting on his back. “Is there something else?” 

With a sigh, Oliver shook his head. “There is an emergency meeting with the board and most of our shareholders tomorrow morning.” 

“Oh my… why?” 

“Hostile takeover. Probably by Isabel’s company. They want to buy massively into our stock and probably convince as many of our shareholders as possible in order to gain enough weight to sit at the board.” 

“But… hum, even if they try, you’re still in charge, aren’t you? You have the right to veto.” 

“I know. And of course that’s what I’m going to do. Shareholders can sell their stock, obviously, but I won’t agree to have Stellmoor International or Isabel on the board. But still, that means I will have to be there and also that we might lose a bunch of stock. Even if I can counteract Stellmoor, I can’t stop them from becoming shareholders. I can only veto their seat at the board table.” 

“One thing at a time. First, you’ll use your right to veto to keep them from joining the board, which is something that you can legally do, no matter how much stock they manage to gain. Your grandfather really saved your asses with that clause, you know. Have you asked Walter to try and push that meeting back, buy a few days?” 

“He’s going to try, yeah.” 

“Good.” 

Felicity grabbed his hand, holding it firmly between hers. 

And then they waited. It seemed like hours were stretching impossibly long, each minute bringing new fears to her mind, fears she didn’t allow herself to voice out loud. Oliver was barely holding up, and she didn’t want to add to his own fears. 

When it was eleven, Oliver stood up and put his coat on to head to the bank. While he was away, Felicity tried to keep busy but failed to do anything but stare into her cup of coffee. Even when she sat down in front of her computer, she drew a blank. She didn’t know where to look, what to look for and she felt completely, utterly helpless. 

Oliver was back half an hour later, a black bag swung over his shoulder that he let drop on the couch as soon as he walked in. 

“No call?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer. 

“No.”

“Yes, I doubt they think you’ve had the time to-” 

Oliver’s ringtone interrupted her and he pulled his phone from his jacket in such a hurry it almost fell from his hand. 

“Yes?” Oliver said, putting the speaker on. 

“Do you have the money?” 

“Yes. One million, like you asked.” 

“Good. I’ll send you instructions in a couple hours to meet me in a discreet place. Bring the money, no one else. And don’t try to track this call… we’ll be out of here by the time you reach us, just like last night.” 

“I want to talk to Thea.” 

The sound of loud steps were heard, then a door opening. “Your brother wants to talk to you.” 

“Ollie!” 

Oliver let out a deep sigh of relief at the sound of her voice and Felicity felt the tears burn her eyes. She sounded alright. Scared, yes but… alright. 

“Thea, are you alright?” 

“I’m… I’m fine. I just want to go home.” 

“You will. I promise you I will come get you as soon as I can. Slade, I swear to God if anything happens to her-” 

“Relax, kid. She doesn’t have a single bruise. I’m not into hurting little girls. Keep your phone close.” 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Felicity had just finished convincing him to at least eat a small bowl of soup when Walter showed up, unexpectedly. 

“Is there something wrong?” Oliver asked as he stood up. 

“The board meeting? It’s happening today. In one hour. I was having lunch with a partner when my secretary called me.” 

“What?” Felicity asked. “But… they can’t do that without notice, can they?” 

“They can if enough shareholders call for it. And they are,” Walter said grimly. “Oliver, you have to come to the office. I already resigned, there isn’t much I can do and you know it. I know it doesn’t seem important but this your family’s legacy. Thea might want to work there too, and let’s not mention all the employees who will probably lose their jobs… we can’t go down without a fight.” 

“Yes. I know,” Oliver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He honestly, at the moment, didn’t care about the company. But Walter was right. It was his responsibility as well. “I’ll take my phone with me in case Slade tries to reach me again.” 

Just at this moment, his cell phone rang. It wasn’t a phone call this time, but a simple text. 

 **Henley Park. 2 o’clock. North entrance. Don’t be late.**  

Oliver blinked, staring at the screen. Henley Park was way out of Starling City’s limits. It would take him at least forty five minutes to get there. 

Felicity took the phone from his hands when he remained silent. 

“This… this can’t be a coincidence, Oliver. You’re literally being asked to be at two places at the same time.” 

“How could they…” Oliver trailed off then shook his head. It didn’t matter at that moment. All that mattered was that he had to get to his sister and get her to safety. “It doesn’t matter. I have to get Thea.” 

“Oliver, son, if you’re not at the board meeting, you know what’s going to happen.” 

“What choice do I have?! It’s my sister!” 

“Oliver, wait, it’s not just about you choosing one over the other, it’s obviously a much bigger plan. What if you’re walking right into a trap?” 

Oliver shrugged as he put on his jacket. “I don’t care. I can’t do nothing, Felicity. I can’t wait here, trying to come up with a solution that we might not find in time.” 

“Oliver…” Walter tried again. 

“I know. I know, Walter. I am going to lose the company but believe me right now, I can’t focus on anything else apart from the fact that I am going to make sure I don’t lose my sister.” 

Walter nodded. “I just hope you’re not walking into a trap, as Felicity said.” 

“Even if I am… what choice do I have?” 

“I’ll try to buy some time. Maybe you could give me or Felicity power of attorney to stand in for you?” 

“It won’t work. We could speak on his behalf… well you could, I probably wouldn’t be allowed to represent him since I work for another company, but the right to veto is specific to the Queen family and whoever is in charge of their shares. Moira passed it onto Oliver when she was incarcerated, because she legally gave him her own shares as well. But that’s something only a descendant of James Dearden can do, unfortunately.” 

“Do whatever you can, Walter. Save whatever you can save,” Oliver said as he grabbed the bag full of money. “We’ll… we’ll see what we can do once Thea is safe and sound.” 

He felt Felicity’s hand pulling on his before she reached up on her toes to press one small, lingering kiss on his lips. “You be careful. And you come back with Thea just as safe and just as sound, you hear me?” 

He smiled, wishing he could promise her that, knowing that watching him leave that way was probably torture for her. But he couldn’t. Because he wasn’t sure he could keep that promise. 

He pressed a kiss on her forehead before heading to the elevator, unable to look back. He didn’t know what Slade's plan was. He didn’t know how or why he and Isabel had coordinated their attacks. One in the bright of day, another much shadier. All he knew was that you didn’t go through with a kidnapping because you wanted to catch up with someone. Slade had something else in mind concerning him, and even if he would fight tooth and nail, he was also aware he was about to step into something he had little to no control over, and his focus wouldn’t be on his own survival, but that of his little sister. 

It took him fifty minutes to reach the park. Seeing as it was still winter, and the middle of the week, it was unsurprisingly empty. He knew he was early, but he wanted to have the time to check his surroundings. The whole area was surrounded by leafless trees, making the possibility of a sniper very slim - not to mention, it wasn’t Slade's style. He made sure to leave the car running, so there would be no wasted time when they drove away. He was leaning against the hood when a black SUV drove into the small parking lot and he tensed instinctively, feeling the reassuring weight of his gun in his back.

Slade got out of the passenger door, a little smirk on his face as he rubbed his hands together. Oliver could see the silhouette of the driver, but not if there was someone in the back. 

“Just in time. I approve,” Slade said. 

“Where is she?” 

“Relax, relax… your baby sister is fine. I assume this big bag has my money?” 

“Yes. But you’re not getting it until Thea is inside my car.” 

“Fair enough,” Slade shrugged before pointing his chin to the back of the SUV. A door opened and Thea stumbled out, her hands tied in front of her and a gag over her mouth. A quick look confirmed to Oliver that she, indeed, seemed unscathed. 

As soon as she was close to him, he helped her get rid of the gag, knowing she would have to wait until they were alone for the rope around her wrists. He wasn’t about to risk anything by showing he had a knife with him. 

“Are you OK?” he whispered, looking her in the eyes. 

“Yes… yes. They didn’t hurt me,” Thea answered in a low voice. 

“Good. Get in the car. Driver's seat. If things go south, I left the motor running.” 

She was about to protest when he silenced her with a look before pushing her in the car. As soon as she was safely inside, he threw the bag to Slade. “It’s all there.” 

Slade barely checked, probably knowing Oliver wouldn’t take that kind of risk anyway. 

“How did you even end up working for a woman like Isabel?” 

“I don’t work for her. It’s more like… a temporary partnership. I offered my services to distract you for a few hours. In return, I get this,” Slade said as he raised the bag. “And also a chance to have my revenge on you.” 

“Thea, go, now!” Oliver shouted as he grabbed the gun from the waistband of his jeans just as Slade was doing the same. He shot at the driver through the window first before jumping behind a trash can while Thea drove away, the tires screeching and sending gravel everywhere around them. 

“You improved your aim, kid. I see Anatoli was much more forgiving than I was. To be fair, he made it back to his country a month later, while I got stuck with Amanda Waller for a year.” 

“Slade, I never betrayed you, I-” 

The sound of a gunshot was heard, coming from Oliver’s left. Slade’s groan of pain was barely heard before another gunshot was fired, the sound of a body dropping on the ground following shortly. 

Peeking from behind the trashcan, Oliver saw that another of Slade’s men was on the ground, probably the man who had been in the backseat with Thea. His body was limp, and he was either dead or unconscious. Slade was flat on his back, clutching his shoulder. 

“Just in time,” Oliver said with a sigh of relief as he stood up. 

“You know me… I like to make an entrance,” Anatoli said with a smile as he walked to him. “You look well, my friend.” 

“You don’t look bad yourself.” 

“My men probably stopped your sister at the end of the road. Go get her, we’ll clean this up.” 

“Anatoli…” 

“No. Slade killed several of my men trying to find intel on you. I didn’t know it was him, of course. But rest assured that this whole thing is also Bratva business. You owe me nothing. Not to mention, your Juliet already sent me a fruit basket in December.” 

Oliver huffed out a laugh. “She did?!” 

“Yes. No idea how she found my address, by the way.” 

“It’s probably better if you don’t know.” 

“Go. I’ll be in touch.” 

With a nod, Oliver picked up his gun and the empty shells, knowing better than to leave any piece of evidence behind. He ran, his breathing forming a cloud of mist with each breath until he saw his car, as Anatoli had said, a little further down the road, guarded by two men. Thea suddenly jumped out of the car and ran to him, throwing herself in his arms. 

“Oh my God, Ollie, I heard all these gunshots and-” she started to sob. 

“I’m OK, Thea. We’re both alright.” 

Sniffling, she took a step back, wiping the tears off her face as she obviously fought to control her breathing. “Who are all these men? How do they know you?” 

“Thea, I know you probably have a ton of questions right now but we don’t have the time. I promise I’ll explain as much as I can on the way,” Oliver said while grabbing his knife from his shoe to free her wrists. 

“That man, Slade.. he said we were going to lose the company. Is it true? How?” she asked as they were both seated in the car, Oliver driving back to Starling. “We can’t, it’s daddy’s company!” 

“Later,” Oliver answered curtly before handing her his phone. “Can you call Walter or Felicity and tell them you’re alright first? If they don’t pick up, send a text.” 

Driving carefully, Oliver listened as Thea left a voicemail to Walter then sent a text to Felicity as she started to sob uncontrollably again. 

“Thea, I’m sorry but we have to head to QC first and… we can’t go to the police. I have to head to QC straight away, maybe there is still time.” 

“I know,” she sniffled. “I figured when these men stopped my car. They had Russian accents, Ollie. How do you even know Russian people?” 

Oliver pinched his lips before releasing a slow breath. “I spent more than a year there, Thea.” 

“What? When?” 

“I wasn’t always on the island.” 

He then told her, not everything, but most of what had happened to him during those three years he had been gone. Telling her why she had found herself in the middle of an act of revenge between Slade and him, how he knew these Russian men, Anatoli and even his time in the Bratva. She didn’t interrupt him once, completely shell-shocked and he felt guilty for dropping this on her after everything she had gone through. 

 

When they arrived at QC, he led her to the security department straight ahead, making up a lie about how she had been assaulted and had her purse stolen and asking them to call John Diggle to keep her company. 

“Are you sure you’re OK?” he asked nonetheless before leaving her. 

“Yes… Don’t worry Ollie. I’m… I’m alright. Please, just go and try to stop her,” Thea said, nodding. “I’ll be safe here.” 

With one last nod, Oliver left her then rushed to the elevator, noticing it was already almost three o’clock… and knowing he was probably too late. The doors were not even completely opened yet before he forced his way through, almost crashing into an employee coming the other way. He quickly apologized then took off again, not stopping until he reached the door leading to the conference room. He barged in, freezing when he saw Isabel calmly putting some files in her bag, not even paying attention to the few board members still in the room. 

She looked up, her mouth set in a firm line once she saw him. “Oliver. A little late for the show, unfortunately.” 

Without a second glance, she brushed past him. 

Oliver closed his eyes, shoulder slumping in defeat. 

It was his fault. 

Control of the family's company was lost because of his lack of judgment concerning Slade. He should have kept an eye on Isabel once Felicity had told him, months and months ago, that she had shown up in the US. 

“I’m sorry, son. But it’s for the best. QC has been terribly unstable for months now. A change in leadership can only be good. Your family still has their own shares but we couldn’t keep on ignoring the majority of our shareholders.” 

“Did you… did you forget what Isabel did three years ago? Don’t you know her plans this time? Stellmoor isn’t interested in investing money, it only wants to tear this company apart piece by piece and sell it off to the highest bidder!” 

Harry, the new head of the board since Alfred had been arrested, looked at him in surprise, blinking. “Oliver, we didn’t agree to sell to Miss Rochev.” 

“Wait… what? Then what…” Oliver trailed off once he saw Walter entering the room again. “Walter, what the hell is going on? Did you find a way to…” He paused, his breath caught in his throat once he saw a very familiar silhouette right behind Walter. “Felicity?” 

He didn’t even notice Harry leaving the room as he gaped at her before putting his hand on her elbow. “What… why are you here?” he breathed. 

Felicity gulped, then shared a quick glance with Walter who merely smiled. 

“I… I couldn’t let her ruin everything you’ve done for this company. She is driven by revenge and bitterness. People I know, friends, would have lost their jobs. Our partnership would have been completely compromised and in the wrong hands...” Felicity shook her head. “As you know, I’m the main shareholder of Palmer Tech, which comes with a few advantages. I offered a merger, with more guarantees and better expectations for Queen Consolidated and its employees, as well as its shareholders and the board. Seeing how our partnership has been thriving, they weren’t hard to convince.” 

Oliver shifted on his feet, feeling like he was losing his balance. He had walked into this room, absolutely confident he had lost the family’s company. And now, Felicity, whom he had never, in a million years, expected to find here, was calmly telling him a bunch of things that his brain, too shocked, was having a difficult time processing. 

“What… what do you mean, a merger?” 

Felicity licked her lips. “What I mean is that we are now officially co-CEOs, Oliver. Or at least we will be shortly once everything is official. Palmer Tech and Queen Consolidated will fully merge within the next two years. Walter promised his backing once he's at the head of Starling City bank, and in the meanwhile will help us maintain some very much needed stability. Palmer Tech will be the main investor, and therefore will hold the most power but… at least Queen Consolidated won’t be torn into pieces.” 

Oliver leaned back against the table, completely dazzled by her revelation and by what she had done for him, his family and his company. He hadn’t been able to oppose Isabel himself so… she had done it for him, using her quick thinking to come up with a solution. While he was trying to save his sister, she was trying to save his family’s company. 

 _We hope they will find someone who supports them along the way. A partner. Someone to share their life with. The good times and the bad ones. Someone who will always be there for them._  

His mother’s words suddenly rang loud and clear in his mind, reminding him of that night when she had announced his engagement to another woman. That speech that had made him realize how wrong it was, the words that had conjured Felicity’s face in his mind… they had never sounded more true than they did in that moment. 

“Felicity… I… I don’t even know what to say,” Oliver said. 

Felicity just shook her head, with a small smile on her lips. “Then don’t. I’m afraid I have to head to my own office. I foresee an interesting conversation with my own board,” she winced as she straightened her purse on her shoulder. 

Still completely at a loss for words, Oliver followed her, noticing that Walter was coming as well. They waited in front of the elevator as Felicity murmured, “I got Thea’s text. Where is she?” 

“Hum… security department. Dig was supposed to join her. She… she’s good and… yes, she’s good,” Oliver said as he cleared his throat. 

“Felicity… I can’t deny I’d very much rather work with you than with Miss Rochev,” Denis said as he joined them. “But you must know that there are going to be rumors. You flew in to save your boyfriend’s company. Your reputation might take a hit and it is my duty to at least warn you. People are bound to talk and there will be gossip that could...” Denis trailed off as they watched Felicity step inside the elevator and turn around to face them. 

With a hard, blazing look on her face, she gave Denis a hard stare before slamming the button for the ground floor. 

“Let them talk,” she said coldly, her eyes never wavering as the doors slowly closed on her, leaving the three men standing in the hallway. 

Oliver gulped, that glimpse of a Felicity he had never seen before leaving him glued to his spot. There was a hint of his mother in her, and that stubbornness that used to drive him crazy all these years ago was now making her a hell of an opponent. He actually couldn’t help but feel slightly sorry for Isabel who had gone against her twice, knowing her defeat the second time had been even more bloody. 

He heard Walter and Denis walking away, whispering about official announcements, while all he could do was stand there and stare at the elevator doors where she had disappeared a few seconds ago, marveling at the fact that this woman, this amazingly strong, bright woman, was the one who shared his life. 

And despite everything that had happened, despite the hurricane of emotions he had gone through in the past twenty four hours, there was one thought taking over his mind at the moment. 

Felicity Smoak, CEO was magnificent.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK. Phew.  
> I checked a BUNCH of things I had to write in this story, with just one chapter.  
> I, when I started HGW, really wanted, if I went with the sequel to have Oliver and Felicity on a much more equal footing. And I wanted Felicity to make her way to the top thanks to herself, her work and quick thinking. SO yes the road was long but hey you don't end up co-CEO with your boyfriend in just a few days, do you? XD  
> When I started writing STAMTB, I said that, in many ways, this story would mirror HGW. It's true in many details but also in a few scenes. You will probably really see it with the next chapter. You'll get exactly what happened in that board meeting from Felicity's POV (I wouldn't steal her of her big moment so you'll get a chance to read it :))  
> Another mirroring: When Felicity quit QC in HGW, it was after rumors of her relationship with her boss were out and she was a victim of some nasty gossiping. Oliver stands in her office and watches her leave, after she tells him that she doesn't want to stay and face nasty gossips and people talking and judging and seeing her as "that girl".   
> Now, you have Denis warning her that this is very likely going to happen, and much worse, but her reaction is miles away from walking away. She holds her head high, and shrugs it off with a "let them talk." (Yes you'll get her POV on that as well, she didn't just save the day because of Oliver btw. It's what put everything in motion but she wasn't just blinded by love either.)  
> Oh and this time when Oliver watches her leave, it's not fear and regrets, it's hearteyes and omgpleasecallmemistersmoakiamsonotworthbeingthegroundyouwalkonandyouaresogettingatleastfourorgasmstonight  
> It was super important to me to show how much she had grown. We see Oliver(s growth a lot, but Felicity is also much, much stronger. Magnificent, actually, as Oliver would say.
> 
>  
> 
> A lot of you wondered what had happened to Isabel's child. I always knew the child wouldn't live. Isabel was supposed to show up and try to steal the company again but if a kid had been involved it would have gotten very messy and a long-term drama and an open question for the remaining of the story and beyond. So I had to... end it. But it was useful for me in HGW. Also, my own personal headcanon says that Isabel losing Robert's child made her even more vengeful (... revengeful? Not sure and too lazy to check XD) so she'd be on board with tearing the company apart once she got her hands on it. 
> 
> Slade, this time is working for Isabel, while in canon it was the other way around. Consider it because of my own feminist self XD (it makes much more sense to have Isabel as a capable businesswoman rather than SLade who I still wonder how the hell in ended up in a position where he had so much $$$ and power). It allows me to bring the two of them back into the fold and... well you'll have to wait and see for the next chapte, or the one after to really find out how the story ends for him, and Isabel.  
> Also, Anatoli popping up for one last dance (... figure of speech). You'll see him again in one of the next chapters too.  
> All in all, what happened here will be completely resolved/adressed in the next two chapters. Final piece of plot and then... well... we're wrapping things up slowly but surely. But seeing as both stories are like a gazillion words long, you can guess the wrapping up will take more than two chapters ;)
> 
> Anyway, hit me with your comments, tell me your thoughts and I hope this little rollercoaster of a chapter was worth it. Isabel and Slade had made sure to put Oliver in a situation where he'd have to make a choice... not thinking that Felicity and he are a team and when one is unavailable... the other one steps up ;)  
> Co-CEOs *insert HIMYM gif of that's love, bith*


	46. Thank You For Loving Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Here is the next chapter, which will show you exactly what happened with Felicity (yaay)
> 
> Big thank you to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda. We're reaching the end guys!!
> 
> Song: Thank you for loving me - Bon Jovi

**"Thank You For Loving Me"**  


 

It's hard for me to say the things   
I want to say sometimes   
There's no one here but you and me   
And that broken old street light   
Lock the doors   
We'll leave the world outside   
All I've got to give to you   
Are these five words tonight

Thank you for loving me   
For being my eyes   
When I couldn't see   
For parting my lips   
When I couldn't breathe   
Thank you for loving me   
Thank you for loving me 

I never knew I had a dream   
Until that dream was you   
When I look into your eyes   
The sky's a different blue   
Cross my heart   
I wear no disguise   
If I tried, you'd make believe   
That you believed my lies 

 

Thank you for loving me   
For being my eyes   
When I couldn't see   
For parting my lips   
When I couldn't breathe   
Thank you for loving me 

You pick me up when I fall down   
You ring the bell before they count me out   
If I was drowning you would part the sea   
And risk your own life to rescue me 

 

Lock the doors   
We'll leave the world outside   
All I've got to give to you   
Are these five words tonight

Thank you for loving me   
For being my eyes   
When I couldn't see   
You parted my lips   
When I couldn't breathe   
Thank you for loving me 

When I couldn't fly   
Oh, you gave me wings   
You parted my lips   
When I couldn't breathe  
Thank you for loving me

 

 

Felicity paced in Oliver’s living room - scratch that, her living room. Well, technically, she hadn’t moved in with him yet but officially her name was on the lease next to his and she had given her notice to her own landlord, promising to empty her apartment by April 15th at the latest, which gave them about six weeks. 

At first it had seemed like a lot, but it was either March or April and with their hellish schedules, she hadn’t been sure she would have the time to actually move out and paint the walls back to white before having to give back the keys. 

So, here she was pacing in the apartment she was soon going to share with Oliver, her stomach a mess of knots since Oliver had left, almost half an hour ago. She knew she probably wouldn’t hear from him soon and it wasn’t helping. Knowing Thea was out there, Oliver the one and only person able to save her, quite literally, and being completely helpless miles away was the worst kind of torture. 

Walter had gone back to Queen Consolidated and Dig was also at work, which left her alone to deal with the storm of emotions she was feeling at the moment. 

Fear, anger, worry, frustration, all rolled into one big, scary ball of nerves that had made a home in the pit of her stomach. 

Knowing that Isabel was on the edge of taking away Oliver’s company was only adding to it. 

There were many questions playing in Felicity’s mind, how did Slade and Isabel find each other, and why had they schemed something as illegal as a kidnapping in order to make their move. She had no doubt that Isabel had been smart though, and had made sure nothing could ever be linked back to her. That woman had spent years plotting her revenge, after all. 

And it wasn’t just Queen Consolidated that was at stake. She had also invested a very considerable sum of money in their partnership, as well as some extremely advanced, sophisticated technology that could potentially fall into the wrong hands. Isabel would have access to a part of them and it wasn’t so much the financial risk of having QC being dismantled and sold, but also the real potential threat of Palmer Tech’s intellectual property suffering from it too. She would have to get in touch with her attorneys to see exactly how she could legally protect her company and make sure PT wouldn’t suffer from a change of leadership at Queen Consolidated. 

Walter had promised to do everything he could to buy as much time as possible, in hopes Oliver could make it but Felicity knew it would be pointless. And it was killing her to be as powerless as she was at the moment. 

She had complete, utter faith in Oliver and was confident that he would do everything necessary to bring Thea back, but she also had little doubt that Slade wouldn’t play fair. 

As she sat down on the couch, her hands nervously twisting, she glanced at the clock, realizing it was already 1:55 . Unable to even think about what was happening in a park west of the city with the man she loved willingly driving to meet with what seemed like a sociopath, she focused on how the board meeting was just about to start as well. 

Felicity almost laughed nervously when she realized that this time, Isabel had learned from her mistake and made sure no one from the Queen family would be able to attend the meeting and stop her, their right to veto completely useless if they couldn’t be there. 

“She can’t win, damn it,” Felicity cursed out loud, her voice echoing in the empty loft. 

There was nothing she could do to help Oliver, or Thea. But she could make sure they’d come back to find the family legacy still standing. 

She rushed upstairs and quickly changed into a business suit, almost twisting her ankle when she slipped on the floor in her tights-covered feet. Her black shoes were by the entrance, where she had abandoned them the night before and she just took the time to grab her purse before rushing to the elevator, nervously biting her thumb nail. 

Her plan was non existent. But she didn’t have an IQ of more than 170 for nothing. 

As she drove to Queen Consolidated, she reorganized her thoughts, putting them in a logical order. She knew she’d get one shot, and one shot only and even if she felt completely out of her depth, she also didn’t have the right to lose. 

Thankfully, she always had her visitor badge stored in her bag since she had to visit QC’s premises more often than not and she didn’t waste any time as she all but barged in the main entrance, knowing it was already past two. 

“Come on, come on,” she groaned as she pressed the button to close the elevator’s doors faster. Doors that suddenly reopened as someone slipped inside the narrowing entrance. 

“My, my, my… look who’s here!” 

Felicity glared at Mark as he stepped inside, Mandy evidently in tow. She, luckily, hadn’t seen them ever since she had left the company, but of course seeing as this day was probably one of the most awful days in her life, they definitely had to show up. 

“You do know that Oliver isn’t here, right? I mean… he hasn’t shown up at all today,” Mark added sweetly. 

“Aww, please tell me he didn’t make you believe he was at work?” Mandy added with a little pout. “You know what they say, once a player… always a player.” 

Felicity gritted her teeth, knowing it was better if she just ignored them. 

“Well, Mandy we must look on the bright side. Soon enough, Oliver won’t be able to use that excuse anymore. A little bird told me there is going to be a new boss very soon.” 

“No more popping up here as if you own the whole place, Felicity. It’s too bad, really, you worked so hard for that partnership. I heard Isabel is very interested in what you created, though, so there is that. I’m positive she’ll make sure it’s not completely lost.” 

“Is that all?” Felicity eventually said, her eyes fixed on the digital display. 

“For now,” Mark chuckled. “Just know that the first thing Isabel will do is probably make sure you are persona non grata on the premises. Apparently… she doesn’t remember you fondly.” 

“The feeling is mutual,” Felicity breathed as the doors finally opened and she walked past them. 

It was like a very weird déjà-vu as she hurried through the hallway, ignoring a secretary that was telling her the meeting was private. She took one second to collect herself, then calmly opened the door. 

“Hum… Miss Smoak?” Harry, the head of the board, asked her in a confused voice. 

“Harry,” she nodded confidently before closing the door and walking into the room like she owned the building. 

 _Oliver would be proud._

She met Isabel’s eyes who merely smirked at her. “Miss Smoak… interesting to see you here. I’m afraid this time there is no loophole that can save the Queen family from facing the consequences of their dreadful leadership. The right to veto can not be evoked by a third-party, I’m surprised you don’t know that.” 

That sentence alone was enough to confirm what she had been thinking from the beginning: Isabel had waited, patiently, until she knew, without a doubt, that neither Oliver nor Moira could stop her from getting her hands on QC. 

Putting her best CEO mask on, Felicity smiled politely as she calmly set her handbag on the floor. “I’m afraid you are mistaken. I am not here to represent the Queen family. I’m here as CEO and main shareholder of Palmer Tech. I’d like to offer a merger between our companies.” 

Isabel’s smug smile slipped from her lips. “This is ridiculous.” 

“Why don’t we let the board decide on that,  **Isabel**?” Felicity replied sweetly, making sure to use her first name in order to show who had the upper hand. 

“She is only offering this to stop me! Harry you were here last time, she-” 

“Yes, I was and so was the majority of this board, Miss Rochev. But as you know, our main concern is the wellbeing of Queen Consolidated, so it’s our duty to listen to what Miss Smoak has to offer.” 

“Thank you,” Felicity said with a nod. “As you all know, Queen Consolidated and Palmer Tech are now linked by a partnership. A partnership that brings the best out of both companies and has already attracted a lot of extremely positive spotlight. You are aware that we’re on the edge of discovering something that will revolutionize the medical industry and selling the company to Stellmoor International will reduce the efforts of our teams to literally nothing. Of course, you could think that this is only one aspect of Queen Consolidated and it might not be worth saving anyway. You would be wrong.  **This** is the future. This is how Queen Consolidated can, and  **will** , take back its undeniable place as a worldwide leader. This partnership has gone smoothly. You all agreed that everything happened without a hitch, and that this contract made complete sense seeing our companies’ complementary skills. I am offering you a chance to go further down that road. A merger would not only guarantee our best assets will be preserved, but also jobs. I am personally ready to buy stock for one hundred million dollars, as well as put another hundred million to focus on rebuilding Queen Consolidated in order to limit job losses. That includes investing in departments and services that Palmer Tech doesn’t have, like  your aerospace engineering program. That will allow us to move the workforce from services where they would become superficial in case of a merger, and teach them, train them in services where Palmer Tech is lacking right now. My company is solid, as you know. Our reputation is spotless on the international front, and we’re always looking for more opportunities to expand our horizons. Queen Consolidated offers us that, with decades of experience and knowledge. My goal would not be to dismantle this company and sell it off. My goal is to make sure Queen Consolidated’s endless achievements of the last two decades won’t go to waste and be forgotten.”  

“But in case of a merger, we have to reorganize everything, including the board.” 

“Of course. But with a merger, you have a chance to keep your position. Not if you sell.” 

Walter nodded as he cleared his throat. “I think we can all agree that the odds are better in the case of a merger, which will limit the loss of jobs, than in the case of a complete takeover.” 

“Exactly,” Felicity approved. “I am not offering a miracle solution. But this is, clearly, a second chance to start afresh, with a new vision, and a better focus on Queen Consolidated’s assets. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are many things that are worth saving here. You wouldn’t have stuck with the Queens for so long if you didn’t agree with that, would you?” she concluded, her eyes traveling around the large conference table. 

“How would things be organized? Obviously you’d become the CEO too but isn’t it a lot of work for just one person? At first, I mean?” 

“I think Oliver and Felicity would handle that perfectly,” Walter smiled. 

Harry frowned. “I’m not sure-”

Felicity cut him off before he could bring up her personal relationship with Oliver. “I think it would be perfectly reasonable if we hired two Vice-Presidents, from each board, to supervise the whole process. That would guarantee you a voice and some control as well.” 

“I… I think we should vote,” Harry eventually said as board members started to slowly nod their heads. “Unless anyone has a question?” 

“Actually, I do,” Isabel said. 

“I’m afraid you’re not part of this board. Miss Smoak isn’t obligated to answer your questions.” 

“But maybe this will interest the rest of the board?” Isabel offered with a little shrug. 

“It’s alright, Harry,” Felicity smiled. “Yes, Isabel?” 

“How exactly can they trust the judgment of someone ready to throw away two hundred million dollars to save her boyfriend’s company?” 

“The same way they trusted my judgment when I offered a partnership in the first place,” Felicity replied quietly. “And I don’t really appreciate your insinuations, especially when half of us here can certainly remember how you used Robert Queen’s unborn child as a bargaining chip the last time we were in this room. I am offering my personal wealth because I believe in this company. If someone in this room has a track record of using personal relationships to gain leverage… I think we can all agree that it’s definitely not me.” 

There was a pregnant pause in the room as Felicity’s last words lingered in the air. 

“Hum… Harry, maybe we should vote,” a woman eventually said. 

“Yes.”

 

 

 

Felicity accepted Walter’s glass of scotch, gulping it down in one go. 

“Humpf,” she coughed as the hot liquid went down her throat. 

“Are you OK?” 

“Yes. But wow, I needed that,” she said as she passed her hand across her mouth. 

“I… definitely wasn’t expecting things to turn this way.” 

“Believe me neither was I one hour ago.”

“What happened?”

“I… still don’t know,” Felicity answered with wide eyes as she sat down on one of Walter’s comfy chairs. “I just… I couldn’t let everything crumble and I decided to head here without a plan… I knew I couldn’t buy QC. I don’t have enough capital and my own board wouldn’t follow through for me. But then I realized we could take our partnership to the next level and  **that** I could afford. Ray didn’t only leave me his company but also most of his wealth. I figure it’s a good use too.” 

“You’re really going to invest your own capital?” 

“Yes. It’s the only thing I could think of that my board wouldn’t mind and that could convince your board to say yes. But I have high hopes I will manage to convince them to invest the rest of the money I need.” 

“Quick thinking as always, Felicity.”

Felicity smiled shyly at the compliment. “Hum… do you mind if I go rinse my mouth in your bathroom? I don’t want to smell like alcohol and I’d like to go see Oliver as soon as possible. Or at least find out where he is.” 

Walter chuckled. “Of course. Thea mentioned they were on their way here in her message and that they were both fine.” 

“She texted me the same more or less.” 

She followed Walter as he walked them back to the conference room, and once again she was thankful that he had asked to talk to her privately after the board’s vote. Truth be told, she might have not given that impression but her knees had been shaking ever since she had stepped out of the elevator and she really needed a moment to gather her bearings - which Walter had obviously understood right away since the first thing he had done as soon as they had walked into his office was hand her a stiff drink. 

Her breath caught in her throat in relief when she saw Oliver in the conference room. She knew, thanks to Thea’s text, that they were both alright. Rationally, she knew that. But seeing him, obviously fine, with no sign of even a scratch on him, finally allowed the fear to wash away from her body as she took him in. He looked at her in surprise, his mouth half open as he obviously tried to work out what the hell she was doing there. 

He eventually seemed to shake off his trance as he approached her, his hand reaching for her elbow. “What… why are you here?” 

She savored the contact of his skin on hers, the quiet reassurance that once again they had made it through as she told him about the new, unexpected turn that Isabel’s hostile takeover had taken. 

It dawned on her suddenly the magnitude of what she had done. And she hadn’t even thought twice about it, her instinct telling her to stand up if Oliver wasn’t there to do so himself. A reflex, an out of the moment decision that had, once again, linked their lives together. And judging by Oliver’s face, he was coming to the same conclusion as well. 

She didn’t regret it, though. Just like she knew she’d do it again in a heartbeat. Something, a little voice inside of her, was telling her that it had been the right choice to make. That this, even though completely unplanned and yes, borderline reckless, was actually the path she was supposed to take. 

She could see in his eyes that even though he was still mostly dazzled, he also had a bunch of things he wanted to say and she wasn’t sure now was the right time. 

Knowing she had to head to her own office as soon as possible, she didn’t linger, even though it was clear as day that Oliver and Walter, as well as Denis, the head of public relations of Queen Consolidated, had more to say. 

“Felicity… I can’t deny I’d very much rather work with you than with Miss Rochev,” Denis said as she was waiting for the elevator. “But you must know that there are going to be rumors. You flew in to save your boyfriend’s company. Your reputation might take a hit and it is my duty to at least warn you. People are bound to talk and there will be gossip that could...” 

Felicity took a deep breath as she stepped inside the elevator then turned around to face the three men. They were looking at her with such varied expressions that it would have been comical if her knees hadn’t been shaking so much. Oliver was in awe, Walter had a knowing little smile on his lips and Denis looked worried and nervous. The three of them held positions of power, used to command and she realized suddenly that she was in the same position too. And years of doubts and insecurities somehow vanished, realizing that her fears of being judged for her relationship rather than her work were about to become a reality but… she didn’t care. 

She didn’t care about the gossips, about the rumors. She was a businesswoman, and a damn good one at that. She had an amazing man in her life, dreams and projects with him and nothing anyone could say could actually change that. And if they only wanted to see her as an enamoured woman? Good. She’d have the time of her life proving them wrong. 

She stared at Denis, her spine straightening as she slammed the ground floor button. “Let them talk.” 

The elevator stopped at the floor right below and she mentally groaned when she saw Mandy and Mark again. 

“I told you you wouldn’t find Oliver here. Did you check every floor? I heard he really likes the janitor closet on the fifth floor,” Mandy said in a fake-whisper. 

“I wasn’t looking for Oliver,” Felicity said calmly. 

“Oh, well. Anyway, I’d love to say I hope we’ll meet again, but I strongly doubt that will happen.” 

“I strongly doubt it too,” she answered quietly, looking at her square in the eyes, letting in a board member named Stanley, if her memory was correct. 

They continued their taunting while Felicity remained cool and professional despite the urge to strangle Mark with his bowtie and then use it as a gag for Mandy. It probably wouldn’t be a great start for her new position in the company and the tabloids Denis had warned her about would probably have a field day with that. 

 **New CEO murders two employees in an elevator, using a bowtie and her stiletto. “I saw it in an episode of MacGyver”, the culprit explained.**  

Battling a smirk, she bit her lips as she distractedly listened to Mark and Mandy’s rambling. 

“She said we’d get to pick our offices. Of course I told her we wanted to be right next to each other. She is going to completely rearrange the top floor. Get rid of the walls, open up the space. Oliver’s office will also go through drastic changes. She really wants to get rid of everything that reminds her of this family.” 

Stanley glanced at Mark weirdly, then shared a look with Felicity who just shrugged innocently, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips, knowing she’d get the last laugh anyway. 

“I have been waiting more than three years to finally be promoted. I understand how she feels, I’d tear most of the place down if I were her.” 

“To Isabel, our new big boss,” Mark grinned widely, clinking his bottle of water against Mandy’s.

“And to her two executive assistants,” Mandy squealed.

The elevator finally reached the ground floor and Felicity pushed past them to step out. As she was walking away, she heard Stanley’s voice as he talked to them. 

“I don’t know who you’re talking about, son, but your new big boss, as you said, just walked out of this elevator. And judging from what I saw of her in the board meeting, I’d rather look for another job than be summoned to her office to explain this behavior if I were you.” 

She was still smiling when she stepped outside.

 

 

 

She wasn’t smiling anymore when she finally walked out of Palmer Tech, four hours later. 

To say they hadn’t been pleased was probably the understatement of the year. But she had soon realized that it wasn’t so much the merger they were against, but more the fact that she had made the decision without consulting them. She had had to remind them that as the owner of 51% of the stock, and acting CEO, she was well within her rights to make this kind of decision. Especially when it was mostly her own wealth that was going to be invested. It had taken long hours before she managed to convince them, slowly but surely gaining the approval of the majority. She knew she’d be observed closely for the upcoming months, but this time, she also knew that she had the upper hand on them, and not the other way around. 

At the end of the day, Palmer Tech was her company. Yes, they had a voice, yes they could make her job easier or harder, but sometimes in business you had to take risks. She had reminded them of that. 

To say that she was utterly exhausted as she made her way to the garage, followed by her driver slash bodyguard, was putting it mildly. With Thea disappearing, the lack of sleep, the stress, and then handling not one but two board meetings… she was on the brink of crawling instead of walking. 

“Oh,” she said in surprise once she had taken a few steps inside the garage. Oliver was leaning against the hood of her car, waiting patiently with a small smile on his face. Turning around, she quickly murmured a thank you and a goodnight to her driver then walked to Oliver who opened his arms for her. 

With a deep, exhausted sigh, she sank in his embrace, letting him cradle her in his warmth. She felt him pull on the handle of her purse and she let it go, groaning when her shoulder was free of the extra weight. 

“How’s Thea?” she murmured, her face nesting in the crook of his neck. 

“She’s good. They really didn’t harm her. Actually, according to her own words, they treated her very well. Brought her food and drinks, kept her in a small room with a little bathroom. She is mostly dealing with the aftershock. Right now she is sleeping at the Mansion. Walter is there, and there is also extra security.” 

“Do you want to spend the night there as well?”

“No. She said it wasn’t necessary but she promised she’d call if she needed something.” 

“What happened?” 

“Well… Anatoli showed up just in time.” 

“See? I told you to call him.” 

“I couldn’t have known he was currently in Mexico.” 

“It was worth a try and… the right call apparently.” 

“Yup. He’s dealing with Slade.” 

Felicity paused as she pondered her words. “I guess it’s better if we don’t know much about it?” 

“Probably, yes,” Oliver whispered as he pressed a small kiss on her hair. 

“What about Isabel?” 

“I hired a private investigator. She is being followed. We can’t prove anything without bringing Slade into the fold and…” 

“Yeah, I guess explaining the whole Russian mob intervention is kinda risky,” Felicity finished for him. 

“We’ll figure something out.” 

“Yeah,” Felicity mumbled. 

“Hum… Felicity,” Oliver said in a strangled voice, his arms tightening around her. 

“Don’t,” she said quietly, lifting her head to face him. “I couldn’t let her take away your company, Oliver. I couldn’t let her destroy what you’ve been trying to rebuild… what  **we’** ve been trying to rebuild together. The truth is I know I’ve been saying from the beginning that we have to keep our love life clear and separated from our jobs but I think today proved that… I can’t. Not really at least and when I think of it, I realize it was foolish to think we’d manage to do it. Our relationship and our jobs have been linked from the start. It’s how we met, how we fell in love. Maybe… who knows, maybe it was supposed to happen? Me quitting QC and working for Ray, then getting the company, the partnership, you becoming CEO… and now this merger. I can’t help but think that everything has led us, somehow, to this moment. And when I had to make a decision, should I step up for you or not… I didn’t even hesitate.” 

Oliver smiled. “You know… when you quit, four years ago I was so… it was like a dream of mine was crumbling down. Even though I never really acknowledged it, in my mind…” he trailed off with a sigh. “Before you, I never really saw myself as CEO. At least not until I’d be my father’s age. Then… with you and with everything that happened back then, I started picturing myself in that position and I realized I could make a change, I could do it my own way and it was challenging and exhilarating in its own way. But the truth is… you were always there, by my side, whenever I would picture that. Even before we were together. I always saw us leading the company together. I don’t know why or how but you were always by my side somehow. Not as my assistant, but as my equal. Then you left and… I felt unbalanced. And now… here we are.” 

Felicity nodded with a small grin, her finger stroking his jaw. “We took roads that should have never led us here, yet it happened nonetheless.” 

Oliver leaned in, resting his forehead against hers. “Maybe some things are meant to be.” 

 

 

 

***

 

  

It was dawn. The sun was up sooner and sooner and Oliver with it lately. Using the remote, he opened the curtains just enough to let the light bathe the room in a small, flickering halo. 

Felicity had moved during her sleep and she was no longer sprawled on his chest like when they had fallen asleep but curled up on her side, facing him, her delicate hand holding his T-shirt balled up in her fist as if she unconsciously sought contact with him through the night. The sun was playing in her hair, which was spread all over her pillow, and her mouth was slightly opened. 

Settling down more comfortably on his pillow, he took advantage of the last few minutes of her sleep to gaze to his heart's content. It was funny, in a way, how his entire world was literally laying on a bed, right beside him. He used to see Felicity as his weakness. But she wasn’t.

She was his everything. 

“Oliver… I can feel you staring,” she mumbled, keeping her eyes closed. 

“I’m not staring.” 

Felicity opened one eye. “Liar.” 

Smiling, he scooted closer to her until he could tangle his legs with hers and drop a kiss on her nose. “Sorry.” 

“You don’t look sorry at all,” she smiled sleepily. “How much longer do I have?” 

Oliver twisted his head to look at his night stand. “Thirty minutes.” 

“Wake me up?” 

“Yup,” he whispered as he pulled her closer to him, his hand slipping underneath her shirt to stroke the skin of her lower back as she fell back into a light sleep. He felt her relax in his embrace, making him tighten his arms in a silent promise that he would guard her sleep. 

He had so many things he wanted to tell her, but nothing that could come out would be able to express how he really felt. 

In awe. He was completely and utterly in awe of her and of what she had done for him. And he knew she had meant what she had said about not wanting a thank you and about her many reasons which didn’t only have to do with him. But nonetheless, when he had needed her, she had been there in a way he would have never dreamed she could be. Never, in a million years, would he have expected her to do what she had done. 

But she hadn’t hesitated. 

He knew, without a doubt, that he would do just about anything for this woman. He’d give up his life for her in a heartbeat if it came to that but he had never considered how far she was also ready to go for him, in her own way. And he was aware that now was his time to give back. Everything he could do at work, he would do it to make sure she would only get to focus on what she loved. 

He also couldn’t help but notice his own lack of nightmares. He had been concerned last night because the events with Thea and Slade should have been enough to trigger a reaction. But his sleep had been quiet. Peaceful. 

It was almost as if he knew that the other shoe had dropped. The last part of his past had finally caught up with him and now he would deal with it then eventually… let go. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but… he wouldn’t be alone. And it changed everything. 

 

 

 

 

“I promise, mom, I’m OK. They didn’t hurt me,” Thea said as she held her mother’s hand. “Their goal was not about me at all.” 

“This woman… I knew it was too perfect that we hadn’t heard from her in four years,” Moira said in a hard voice. 

“Yes… she failed again but… it was a close call,” Oliver said quietly. “Our problem is that we can’t incriminate her without revealing Slade and…” 

“Of course,” Moira frowned. “There is a private investigator that I hired… he’s been keeping tabs on Isabel since the day she left Starling.” 

“What?” Oliver breathed. “You told me you had no idea… about her child and…” 

“I didn’t, Oliver. I didn’t want to know anything about her. I just wanted to make sure that if she ever tried to manipulate us again, we’d have some leverage. His instructions were clear. Keep tabs on her, dig up everything he can but I had no plan on using anything unless she made a move. Which she did.” 

“So maybe that PI didn’t find anything?” 

“Maybe. But you should still try. Ask Richard, he’ll get you in touch with him. He works for his firm. Whatever you can use, do it, Oliver. Don’t be afraid to crush her because she has just proven that if you leave even the slightest opening, she’ll be back in our lives.” 

Oliver coughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Hum… Felicity is also on it.” 

“Good. We gave her a chance, she made her choice and now she’ll have to deal with the consequences of that choice.”

 

 

 

 

“You OK?” Oliver asked Thea as they walked out of the prison. 

“I’m fine, Ollie. Stop… hovering over me like that,” she answered with a small annoyed huff. 

Walter eyed the siblings before pointing to the car with his chin. “I’ll wait for you inside.” 

“Speedy, what’s going on?” Oliver said as he guided her toward a small bench by a bus stop. The place was deserted and provided enough privacy to make Thea comfortable enough to share whatever was going on in her mind. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked right away, her arms crossed over her chest. 

“Thea… it’s not like I like sharing my story. I was hoping you’d never find out to be honest.” 

“Do you think I wasn’t strong enough to handle it? Old enough?” 

“It literally has nothing to do with you as a person. The people who know either found out due to circumstances, very much like you, or I had to tell them because I needed their help.” 

“Felicity?” 

“She found out in a very similar way. Tommy found pictures in Malcolm’s… office for lack of better word. I had to tell Walter when you went missing. I didn’t want any of you to see me differently and I also don’t like to talk about it, Thea. It’s not… I might not have been stranded on an island the whole time, and it wasn’t deserted either but believe me, sometimes I wish I had. I brought back a bunch of things that I wish I could have left behind.” 

“Is there… anything else I don’t know?” 

“Not that I can think of,” Oliver frowned. He hadn’t shared every single detail with her, but she had a good knowledge of what his life had been. “Nothing that, as far as I can tell, concerns you directly at least.” 

“Well that’s reassuring,” she snorted as she made a move to walk past him. 

Gritting his teeth, Oliver held her back with a hand on her arm. “Hey. Do you think I could have even imagined that a man I considered a friend would partner up with a family enemy and try to kidnap my girlfriend for leverage, then move to my sister as second choice? Yes there are parts of the story that you don’t know, just like I think there is a bunch of your life that I don’t know about, Thea. Should I have told you about it? I honestly didn’t see a reason why. Mom barely knows herself. It wouldn’t have changed a thing and I don’t owe my secrets to anyone, just like you don’t owe anything to anyone. Unless you want to share with me all the drunken nights you had while I was gone? Tell me, Thea, how many drugs have you tried? How many times have you taken your car out while intoxicated or worse? Do you feel like talking about this with me? Or that time when you trashed a restaurant with your friends?” 

Thea stiffened as her eyes avoided his. 

“No, you don’t,” Oliver continued gently. “And I understand that. I understand that all these memories are linked to pain and to things you’re not proud of and would rather forget. It’s the same for me, Speedy. And if you think I didn’t tell you because I thought you weren’t strong enough, know that I’m not sugarcoating things for you right now, 24 hours after you were held hostage. That should tell you all there is to know about how I see you.” 

 

 

“Oliver, your appointment is here,” Debbie’s voice reached him through the intercom. 

Oliver quickly glanced at his watch, surprised that it was already the end of the day. The future merger between Palmer Tech and Queen Consolidated had quickly made the news and between interviews, meeting with unions and executives and preparing the legal team, his day had been completely crammed. Thea was staying at his apartment and he knew Felicity was planning to get home early to spend some time with her. 

From what he had understood, the evening would involve nail polish and facials, so he had figured he might as well stay at the office and work a few extra hours. 

“Let them in”, he replied as he sat back on his chair, linking his hands on his stomach as he watched the door open. 

“Have a seat,” he indicated to Mark and Mandy who shared a look before sitting down on the chairs opposite him. “It’s been awhile since we last talked to each other, right?” 

“Oliver…” 

“More than three and a half years, actually. Mandy, it was in this very office. Do you remember?” 

Mandy nodded. “Listen, Oliver I have no idea what she told you but-” 

“Tsk tsk,” Oliver said with a fake smile. “Be careful what you’re going to say. I warned you, Mandy. I told you what would happen if you ever said anything to Felicity that was out of line. And what our board member witnessed was way, way out of line.” 

“We thought-” Mark started but Oliver cut him off with a glare. 

“You thought it wouldn’t matter anymore because the company was going to belong to Isabel. I know. I gave you both a chance after last time. Something Felicity actually asked me to do. But you proved you can not be trusted. Your direct boss has been informed that you are no longer needed in this building. Security is waiting for you as we speak to escort you to your desks. Only pack what is personal.” 

“You can’t fire us without good reason,” Mark said. “Unless you want to admit you tried to intimidate Mandy and fired us because of your girlfriend.” 

Oliver raised his eyebrows. “What exactly makes you think I don’t have good, legal reasons? Such as giving confidential information to a rival company in order to facilitate a hostile takeover?” 

Oliver watched as they both blanched. “Did you really think no one would wonder how the press found out about the embezzlement? It wasn’t that hard to trace back to you and Stellmoor International. I’m giving you the opportunity to leave calmly. If you don’t, you’ll be facing charges. Your choice. Either way… you’re both fired, starting today. As you know, QC is heading in a new direction and we can’t afford employees whose loyalty goes to someone else. I’d suggest asking Isabel for a job but I have a feeling she won’t have one for much longer either.” 

Felicity was hell bent on putting Isabel out for good, and he knew without a doubt that whatever she would come up with, it wouldn’t be pretty. 

Once Mandy and Mark left his office, he sent Debbie home as well. He still had quite a few papers to sign and emails to reply to and it was already past eight when he finally left the building, heading straight to the north of the city. The streets were mostly quiet and, as he drove up, he allowed himself to think back on the last couple days. 

Thea and Walter had found out about his three years away… or at least the bigger part of it. He still doubted anyone would ever know as much as Felicity, or even John, but now at the very least every important person around him knew. 

He had fired Mandy and Mark, probably three and a half years too late but at least it was done. 

Felicity and his mother were taking care of Isabel. 

That left him Slade. 

Which was exactly where he was heading. 

Anatoli had kept him in one of the Bratva’s safe houses just outside of Starling. Oliver still didn’t know what was going to happen with him but he was aware he had to face him at least one last time. 

Anatoli’s men had been informed he might show up because they let him in right away, guiding him to a small, dark room. 

“Hey, kid,” Slade welcomed him. “You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t stand to shake your hand but as you can see… my movements are a little limited.” 

Oliver took a chair, pulling it towards the center of the room and sitting on it, observing Slade who was on a bed, his hands cuffed to a long chain apparently fixed to the wall. There was no window, and the comfort seemed minimal. 

“I told you I wouldn’t harm your sister,” he continued as Oliver remained silent. 

“Which is the only reason why you’re still alive.” 

“Fair enough.” 

“Why… why did you even try to get to me by using her?” 

“As I told you, my first plan was the bright Miss Smoak.” 

“My question still stands.” 

Slade let out a humorless laugh. “I had to get you out of the way and also, if possible, get Miss Smoak out of the way. It didn’t work out.” 

“How did you even team up with Isabel Rochev?” 

“Amanda set me free about a year ago. She finally got everything she wanted out of me.” 

“She let you walk away? It’s not her style,” Oliver frowned, remembering she had all but abandoned him back on a deserted island. It was pure luck that he had made it out. 

Slade shrugged. “We came up with a deal. I offered my free and full cooperation if she agreed to let me walk once she didn’t need me anymore. Amanda is weirdly honorable like that. As long as you don’t cause problems for her once you’re out… she is willing to give you a chance.” 

“So you got out of Argus… and?” 

“And I wanted to… settle things with you. But I needed money and… other means. I remembered everything you told me about Queen Consolidated, you know. I had a feeling Isabel Rochev might feel as revengeful as I did. It was easy to locate her in Moscow. Which is ironic when I think of it… I was in the same city as you for all those months and I only found out about the Bratva when you were back in Starling City.” 

“You convinced Isabel to… team up?” 

“It wasn’t that easy. She was suspicious of me but with everything you had told me about your company, and your father’s letter… she quickly realized I was telling the truth. My original plan was to seek out Anatoli, but she kept me from doing it. She wanted a plan. She promised me enough money to start my life over, as well as my own personal revenge.” 

“Slade, I never betrayed you,” Oliver said with a sigh. “Never. Didn’t Amanda tell you?” 

“Oh yes… Amanda Waller, trying to mend fences between two lost friends. I can really see that happening.” 

“Listen, Anatoli can confirm-” 

“He already has,” Slade said in a low voice. 

Oliver remained silent, quietly observing him. There was something different in him, like a tiredness taking over him. “And you believe him, don’t you?” Oliver realized suddenly. 

“He removed a tracker I had in my arm as well. I didn’t even know it,” Slade eventually admitted. “Amanda respected her part of her deal but she made sure to keep a few secrets. Anyway… it’s not important. You wanted to know about Isabel. Once I convinced her, she made me wait. We figured out a plan. Once she’d get back control of QC, she’d be able to give me enough money to disappear wherever I wanted to. I told her I wanted to see you suffer and she promised I’d get to do as I wished. But in due time.” 

Oliver shook his head, something quite not making sense in what Slade was telling him. “I don’t understand… why didn’t you go back to Australia? Your son, does he even know you’re still alive?” 

“He never found out. He didn’t have the time.” 

“What… what happened?” 

“His father went missing, he got in with the wrong kind of friends and no one was there to protect him. That’s what happened, Oliver.” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” 

“No, you didn’t. Because you never tried to find me after you escaped, right?” 

“Slade, I knew Amanda and… you were convinced I had betrayed you.” 

“I’m still working on that,” Slade snorted. “But it’s funny because I had the exact same reaction when I found out that you had made it off of the island yet had not reappeared in Starling. You spent a year telling us about your Felicity yet… you didn’t go back to her. I also didn’t hear about you when I started to approach the Bratva. 

“By the time you were in Moscow, I had made myself very discreet. I had paid my debt and was mostly training new recruits or keeping tabs on buildings… directly for Anatoli. I barely saw anyone else from the brotherhood.” 

“That explains it. I didn’t want to be too obvious and confront Anatoli directly, so I had to… ask around.” 

“You killed several people.” 

“Yes. They’re not too happy about that but I knew if you hadn’t shown up in Starling, you had to have ended up, in some capacity, in the Bratva or their network. There was no way someone like you could hide from the rest of the world with no help. But I found nothing. Meanwhile, Isabel knew things were bound to blow up here in Starling. It was just a matter of time but… it was still taking a bit too long for her liking. Then you miraculously came back to life and even if it made things easier for me, it made them more complicated for her. Two Queens to take down instead of just one. But I figured that if I had waited six months, I could wait a little longer.” 

“She found out about the embezzlement, leaked it to the press to crash our stock,” Oliver summarized. 

“In short? Yes. I had to keep Miss Smoak away because she apparently doesn’t trust her and also because it would guarantee you wouldn’t be there either. Something about a veto. It backfired, I went with option number two. All we had to do was coordinate our attacks and we would both get what we wanted. Money for me, the company for her. Win-win.” 

“And now, what’s the plan, Slade?” 

“You tell me, kid.” 

Oliver looked at him, unsure of how he felt. There was anger, and rage because the man had willingly put in danger the two people he loved the most. But there was also a part of Oliver who couldn’t help but see the friend who had saved his life numerous times. 

Oliver had gotten his second chance… did Slade deserve one too? 

Wordlessly, Oliver stood up and knocked three times on the door, waiting for a guard to open it. 

“You know Anatoli awaits your decision,” Slade said to his back. 

“I know.” 

The door opened and without any more words, Oliver stepped outside, following a guard to another part of the small house. 

Anatoli stood up from the couch where he was sitting with his usual beaming smile. “Oliver. As you can see we took care of him, much better than how we should have, actually.” 

“I saw that.” 

“We both owe a debt to the man, despite his… recent mistakes.” 

“I’m aware of that,” Oliver sighed as he sat down and accepted a shot of vodka. 

“He knows. That it wasn’t you, I mean. His revenge was based on the fact that he thought you had sold him out… and when he found out what happened to his son while he had been stuck with Argus… I believe he wasn’t thinking rationally anymore. But… I think there might still be hope for him.” 

“Would you release him?” Oliver asked in surprise. 

Anatoli’s booming laugh echoed loudly in the room. “Of course not. But he could be useful for the brotherhood until he proves his loyalty. If he fails… I’ll do what I have to do.” 

Oliver nodded, understanding they didn’t have much of a choice. Yes, they both felt some kind of debt towards Slade, or at least towards the man he had been on the island. But he had also crossed a big line, killed members of the Bratva and kidnapped Thea. 

“I don’t think I could live with his death,” Oliver admitted quietly. 

Anatoli remained silent for what seemed a long moment. “You really have changed, haven’t you?” 

“I’ve been back for… more than six months now. I’ve slowly gotten back to my old life and…” 

“And now you don’t see our old ways with the same eye, do you?” 

“No. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me, Anatoli. And for showing up and helping me save Thea and when I called you, I knew how it would end and I didn’t hesitate. But I’ve talked to him and… I can’t tell you to kill him. I just can’t.” 

“As I said… we could use him. See where it leads.”

 

 

 

 

When he walked into his apartment, later that night, it was quiet, with only a few lights on. He made sure the door was locked, the alarm on, then quickly made his way upstairs. The door to his room was slightly ajar and he pushed it open, unsurprised to see Felicity still working in bed. She raised her head and smiled as he closed the door behind him and toed off his shoes before sitting down next to her on the mattress. 

“Hey,” she said when he leaned in to press a kiss on her lips. 

“Hey there. Still working?” 

“Yup. I know that we can’t really go to San Francisco anymore so it's pointless to try to get ahead of work for that but we kinda lost two days, so... now I need to catch up.”  

“You already showered?” 

“Yup,” she replied. 

“You’re sure you didn’t miss a spot?” he winked at her as he stood up and took off his shirt. 

“Nice try,” she said as her eyes traveled over his chest. “But nope. I need to finish this digest or I won’t be able to sleep.” 

She was still reading, scribbling down a few notes every now and then when he walked back in the bedroom, his hair damp from his shower. After setting the alarm clock, he slipped underneath the sheets and scooted close to her until he could snuggle his face on her stomach. He took a deep breath, the smell of her skin soothing him and untying the knots in his muscles one by one. 

Distractedly, she laced through his hair as he rubbed his cheek against her, his thumb stroking a small patch of skin above her panties. 

Her hand left his head and he heard her scribble before she shifted and dropped the small stack of papers on the floor. Her fingers then resumed their lulling dance and he moaned deep in his throat when he felt her nails against his skull. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” she eventually asked after several minutes of blissful stroking. 

Forcing his eyes open, Oliver glanced up to her face before climbing up her body until he could rest his head on her pillow. 

“There isn’t much to say. Anatoli is going to bring Slade back to Russia.” 

“And…?” 

“He’ll have to work off his debt there and hopefully, after… he’ll start a new life.” 

“And you’re OK with that?” 

“Yes. He… Slade… he was hell bent on revenge because of Amanda and also… his son died while he was stuck with Argus. He blamed me for that but… he realized I had been fooled, just like him. I didn’t see any hate or anger left in him when I talked to him.” 

“He also didn’t hurt Thea.” 

“I wouldn’t have been able to even consider letting him live if he had hurt Thea. Or you,” Oliver said coldly. “But I got my second chance and… maybe he deserves one too. Anatoli will keep a close eye on him.” 

Felicity turned her head to face him, her eyes diving into his as her hand cradled his face. She looked at him for long seconds before letting out a small smile. 

“OK, then.” 

“I’ll talk to Thea tomorrow about it.” 

“I think she knows it’s either that or the Russian dudes, her words, not mine, killing him so she won’t be too shocked.” 

“How was she?” 

“Good. She ate half a pepperoni pizza with a strawberry shake so…” 

“Oh God. I forgot she loved that combo.” 

“I have to say I was a bit green in the face. Especially when she washed it down with a hot cocoa.”  

Oliver chuckled before nesting his face right between Felicity’s breasts. “Yep. That sounds like Thea. Sorry, I should have warned you.” 

“Hum… are you comfortable there?” Felicity asked with a hint of a smile in her voice. 

“Hell, yeah,” he mumbled, his lips pressed against her soft flesh. 

He felt her brush a kiss on his head before shifting. The light switched off, making the room pitch dark as she tangled her legs with his, her hand resting softly against the back of his skull. 

He was warm in her arms, his body completely pliant and relaxed as he let his guard down, knowing she’d always be the only one who’d ever make him feel this way. 

“I love you,” she murmured softly as her fingers traced little circles on his neck. 

“Love you too,” he murmured, his hand wandering to her butt. “Could you wear the grey dress tomorrow? With the yellow squares?” 

“We have a meeting tomorrow.” 

“I know.” 

“Oliver…” 

“Debbie has the afternoon off.” 

“Oliver…” 

“I promise I’ll be good during the meeting.” 

“And after?” 

“After, I’m ravishing you.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wonder what's going to happen with Isabel, you'll find out in the next chapter. I am currently writing the last three chapters of this story and I have already cried a little O_O so yeah this is gonna be painful for me lol.
> 
> Concerning SLade, I wanted him to get a second chance. You won't see him again, just know that he'll head back to Russia with ANatoli, work his debt and then try to restart his life somewhere. (My headcanon says he'll go find Shado to let her know what exactly happened to her dad. From now then, you can each decide how it ends for him and her :)) It also allowed me to show how Oliver had changed since his Bratva days and to close that chapter of his life for good. (Yeah... we really are reaching the end ;))
> 
> Mandy and Mark (for those who remember from HGW)finally had what they deserved and Oliver kept his promise ;)
> 
> Next chapter will show more of the Felicity you saw in this one ;)


	47. Run The World (Girls)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Here is the chapter that closes off the Isabel/Slade/kidnapping/take over arc. If you enjoyed Felicity in the last chapter, you should like her in this one too (insert bicep emoji).
> 
> You'll see a few more things are being put in place, hope you'll enjoy them :)
> 
> Song: Run the world - Beyonce
> 
> AAAAAaaaand special thanks to Pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda, as always <3

**"Run The World (Girls)"**  
  


Girls, we run this motha (yeah!)  _[x4]_  
GIRLS!

Who run the world? Girls!  _[x4]_  
Who run this motha? Girls!  _[x4]_  
Who run the world? Girls!  _[x4]_

Some of them men think they freak this like we do  
But no they don't  
Make your check come at they neck,  
Disrespect us no they won't

Boy don't even try to touch this  
Boy this beat is crazy  
This is how they made me  
Houston Texas baby  
This goes out to all my girls  
That's in the club rocking the latest  
Who will buy it for themselves and get more money later  
I think I need a barber  
None of these niggas can fade me  
I'm so good with this,  
I remind you I'm so hood with this  
Boy I'm just playing  
Come here baby  
Hope you still like me  
F- you pay me

My persuasion can build a nation  
Endless power, with our love we can devour  
You'll do anything for me

Who run the world? Girls!  _[x4]_  
Who run this motha? Girls!  _[x4]_  
Who run the world? Girls!  _[x4]_

It's hot up in here  
DJ don't be scared to run this, run this back  
I'm reppin' for the girls who taking over the world  
Help me raise a glass for the college grads

41 rollin' to let you know what time it is, check  
You can't hold me (you can't hold me)  
I work my 9 to 5, better cut my check  
This goes out to all the women getting it in,  
You're on your grind  
To other men that respect what I do  
Please accept my shine  
Boy I know you love it  
How we're smart enough to make these millions  
Strong enough to bear the children  
Then get back to business  
See, you better not play me  
Oh, come here baby  
Hope you still like me  
F- you hate me

My persuasion can build a nation  
Endless power  
With our love we can devour  
You'll do anything for me

Who run the world? Girls!  _[x4]_  
Who run this motha? Girls!  _[x4]_  
Who run the world? Girls!  _[x4]_

Who are we? What we run? The world (who run this motha, yeah)  
Who are we? What we run? The world (who run this motha, yeah)  
Who are we? What do we run? We run the world! (who run this motha, yeah)  
Who are we? What we run? We run the world  
Who run the world? Girls

 

 

Felicity offered a small, nervous smile to the guard before stepping through the security gate.

“This way please,” another guard told her, guiding her to the back of the room.

“There is a lot of security here,” she noted as they walked down an empty hallway. “Well… obviously. I just wasn’t expecting… I don’t know what I was expecting,” she finished sheepishly as she entered a large room, with about a dozen round tables and benches.

Twisting her hands, she sat down opposite Moira Queen.

“Felicity,” she smiled warmly.

“Mrs-”

“Call me Moira. I already told you,” Moira laughed. “I think we’re way past this kind of formality now.”

“Probably, yes,” Felicity answered with a little grimace. “Hum… Oliver said you wouldn’t mind if I visited you and I figured…”

“Of course. Is there something you need?”

“Yes. I mean… no. It’s not the only reason I came. Thea went back to New York and I thought you could use a female visitor every now and then. I’m sorry, I actually should have come sooner.”

“No. Oliver and Walter mentioned that you’ve had a lot on your plate… and it’s about to get even heavier apparently.”

“I guess you could say that,” Felicity nodded, shifting on her chair. Moira Queen had always intimidated her and even seeing her in a beige jumpsuit didn’t diminish her natural aura of authority.

“You really love him, don’t you?” Moira asked softly.

“Is it that obvious?” Felicity smiled.

“Well… putting two hundred million dollars on the table as well as your own company in order to protect his own probably gave you away.”

“And I thought I was being subtle.”

Moira grinned. “I’m glad. I’m so glad he found you and that you both found your way back to each other. It took me a long time to understand my son. I saw him as a mirror image of his father but… the man he has become has very little in common with Robert. And I see it now even more how perfect you are for him. I realized he loved you a long time ago, and loved you in a way I didn’t even know my son was capable of. Deeply, unconditionally. And you love him just the same way. The two of you, together, share a bond that many people never find. It makes you stronger.”

“You lost a part of your company,” Felicity let out in a breath, the main reason for her nervousness finally out in the open. Rationally, she knew that she had done whatever was necessary to make sure QC wouldn’t fall into Isabel’s hands but she was also aware of the fact that even if it was a merger, PT would remain the company with the power. The days when the Queens were ruling were gone.

Moira shrugged a shoulder. “You managed to save its spirit, in a way. Oliver will still be at its head, with you, our employees will still have jobs. I think that's what matters the most in the end. Yes, things are going to change, but maybe it’s for the better. Not to mention… I might have a different perspective now. I think I put too much importance on our legacy, and I should have focused more on what it really meant.”

“I’m worried it won’t be easy to work with Oliver. Every day, I mean.”

“I won’t lie. I remember working with Robert was hard and put a lot of pressure on our marriage. But it was also exhilarating in its own way. And you and Oliver are different. Your situations are different. You are the one holding the power, not Oliver. Also, from what I know, you complement each other. I have no doubt you will naturally find your own balance, your own place. You managed before, you can do it again.”

“Any word of advice?” Felicity asked with a little smile as she rested her hands on the table.

“Yes. Don’t cave in to him.”

Felicity raised her eyebrows. “Hum… what?”

Moira let out a small laugh. “You heard me. Felicity, you are the smartest one. Trust yourself. Don’t put yourself in his shadow. I know it would be more comfortable to let him handle the spotlight, for many reasons, and I’m sure Oliver would naturally gladly shoulder this responsibility for you because he is used to it and he knows you don’t necessarily like it. But you didn’t end up in this position by chance. Own it. Take pride in it. You deserve it. People will easily forget about your achievements and focus on Oliver if you let them. That’s how it goes in this world. Eventually, you might resent him for that. So stand your ground, hold your head high and make sure that the two of you always compromise. Don’t make the mistake I did and be the one to cave in most of the time.”

Speechless, Felicity blinked several times. She clearly hadn’t been expecting that.

“You’re surprised, aren’t you?”

“Well… yes, you could say that.”

“Felicity, I haven’t seen you and Oliver together a lot. But what I saw is that Oliver loves it when you challenge him. And even more importantly… He needs it. That is what made your relationship different from the start. You brought him something he was craving. Don’t lose sight of that. And as for you, you obviously love your work. You deserve to be recognized for what you do. I think it’s the best way to make sure your professional relationship works. And it’s also how you will protect your personal relationship.”

“I didn’t hesitate… with the merger, I mean. But it also scared me… that I didn’t hesitate, if that makes sense. Not that I have doubts about us, at all, but I think I really realized then that-”

“There was very little you wouldn’t do for him and you weren’t sure if you could keep your company a priority?”

“Yes,” Felicity exhaled in relief. “Exactly. I love Oliver, with… all my heart and all my soul but Palmer Tech is my responsibility. I… I can’t forget that.”

“Which is why you offered your own wealth instead of the company’s to shoulder most of the risks, Felicity. I don’t doubt you’ll keep your head cool in the future because that’s already what you’ve been doing. You made sure Palmer Tech wouldn’t suffer.”

  
  
  
  


Her visit to Moira had lifted a weight from her shoulders. Maybe Oliver had been right and she had needed to talk to someone more experienced than her, someone who wasn’t him but who would still understand everything they had been going through. Moira’s words had surprised her to say the least. Felicity hadn’t walked in full of delusions. She knew she was about to ask Oliver’s mother for advice, therefore she wasn’t expecting the same kind of talk she could have had with her own mother for instance.

But Moira hadn’t sided with Oliver. At all.

On the contrary, she had supported Felicity.

She also hadn’t seemed troubled by the fact that Queen Consolidated would never be the same as it used to be. She had seemed to accept it peacefully, mostly relieved that the company was still standing, left in capable hands.

Eventually, their conversation had deviated to Isabel, when Felicity had shared what she had put in place to make sure Robert’s ex-mistress would finally learn her lesson this time. Unsurprisingly, Moira had whole-heartedly approved.

After a brief call to Oliver’s assistant to make sure his schedule was clear for lunch, she made a pit stop at their favorite sushi place, intending on surprising him with an unexpected date. Oliver often prepared her lunch, which she didn’t get the chance to reciprocate a lot seeing as he was always up first and busy in the kitchen before she was even done with her morning shower. She had once told him he didn’t have to do it, that there were a lot of good, healthy possibilities for her right inside the building or around, but he had sheepishly shrugged, admitting he liked doing it for her.

Truth be told, she loved it too.

She had barely stepped out of the elevator, her bag of take-out in one hand, when she heard loud screaming coming from Oliver’s office. She paused then looked for Debbie, who just shrugged with a little wince.

“Do you think I should call security?” Debbie asked as Felicity walked into Oliver’s office.

“Yes. Just have them wait here, please,” Felicity said with a small, stiff smile as she recognized who was in the middle of an argument with her boyfriend.

A small knock and she walked in the room as if she owned it - which she technically kinda did.

Oliver was half-sitting on his desk, hands linked and his face closed off. He looked at her in surprise, causing his interlocutor to stop abruptly in her monologue.

“Oh. Perfect, here she is,” Isabel spat when she turned around. “I know you’re behind this.”

“Behind what?” Felicity asked calmly as she went to stand by Oliver’s side.

“Stellmoor International got word of me spying on a certain company they were planning to buy.”

“Oh?” Felicity exclaimed innocently.

Isabel paused, glaring at her. “Don’t play innocent. I never spied on Queen Consolidated and you know it. This is a set-up.”

“Then why on earth did you come and pay a visit to Oliver before the take-over? Or… the take-over attempt, actually.”

“Because I wanted to offer him an honorable exit.”

“Of course. We all know how generous, fair and  **honorable** you are, Isabel. Why doesn’t Stellmoor believe you?”

Isabel remained quiet, her lips forming a thin line.

“Maybe it is because they know espionage is your kind of thing but as long as no one ever found out, they were OK with it?” Felicity offered. “I mean, obviously I don’t know much but I suspect that someone ready to scheme and manipulate shareholders in order to get a higher position obviously has very few scruples.”

“You know you put that in my laptop. I never-”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Isabel. What I do know though is that karma is a bitch and you shouldn’t expect loyalty when you are unable to give it yourself.”

“You just want your revenge, I get it. But I’ll fight and prove you tried to frame me.”

“No, Isabel, that’s where you’re wrong. The only person driven by revenge in this room is you. It’s always been you. Your own company fired you because they know this is your usual MO. But they don’t want the world to know that.”

“Isabel,” Oliver said suddenly. “I fired Mandy and Mark. Their computers, their phone calls have all been analyzed. We know they informed you of the embezzlement. I don’t think it will take long until we can also prove who informed the press. And we both know once we do, your claims of being framed will crumble.”

“Moira warned you last time. She told you what would happen if you didn’t accept her conditions. Soon enough everyone will know you were fired from two major companies in less than four years. And it’s crazy how rumors spread fast. We kept everything quiet last time out of respect for Robert. We don’t need to do that anymore. Everyone is about to find out who you truly are. Manipulative. Untrustworthy. Unreliable. You’ll be lucky if you manage to be hired to run a call center by the time we’re done with you.”

“You will never be able to prove anything,” Isabel gritted through her teeth.

“You don’t know me very well, do you?” Felicity said calmly, raising an eyebrow. “You already underestimated me twice. I strongly suggest you don’t do it again. Right now you have a choice. Either you accept the consequences of your actions and face the fact that your career as a businesswoman is probably over for good. Or you don’t and try to create problems for us and you will find yourself in jail. We have corporate espionage, attempted murder on my person four years ago, complicity in a kidnapping and extortion.”

Isabel smirked. “We both know Oliver has much more to hide than I do.”

“Isabel…” Oliver smiled coldly. “I do believe Slade told you all there is to know about our years on and off of that island. What do you think will happen if you try to bring to light the existence of a certain government organization?”

“I am not stupid, I wouldn’t-”

“You’re still someone unreliable who knows of its existence. The moment you do something that could compromise it… they’ll know. Want to take the risk? Be my guest.”

“As we speak, Moira has already reached out to all her friends and connections. So has Walter. So has Oliver. So have I. Your name is already blacklisted. Stellmoor knows that if they hire you again, your scheming will be exposed and their reputation will suffer. You have no more allies, Isabel.”

“If you think I am going down without a fight, then you are the one who doesn’t know me very well.”

Felicity nodded. “I knew it would come to that, Isabel. Or should I call you Stacy? See… I found out about Stacy Karev four years ago, more or less. I knew then it was a second identity you had used in order to make your visits to some of QC’s backers discreetly. Do you really think no one kept an eye on both your identities during all these years? No one has heard of or seen Stacy Karev ever since that night when a Russian ambassador was found dead in a hotel room. I’m sure a lot of people would be really interested in finding who she really is… don’t you think?”

“I… I had nothing to do with-”

“I know. His wife was unhappy he was cheating on her, so my guess is… she took matters into her own hands. But… you know who his wife is, right? Her family is involved in some seriously shady business. Not very friendly people. If you want to take the chance and explain your side of the story… I can help you with that. All I need to do is inform the Russian embassy in DC.”

“The United States does not extradite suspects to Russia.”

“Except the crime was committed in the United Kingdom. And I’ll be totally fair with you, I’m completely aware of the fact that they wouldn’t really be interested in a trial in London. Truth be told… as long as you’re out of our lives, I don’t really care what happens to you.” Felicity looked at Isabel, letting her know that she wouldn’t hesitate one second to pull that specific trigger. Moira’s private investigator had managed to dig up quite some dirt on Isabel, and she would use every single weapon she had at her disposal. If Isabel wanted to test her, Felicity wouldn’t hesitate one second, no matter the consequences. She had crossed a line by hiring henchmen, disregarding consequences and uncaring that a nineteen year old girl could have ended up in the crossfire.

Felicity would return the exact same sympathy.

“Isabel,” Oliver sighed. “It’s over and you know it or you wouldn’t be here, in my office. Try to rebuild your life somewhere far away from here and don’t think for one second you’ll be able to blindside us again. If you force me to reveal Slade’s implication, and therefore our common history, you’ll find yourself having to deal with people you’d rather have never met. If you try something against us in the future, we’ll expose your real identity and you have far more to lose in both cases than we do.”

“I know Stellmoor offered you a lucrative severance package. Take it. And this time, accept the defeat.”

Isabel stared at them for a few long seconds. “I made sure Moira would be out of the picture but it looks like another one is taking her place.”

“I am no Moira Queen,” Felicity said with a smile that she knew didn’t reach her eyes. “She gave you a chance and a fair warning even after you went after her family. I won’t show the same restraint. QC is **mine** now and if you try anything against my company or anyone related to it... I will destroy you. And I won’t need a shady organization or a mob family to do the dirty work. Everything will be in broad daylight and legal. But thank you for confirming you were the one who tipped off the FBI about Malcolm Merlyn’s project. I always wondered why it was specified that they should look into the Queen family. You were losing patience, weren’t you? You had your plan, everything was going fine, you just needed to weaken QC and making sure everyone knew they were involved in the project was the perfect starting point.”

“I see,” Isabel said with a small stiff smile, her shoulders straight as she turned around and started walking out of Oliver’s office.

“Security will escort you out,” Felicity said as she opened the door. “And from now on, consider yourself persona non grata on these premises.”

They both watched as one of their bulkier security agents stepped forward, informing Isabel he would personally walk her out of the building. Debbie’s face appeared a few seconds later with a little smile as she closed the door, leaving them alone in the office.

Grinning, Felicity held out the bag of take-out that she still had in hand. “Sushi?”

“Felicity… that was hot as hell,” Oliver said, completely ignoring her question.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m starting to suspect you might have a little bit of a fetish with the whole CEO image.”

“I have a little bit of a giant fetish with the whole CEO Felicity, you mean.”

“Yeah, nope,” she said, holding out her hand when she saw the little glint in his eyes. “I’m hungry. So… answer my question: Sushi?”

Oliver sighed. “Sure. Then I hope to hell you’ll at least tell me what that was all about.”

Felicity shrugged her shoulders as she made her way to the conference room. She quickly washed her hands in the small kitchenette, then grabbed some bottled water.

“I went to see your mom,” she said as she sat down.

Oliver’s eyebrows almost reached his hairline. “Today? W… why?”

“You told me I shouldn’t hesitate if I needed some advice. And I figured seeing a friendly face would be good for her too.”

“And…”

“And I wanted her opinion about what to do with Isabel,” she admitted as she picked a California roll. “I mean I had already pulled the trigger but call it a last minute doubt.”

“The anonymous source that told Stellmoor about the espionnage?”

Felicity cocked her head to the side as she watched him skillfully dip a maki in soy sauce with his chopsticks. “They will never manage to trace back that source,” she eventually said as he licked his lower lip.

“Felicity…”

“Oliver,” she scolded him. “I mean it. It  **was** Isabel’s usual MO. It’s the truth. And they knew it. All I had to do was make sure they were also aware of the fact that someone else knew as well and wouldn’t hesitate to unveil it.”

“But did you plant fake information in her laptop?”

Felicity remained quiet, preferring to eye the second soy sauce covered maki Oliver was about to eat.

He chuckled before reaching over, offering her the sushi between the chopsticks.

“We really need to teach you how to use these, you know.”

“I don’t know. I kinda like it when you feed me.”

“And to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, by the way? Perfect sense of timing as always, though.”

“I wanted to take measurements for the new curtains,” Felicity said cheekily. “I heard it’s the standard procedure when you get ownership of a new building.”

“Hey, it’s a merger,” Oliver rectified.

“And I will be the majority shareholder. Someone once told me that it comes with perks.”

“Like?”

“Like choosing curtains obviously. And also impromptu lunch dates with your boyfriend.”

“Then you won’t hear me complain anymore,” Oliver whispered as he leaned in for a small peck. “I have to admit I also like your new in charge attitude.”

“Your mom told me to… not cave in,” Felicity smiled.

“She did?”

“Yup. So I am working on my assertiveness and my inner badass. I’m afraid you might be my first victim, by the way.”

“Is that so?” Oliver laughed, leaning back in his chair.

“Yes. Your mother specifically mentioned you.”

“You’ve always been very assertive with me. Sometimes even clearly dominant.”

“I know. And she reminded me that I shouldn’t change because it has worked very well for us in our professional relationship.”

“For the record, I don’t mind you being dominant in other circumstances as well,” Oliver winked.

“You mean like last night?”

Oliver let out a low whistle as he rested the back of his head against his chair, a dreamy expression washing over his face. “I mean **exactly** like last night.”

Felicity smiled shyly, remembering far too well how much Oliver had enjoyed the way she had taken charge - up to even tying his wrists to the headboard of their bed. She could still hear his voice begging her to ride him faster and his loud shout when she had let her nails dig a trail down his chest, causing his orgasm to hit. When she had untied him, he had cradled her in his arms in that tender way that never failed to make her stomach flutter, his lips brushing the softest kiss over her forehead and his hand stroking her hair as she nestled against him. The mix of hot, wild, kinky sex with loving, sweet, tender Oliver was probably her favorite aspect of their physical relationship. No matter how naughty they could get, there was such profound respect and love that it always ended up with a massive case of butterflies in her stomach.

“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” Oliver said smugly, correctly interpreting her silence.

“Shut up.” She stuck her tongue at him before reaching for a roll. She let out a smile when she realized they hadn’t eaten together in the conference room in a long time… ever since she had quit, actually. They had spent so many nights having a late dinner while working together back then and she couldn’t deny she felt a warm feeling spreading over her chest when she realized that those days would soon happen again. Sure, being co-CEOs wouldn’t technically happen in a day and they would mostly handle different kinds of responsibilities, which would limit the occasions, but still. They’d get to share that again.

And honestly, she couldn’t wait.

“You missed it too, didn’t you?” Oliver asked softly.

“Yes,” she murmured, her eyes circling the room. “I know it won’t be easy and it won’t be exactly the same but I like knowing we’re on the same team again.”

“When do you have to get back to your office?”

“I had a huge meeting planned with one of our clients but it had to be rescheduled. That’s why I had the time to go see your mom, actually. My afternoon was free of any appointments because of that so to answer your question, I do have work to do but I don’t have to be there at a specific time. Why?”

“I have no appointments either. Maybe we could tour the building? You haven’t met most of our executives yet,” Oliver shrugged. “It will be good for all our employees to meet you as well since you’re technically going to be their new big boss.”

“Co-big boss,” she reminded him.

“Honey, just five minutes with the both of us in the same room and I guarantee you they’ll know who’s wearing the pants.”

Felicity giggled, poking at him with one of her useless chopsticks. “And you’re OK with that?”

“Yup. I’m not my father and… we won’t run our companies like he did. I think it’s good that we each have our own way. Not to mention, I’m actually happy it leaves me time to cook meals for my very demanding girlfriend.”

“Which reminds me I kinda miss my granola bars.”

“Duly noted.”

  
  
  


***

  
  


After a small dessert of fresh fruit, Oliver guided Felicity through each department and service she still didn’t know. There wasn’t much that had changed in the last four years, but it felt like the right thing to do.

Not to mention, he really,  **really** liked the opportunity to spend the afternoon with her.

And also glance at her bottom every now and then. 

Since they had had to cancel their trip to San Francisco, neither of them felt guilty in the slightest for taking their time and enjoying each other.

Well… at least until they arrived to meet the team in charge of their aerospace department.

Then he apparently stopped existing altogether, Felicity’s eyes lighting up like Christmas, and she had even been unable to refrain from clapping her hands like a four year-old when they get promised ice-cream for dessert.

Which is how he ended up fetching her coffee one hour later as she was sitting on a desk, checking on blueprints with a pencil stuck in her ponytail, occasionally scribbling down suggestions while every engineer around her was drinking every single one of her words.

“Ollie,” Sara welcomed him with a smile as she was stirring her own cup of coffee. “How are you?”

“Doing great. Fetching coffee for Felicity.”

“Oh, I heard she was visiting the building! Where is she?”

“Christian’s team.”

“Oh… Ooooh,” Sara repeated with wide eyes. “You’re not getting her back anytime soon, you know? We went for a drink a few days ago and she raved about the new satellite and… something like geo… geostatutory…”

“Geostationary orbit,” Oliver finished for her. “I just had a crash course.”

Sara smiled as she took a sip of coffee. “Christian is either gonna love her or hate her.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he got her flowers while I was gone,” Oliver mumbled, remembering all too well the borderline enamoured looks his chief engineer had been sending to Felicity when he had left to get coffee. “Anyway, I better go in case she needs me to… hold her purse or something.”

Sara laughed. “Poor Oliver. Bred and raised to rule over an empire, now only reduced to bringing coffee.”

“If it’s for Felicity, then I’ll do it gladly,” he smiled shyly. “Seeing her so happy, so fulfilled… it’s just… I don’t know. If it comes to choosing between her happiness or my own, I’ll choose hers every time.”

“That’s love for you. But you know… I don’t think anyone has to choose. I think you two are going to make quite the team and fall into the right balance. Felicity is going to need you to ground her… she had that role with Ray and also with you and she is good at it. But we both know that she is a creative genius and that side of her is only begging to be free. That’s when you’ll have to step up and be the realistic force. That’s your forte, you know. You’re good at being a natural leader, and soon enough you’ll see that your role will be just as necessary as hers. Just my two cents.” With one small bump against his shoulder, she went back to her office, Oliver pondering her words.

There was some truth in what Sara had said. When he had come back from the island, he was fully aware that Felicity had been the one supporting him, putting herself aside to focus on his needs. Then, slowly, it had shifted, Felicity needing his support regarding Palmer Tech and the pressure of her work. And now, she had been once again the strong one, saving Queen Consolidated when he had been unable to. In return, he wanted to shoulder as much as possible to make the transition smooth as could be for her so she could focus on what she loved doing.

They would find their own balance. They always had.

 

“But you could have so many more applications by expanding-” Felicity stopped herself mid-sentence when she saw him walking back in the room.

“You didn’t notice I was gone did you?” he smiled as he handed her a cup of coffee.

She pinched her lips guiltily. “Hum…”

“Come on,” he motioned with his chin. “We still have a few more services to visit.”

“Sure. Of course,” she mumbled as she got up. “Lead, I will follow.”

Oliver nodded, walking through a hallway, passing different offices until he reached the staircase door. Opening it, he gestured to Felicity who followed dutifully after throwing her empty plastic cup in a trash can.

“Up or down?” she asked.

Wordlessly, he pushed her against a wall then lowered his mouth to hers. “You’re very sexy when you talk nerdy, you know that?”

She breathed out a laugh against his lips. “You might have mentioned that once or twice, yeah.”  
  
  
  


***

  
  


“Remind me again why your boyfriend is MIA,” Dig said as he finished pushing her couch into one corner of the room, joining empty shelves.

“Because he’s working on our public statement regarding the change of leadership for QC,” Felicity answered from the kitchen as she was wrapping her plates in old newspapers. “And he also had to deal with HR.”

Dig had offered to help her pack her stuff. She still had more than a month before the end of her lease but didn’t have time to do more than a little at a time. She had finally managed to move all of her clothes and shoes to Oliver’s apartment, but still had to pack most of her stuff, whether it was to take with her, give away or put in the storage room she was renting. Her couch, dining table and most of her furniture would have to go, as well as most of her kitchen appliances. She still wanted to keep a few things, knowing that eventually she and Oliver would move into a bigger place.

In reality, she was unable to let go of her bed and the night stand with the strawberry stain Oliver had left on it.

Her schedule had been surprisingly light, considering the circumstances. Oh, of course she still worked from eight to at least five, usually six, but compared to what it had been at first with Palmer Tech, it was quite a leisurely pace. She knew it had a lot to do with Oliver, who was the one shouldering most of the work concerning the merger. Felicity was only asked for approbation after the negotiations over a certain service were done. It’s not that she was blindly trusting him or avoiding the responsibilities but she couldn’t deny that Oliver was more efficient than she was in that aspect, whether it came to public relations or human resources.

Once most of her plates were all safely inside a box, she grabbed two cold beers from the fridge. “Let’s have a break,” she said as she pulled out a chair to sit at the dining table.

“With pleasure,” Dig breathed as he clicked his bottle against hers. “You usually don’t drink beer, though.”

“It’s cold and right now I’m in the mood for a cold drink,” she laughed. “Thank you again for helping me out. I know I still have plenty of time but I can only get in a few hours every now and then.”

“Anytime. Beside… I might need you to do the same for me shortly.”

Felicity paused, putting her drink back on the table. “You’re moving out too?”

“Yes,” Dig nodded thoughtfully as he started to pick at the label on his bottle.

“Where are you… have you found another place?”

“Not yet but…” he sighed, passing a hand across his face. “Lyla is pregnant.”

Felicity froze, staring at him with wide eyes.  _Whaaaaat?!_

“It wasn’t planned or anything but…”

“Oh my God. Congratulations!” she eventually said with a wide smile as she stood up to give him a hug. “Sorry, I was just caught off guard.”

“Believe me, so was I,” Dig chuckled.

“It’s… wow. Wait. Are you moving to DC?” she asked, feeling a pinch in her heart at the idea of her best friend moving halfway across the country. She was more than happy for him, obviously, but couldn’t deny she would miss him terribly and-

“No. No, we talked about it a lot and Lyla’s family is also in Starling, it makes much more sense for us to live here. We’ll have better support with her mother and her brother than in DC.”

“This is amazing,” Felicity said, feeling the tears burning her eyes as she started to really process the news. “Oh my God, Dig, you’re gonna be a dad! How far along is she?”

“Almost four months. We really wanted to make sure everything was… fine first.”

“Do you already know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“No, not yet.”

“So, of course you need a bigger place. And if possible with an elevator or on a ground floor, because you’re gonna need a stroller, and it’s a nightmare in the stairs. Wait… Lyla, what about her job?”

“She has a desk job now, but she is going to resign when she hits the six month mark so she has the time to settle here. She already put her apartment up for sale.”

“Ok. What about after? If she needs a job, I’m positive we could use her skills, especially if we rebuild our security department.”

“She isn’t planning to look for a job until a few months after the baby is born. She figures that between moving out, looking for an apartment, getting the place ready, she won’t have a lot of time and I’d rather she gets comfortable first.”

“Of course. Well, just keep that in mind for whenever she feels ready to get back to work,” Felicity nodded. “How is she taking the news?”

“She was shocked at first. It took her two weeks before telling me. But she’s happy. We both are. We had started to talk about finding another solution. Traveling the weekends is good for a time but at some point, we wanted to try again, for real. It just sped up the process a little.”

“So you two are in a good place then?”

“Yes. I think… I don’t know but we understand each other much better now. It’s very different from our marriage.”

“Sometimes, it takes a second chance to make things work for good. A few years make us more mature and probably helps us understand each other better as well.”

“You know a little something about that, don’t you?” Dig winked at her before taking another sip of his beer.

“Well, our situations are completely different but I can sense that… I don’t know. I’m stronger now than I was before and I think it makes me much more confident in every aspect of my life, including my relationship with Oliver. I’m not sure it would have been that way if… you know… Even though if I was given the choice, I would never let him get on that boat. But I learned a bunch of lessons.”

Dig looked at her in surprise.

“You know… I told you I had never told him I loved him? Well, actually I did, because he heard me that night on skype but that’s beside the point. I  **thought** he had never heard me say those words and it haunted me. For three years, it haunted me. It made me realize that I shouldn’t hold back, not in love, because it could be ripped away in an instant. That’s why I held on so strongly when he came back. I didn’t let him push me away, I didn’t give up when it got hard because… because I knew what regrets taste like. I don’t want to taste them ever again, not when it comes to him. Oliver needed me to hang on and to fight for us, I think. And I did, when I might not have three years ago.”

“Felicity,” Dig smiled, shaking his head. “You two were already so madly in love, I doubt Oliver would have let you give up in the first place.”

“You might be right, actually,” Felicity giggled before sobering up. “You know when I found out he had been back in Starling and had seen me going into my apartment with Ray?”

“I remember, yeah. I told him you’d be pissed by the way.”

“I was, for sure. But… that night, I felt something. I was closing the entrance door and, something like a shiver made me pause. Thinking back on it, I wish I had listened to myself. I should have walked back outside, I would have seen him and… even though I have him back now, even though we’re so, so happy…” she paused, struggling around the lump in her throat. “I was missing him so much that if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t care about the Bratva or the reason why he was there and I swear to God I would run to him because we don’t know how much time we have left together and… every single day matters to me, now.”

“You lost him once, Felicity. I don’t think the universe would be as cruel as to separate you again any time soon.”

“You think?” she asked with a trembling smile, letting him see the deeply rooted fear that she didn’t allow herself to voice often.

“Dig’s wisdom,” he replied as he raised his right hand. “Results 100% guaranteed.”

  
  
  


The next few days, and weeks, turned out to be more of the same. Dig helped her with her apartment, she helped him make a selection of places to visit, as well as packing some of his own stuff that he knew he wouldn’t need in the next few months. Oliver was spending a lot of time at the office, mostly pulling his weight during the weekends.

As Denis Lewis had warned her, there had been quite a lot of gossip about her decision to buy QC stock and offer a merger, but like she had said, she had been ready to face those rumors head on. There had been a few articles about how she had obviously let her emotions speak, as well as a few more general concerning women in positions of power, and even the local news and a national network had approached the topic. PT’s stock had suffered a little but was now slowly but surely getting back to its normal numbers. And yes, there had been whispers and looks even from inside her company but Felicity had calmly explained her reasons in a long email, inviting anyone who had more questions to directly approach her.

Unsurprisingly, no one had stood up.

It would take a long time before the two companies would eventually become only one, things moving along gradually, one step at a time. In her head, and in Oliver’s, both companies were already one but they were fully aware it would take at least one year, if not two until everything was settled.

She was keeping an eye on Isabel who had moved to Florida, living off the generous severance package she had gotten from Stellmoor International - and Queen Consolidated four years ago. Felicity wished she could have made her pay but was also aware that their hands were tied and this might be the best solution for all involved. She had made sure Isabel had gotten an innocent bouquet of flowers in her new home though, to make her understand that from now on, someone would always watch her movements.

“The last boxes are in the car,” Oliver said as he joined her in the bedroom. “I saw your landlord on the stairs, he said to leave the keys on the counter and give him a call when we are completely done.”

Felicity nodded, looking around the room that seemed much bigger now. Oliver went to check the bathroom one last time, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. She had hired a cleaning crew but they wouldn’t come until the next week, after the whole apartment had been freshly painted.

She closed the windows in the living room, letting her hand brush the sills. It almost seemed like yesterday when she had walked in for the very first time. She had been so young, even if it was only four years ago.

So many things had changed in her life since that day and she smiled when she realized that Oliver had been the one to mention to Dig she needed a good place to live… and was now the man she was officially living with.

“It was a good home,” she said in a small voice.

“Oh, baby,” Oliver whispered as he walked to her, his arms slipping around her waist as he pressed her back against his chest. “It really was.”

“I know it’s ridiculous to feel sad because… I’m so happy we’re going to live together. But it was my first real home.”

“It’s not ridiculous,” Oliver murmured as he pressed a kiss on her head. “We spent your birthday here. And this is where I came after my dad’s funeral. We made love for the first time here. We first cooked together in that kitchen. This is where I came to look for you when I first got back to Starling. Where I realized that maybe… all wasn’t lost for me. We had so many firsts inside these walls, so many moments that I will remember all my life.”

Felicity sniffled as she rubbed her cheek against his bicep.

“But we’ll get a bunch of firsts in our apartment, too,” Oliver continued with a smile in his voice. “Our first packing to go on a vacation together… whenever that happens. Our first fight over whose turn it is to take out the garbage. Our first family dinner for my birthday… your first five orgasms in a row.”

She let out a wet giggle. “Now you’re talking.”

“I’m a man on a mission,” Oliver said unapologetically as he turned her around in his arms, his hands wiping the few tears off her face. “I promise I’ll do everything that I can to give you as many happy memories as this place has given you. And none of the bad.”

“Deal?”

“Deal,” he whispered touching his lips to hers.

She let him kiss her, softly, enjoying what was going to be their last kiss in this home that had seen so many of their moments together. A lot of smiles, of laughter, and also a lot of tears. It was also that that she was leaving behind, the years mourning him finally being put to rest.

“Come on. Let’s go home,” she said quietly when their lips parted.

“You sure? We can stay a bit longer if you want to.”

“You have to start working on these five orgasms,” she winked as she pulled on his hand.

With a laugh, Oliver followed her, locking the door behind them. “What happened to the ‘no way you’ll ever get me to five’ speech you gave me?”

“Weeell… you might have gotten close to your goal once or twice in the last few weeks so…”

Oliver paused in the middle of the stairs. “What?! And you didn’t tell me?!”

“Jeez, Oliver, you were kinda... busy when it happened.”

“Did I leave you hanging? Please don’t answer that question, I’m not sure my ego can take it. Wait no, tell me. I have to know.”

“Oliver, if you made me climax four times, I don’t think I could be considered as unsatisfied,” she rolled her eyes as she opened the entrance door.

“Was it that time on the couch?”

“You’re gonna have to be more specific.”

“I came back from work late, you were reading and I don’t know what happened but you kinda… jumped me,” Oliver mumbled, frowning. “I forgot to ask you but… what were you reading?”

Felicity bit her lips, averting his eyes as they both got in his car. “I don’t remember. A book, probably. And nope it wasn’t that time.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“It was Sunday night. You went down on me, then I was on top, then you were on top.”

Oliver closed his eyes, bumping his fist against the wheel. “You were moaning loudly towards the end. Damn. I’m sorry, baby.”

Felicity couldn’t help but chuckle. “Don’t be silly.”

“By the way, you still haven’t answered my other question. What were you reading?” he asked as he started the car, a small smile playing on his lips.

“I told you… I don’t remember.”

Oliver glanced at her he pulled into traffic. “You are **so** reading kinky books.”

“What?! No, I’m not!” she gasped.

“If I go straight to your Kindle when we get home, what will I find there?”

She huffed, crossing her arms on her chest. “Fine. I was reading His Naughty Secretary. Happy now?” 

Oliver gaped at her before bursting out laughing. “What kind of a title is that?!”

“The kind of title that made me tap you like a maple tree.”

Oliver blinked, his laughter dying as he straightened on his seat. “It's... it's a **great** title.”

He continued driving in silence for a few minutes, his hand automatically reaching for hers to rest it against his thigh. Oliver always did that, as if he was seeking her touch constantly and she was more than willing herself.

“And do you have a lot of books like that?” he eventually asked with a lopsided grin.

Felicity sighed, shaking her head. “ A few.”

“Hum… is there a reason or…”

Pinching her lips, she refused to answer, her eyes stubbornly on the road ahead.

“Felicity…”

“Ugh. I’ve had these books for years. Happy now?”

“When you say for years… Before or after you started working for me?”

Felicity closed her eyes, feeling a deep blush invade her cheeks. “After,” she eventually mumbled.

Oliver hummed but, fortunately for him, didn’t add anything.

It was only once he had parked the car in the garage that he turned around to face her, one arm resting on the wheel, the other on the back of her seat. “You know… it really is a good thing we’re working together again. I think we could have a lot of fun playing with your little boss/secretary fantasies.”

“It’s not… I mean… It’s not the boss/secretary situation that… nevermind.”

“No, come on, tell me.”

“It’s the whole… environment. The clothes too.”

“The clothes?”

“Yes… the men wear business suits… the girls wear dresses with sexy lingerie underneath… it’s all formal and professional until it’s not anymore…”

“That definitely sounds like my kind of things, too,” he whispered teasingly. “Add in a very sexy co-CEO with glasses and killer legs, maybe a small archive room, and I’m sold.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yes, Isabel is out of their life FOR GOOD. Felicity was serious and she wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger at the slightest threat. In a way, Felicity is much, much more hard-will (? right word?) than Moira and she is as fiercely (... again, right word? I'm too lazy to check XD) protective. 
> 
> I was hoping I could write a Moira/Felicity scene, for several reasons. One, it was a nice mirror of the convo she had with Felicity in HGW. Two, it's a way to establish the important both women have, in a way, in each other's life. There is also a deep respect, and it's important too.  
> It allowed me to show how much Moira has changed and grown since HGW. All of my characters have (and I hope you agree, otherwise I did sthing wrong XD) and you will realize that for each and every single one of them before the final dot is... dotted? What is the saying in English?? XD Anyway... before the story ends. I think it's obvious for Oliver and Felciity (duh), but you see that Dig is now ready to face fatherhood, and he, even though it was "offscreen", also addressed his issues concerning his marriage with Lyla and is aware of the mistakes they made. You'll get a little more on him in future chapters but let's be real, Dig was the one who needed the less growth because John Diggle is John Diggle.  
> Thea, you'll get more in the next few chapters as well.  
> Sara was a bit of a wild spirit, but she has some good wisdom to share with Oliver concerning healthy relationship and balance.  
> Etc etc...  
> But back to Moira. In HGW, she was very much a borderline "trophy wife" and was approving of LL because she would fit in a similar role, while pushing for Oliver to step up and take Robert's place. She learned from her mistake: one, she realized how much her marriage was a failure (and even though it is not stated directly, her second marriage with Walter probably helped too), two how different her son was, and that it was a good thing. Now, her advice to Felicity, is actually almost the complete opposite of how Moira was in HGW. She would have encouraged LL to play the part in HGW, but she is very much advising Felicity to NOT do that. Don't fall into the traditional role, because it doesn't fit you, it doesn't fit Oliver and it doesn't fit your couple.
> 
> Dig is going to have a baby!!!! Lyla is moving to Starling! 
> 
> Felicity moved out and yes it was emotional for her (and for me because I legit had a bunch of flashbacks when I wrote the scene). 
> 
> Next chapter will be a little bit lighter, more of a fun chapter, or at least lighthearted. No big scheming or plot, just domestic olicity being domestic and their relationship progressing as they now live officially together (my babies grew up so fast :'( :'()
> 
> xoxo


	48. All Day I Dream About Shh (with you)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> First things first, there are a few important things that happen in this chapter. Not bad important things, good important things.
> 
> Song: A.D.I.D.A.S by Little Mix (thanks for whoever suggested it months ago! Finally used it XD)
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda for their precious help. We're getting there!!

 

 **"A.D.I.D.A.S."**  


 

All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)  
All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)  
They say that it's overrated, well, they ain't doing it right  
All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)

Since I met you I been thinking all day  
I been Googling ways to keep you entertained  
It's been 3 weeks since we started to play  
Now we're serious, babe, 'cause what you do is crazy

I never had somebody who could do them things  
Make me say ooh, ooh, ooh  
So come on, baby, baby, come on pretty, baby  
You're gonna get it tonight

All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)  
All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)  
They say that it's overrated, well, they ain't doing it right  
All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)

Slaving in the kitchen, iced you a cake  
Then I served you a plate, but that ain't what you ate, no  
We been busy doing all Fifty Shades  
While we listen to Drake, we on that hot love and emotion

I never had somebody who could do them things  
Make me say ooh, ooh, ooh  
So come on, baby, baby, come on pretty, baby  
You're gonna get it tonight

All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)  
All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)  
They say that it's overrated, well, they ain't doing it right  
All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)

You got that goodie-goodie and I'm addicted  
I'm on that kissy-kissy, bang bang delicious  
All day I dream about it, baby. So how's about it  
You know I'm all about that  
(all day I dream about, wait, all day I dream about, wait  
All day I dream about, shh) with you

Excuse me, do me or lose me, get me to the bedroom, do your duty  
Milkshake-milkshake, bet you'd like some of that strawberry  
Like a wave gonna come tsunami,  
Wanna take this ride, better hurry  
'Cause me one, you there's a million,  
And they all wanna huh my Brazilian

They say that it's overrated  
Well, they ain't doing it right  
All day I dream about shh with you (you, ooh, ooh, ooh)

 

 

 

 

Felicity rushed inside her apartment, shoving her jacket in the closet by the door and kicking her shoes inside as well. She dropped the bag full of groceries on the counter then quickly made her way to her bedroom to change from her work clothes into something more appropriate.

Tonight was Oliver’s birthday and she had plans for him.

First of all, she had been planning this little dinner party for weeks. Nothing too fancy but it meant a lot to her.

Second of all, for the first time since the Great Disaster of The Pineapple Upside Down Cake of 2006, she was going to bake.

She had sneaked out of the office a few hours early in order to have enough time to make the chocolate-caramel cake she had carefully picked, without Oliver hovering around her and nearing a panic attack every time she got within a foot of his slow cooker. To be fair, the last time she had used it, she had put all the ingredients in it except for the water - a mistake surely everyone made regularly - and seeing it was a pasta dish, it had turned into a layer of burnt goo that had taken forever to clean. She had managed to avoid the fight of the century by doing a strip tease in the middle of the kitchen but ever since then, she was forbidden to even look at it when he was away.

She threw her clothes in the hamper, letting out a huge sigh of relief when she got rid of her bra, and quickly put on a pair of comfy leggings and an overused top with spaghetti straps. Her hair tied in a bun on the top of her head, she washed her hands in the sink of her bathroom, wincing when she saw most of her makeup of the day was gone. She’d have to fix it by tonight, especially since she had carefully picked out her outfit.

It was with a bounce in her steps that she made her way back downstairs, turning the stereo on her favorite radio station to listen to whenever she would do house chores. It was mostly pop music, with a little bit of rock and even though Oliver would always tease her mercilessly about her love for boybands, it was still the best kind of music when you wanted something a little upbeat.

_“I never had somebody who could do them things_

_Make me say ooh ooh ooh_

_So come on baby baby, come on pretty baby_

_You're gonna get it tonight!”_

Felicity grabbed a bottle of red wine, using it as a microphone to hold the note, the other hand high in the air. She had had an appointment at the spa the day before, making sure everything was neat and silky smooth for the second part of the evening - the one that was supposed to happen after their guests had left - and she had even researched one or two positions they still hadn’t tried.

Tonight was such a special night. Not just because it was Oliver’s birthday, an occasion she had thought, not so long ago, she’d only celebrate with sadness and regret, not… cake and sex and more sex and maybe cake  **during** sex. It was also the very first time they would have guests. Together. In their home.

Still singing, she uncorked the wine, pouring herself a generous glass while shaking her butt to the music blasting from the stereo.

Felicity had never been a real fan of cooking, or anything related to the kitchen, but knowing you were doing it for someone you loved made all the difference in the world. What had seemed like a boring chore yesterday now was looking pretty damn easy and pleasantly challenging.

Especially when she was thinking about the happy smile on Oliver’s face when he would see the homemade cake he deserved, and the way he would thank her for her efforts, which would probably involve a few orgasms.

“I’m getting laid tonight,” she sing sang, pouring milk in a saucepan. “My man is gonna ooh ooh me all night long.”

As she was waiting for the milk to warm while setting the rest of the ingredients on the counter, she quickly called Thea.

“Yes, don’t worry, I won’t forget the champagne. It’s in the fridge right now,” Thea said as soon as she picked up. "What time again?”

“I told Dig to be here for seven o’clock,” Felicity said as she closed the fridge.

“OK,” Thea said. “I’ll be here around 6:45 then, so I can help with… what was that?”

Felicity hurried to the stove, shutting down the fire underneath the saucepan full of boiling milk that had spilled all over. “Just… I let the milk boil. No big deal.”

There was a small pause on the phone as she moved the saucepan away.

“Crap!” she hissed as she burnt her hand, dropping the saucepan, which tipped to the side and poured all its contents over the stove.

“Felicity, please tell me you’re not cooking.”

“Of course not,” Felicity sighed, holding the phone with her shoulder as she grabbed a dishcloth to clean up the mess she had just made.

“Oh thank God,” Thea breathed.

“I’m just making the cake.”

There was a small groan on the phone. “Felicity…”

“Thea, it’s nothing complicated. A simple chocolate-caramel cake, I can totally do this. I found it in a book with a kid on the cover.”

“... sure. I… You know what I’ll let you… do your thing. I’ll be there before seven… if you haven’t burnt the apartment down.”

Putting her phone down, Felicity rolled her eyes at Thea’s lack of trust, so similar to her brother’s. Oliver had made her promise to have their meal delivered but… technically hadn’t specified anything about the dessert. And, as she had told Thea, she had found the recipe in a cooking book called “Fun in the kitchen with your kindergartner” so normally… she should be able to manage.

They had been living together officially for a little more than three weeks now, and it had been as blissful as she had thought it would be. Rationally speaking, they had been living together for longer, but there was something to be said about having both their names on the mailbox.

She had even kept the first letter they had gotten from their landlord concerning some work that had to be done on the staircase. A silly letter, really, but seeing “Oliver Queen - Felicity Smoak” on the envelope had made her heart beat a little faster.

Going home now wasn’t just… going home anymore. It was going back to Oliver. It was walking inside their loft, throwing her keys in the large ceramic bowl by the door next to his if he was already there. It was seeing his hoodie on the couch, where she had abandoned it in the morning. It was him making dinner in their kitchen. Or it was patiently waiting for him, working on a few papers until she could hear him open the door and kick off his shoes before calling her name.

And to be fair… it was also having sex in every single possible position. Now that they didn’t have to divide their time between two homes, and seeing as the loft was closer to both their jobs, they were gaining quite some time… and fully taking advantage of the large space. They had been back together for almost eight months now and Felicity had to admit that they were still going at it like bunnies. It had become even worse now actually, the two of them wanting to christen every square inch of their first home.

The fallout with Slade had completely freed Oliver of the last of his guilt and regrets and despite a few nightmares, things had been going smoothly for him.

She had had to face a little bit more tension at work, and a few more nasty articles in the press as well. Fortunately, she had a very good PR team and a few interviews had finally settled everything down. She knew she would be observed closely, but was also aware that her achievements went far beyond Queen Consolidated. She had maintained a professional image through and through, making sure that the advantages for both companies would be presented first and foremost. Things were mostly back to normal for her and she had taken everything as an extra challenge, rather than something to take her down.

That being said, coming back home to a man who looked at you like you hung the moon, the stars  **and** the sun clearly helped build up her confidence as well. Build up her confidence and well… other things. Such as her libido and stamina.

Like a few nights before when he had taken her against the fridge before moving things upstairs and tying her down to the bed before eating her out like she was the last meal he’d ever get. And seeing herself in the mirror on the ceiling, the heat taking over her body, had been… mind blowing.

She was so lost in her daydreaming that she almost overheated the milk again.

“Damn,” she hissed as she grabbed a towel and turned off the stove, blowing on the hot liquid as if it would make the foam disappear faster. “So what’s next… ‘Add the chocolate, stir until completely smooth. Again, ask a grown-up to help you.” OK… easy enough, I’m a grown-up.”

She had just finished her ganache, looking at it with intense pride while licking the spoon clean when her phone rang.

“Hi, hon,” she said with a smile as she picked it up.

“Hi, baby,” Oliver’s warm voice echoed in her ear, the love literally pouring out of the two simple words waking up the butterflies in her stomach. “I’m almost done at the office, I’ll be heading home soon. Do you need me to pick you up?”

“Hum. No,” Felicity said with wide eyes, checking the clock, the butterflies rushing back to where they were coming from, sensing this was clearly not the moment. “Actually… I wasn’t feeling very well so I came back home.”

Grabbing the bowl of ganache, she shoved it in the fridge then threw the saucepan in the sink. She still had to make the cake and bake it and if Oliver was about to leave the office, she’d never be done by the time he’d be home.

“What’s wrong? Do you need me to stop at the drugstore?”

“No, no… I’m fine, I’m fine,” she assured him while opening the bag of flour. “Just a little down, no big deal.”

“I should be home in half an hour.”

Felicity bit her lips. _Thirty minutes. Damn._

“Hum, actually, if you could stop at the drugstore...” she trailed off, trying to buy some time.

“Yes? What do you need?”

“Ibuprofen and… hum…” she mumbled, rolling her eyes as she tried to come up with something that should take him a bit of time. “Can you get me tampons as well?”

There was a little pause on the phone and the sound of sheets being turned. “... Already? I thought you still had… three, four… five days?”

Felicity straightened up, forgetting about the two types of sugar she was supposed to mix in a bowl. “How do- wait, do you keep track of my cycle?!”

“I…” Oliver coughed. “I… not really. I just know you have them regularly and…”

“And…?”

“OK, I usually make a small note on my calendar so I remember to get you ice-cream,” he finally said in a sheepish voice. “You… you’re kinda cranky when you don’t have it, you know.”

Felicity pinched her lips, trying not to laugh.

“I mean I don’t do it creepily,” Oliver continued. “Just… more like in self-defense?”

“It’s OK,” she eventually said, grinning. “Since you’re mentioning it, I know it’s not exactly on your way but could you stop at the ice cream shop on Chestnut Avenue to get me the coconut and chocolate one? Please?”

_That should give me an extra twenty to thirty minutes at least._

“Of course,” Oliver said in obvious relief. “I’ll get you everything you need. Why don’t you go take a little nap?”

“Great idea!” Felicity answered as she measured cups of flour and poured them in a salad bowl, a good quarter of it ending up on the counter. “Crap!”

“What’s wrong?!”

“I… I poked my eye… with… with a tampon,” she blurted out, wincing at how lame her lie was. 

_I really need to work on my excuses._

“... I guess I should let you rest then,” Oliver said hesitantly. “Call me if you need anything else, OK?”

“Sure!”

She hung up, smiling widely at her little subterfuge. She was becoming quite good at manipulating Oliver - only for good reasons like birthday surprises though. And her little scheming should leave her plenty of time to finish and decorate the cake. Her ganache tasted good (she had triple checked) and she had even managed to break the eggs and separate the yolks from the white without making too much of a mess.

Yes, her karma with cooking had shifted today. She could feel it.

_Felicity Smoak, 1 - Kitchen, 26. We’re getting there. I might try the pineapple upside down cake again by the end of the year._

  
  


***

  


Oliver transferred both bags into one hand as he typed in the code for the elevator. Between the pints of ice cream and Felicity’s tampons, his arms were full. As the doors opened, he was instantly welcomed by the smell of chocolate... with a distinct hint of burning.

_Oh no. Ten to one my girl has been cooking._

“Felicity?” he said as he walked inside the loft, his steps slow. “Honey, where-”

He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide as he entered the kitchen.

He saw the counter, full of egg shells, bags of ingredients and dirty dishes. White powder on the floor. More dishes in the sink. A dark brown trail, that he assumed was chocolate, smeared over one of the glass cabinet doors.

Near the stove, on a rack, was the ugliest cake he had ever seen in his life. Some beige frosting was covering it, but he was almost positive Felicity hadn’t let the cake cool long enough because big dollops of topping were currently dropping on the counter. Even from the small distance, he could see crumbs mixed with the frosting, most of the sides almost naked as the creamy icing had melted off and the center seemed to be slowly but surely collapsing.

He put the bags on a stool seeing as the other surfaces were… full. He was shrugging off his jacket when he saw Felicity sitting on the floor, legs straight, her back against one of their cabinets and a bottle of red wine by her side.

She looked at him with wide, exhausted eyes. Her hair was a mess and he was pretty sure there was a piece of eggshell in it. Her forehead was covered in a mixture of flour and chocolate and her T-shirt looked like that of a toddler left alone with paint.

Biting his lips, he looked at her, battling a smile at the dark glare she threw at him.

“Not a word,” she said.

Raising his hands in defense, he silently turned around and put the ice cream in the freezer before picking up the dirty dishes from the counter and setting them in the sink. He put the ingredients back in the cupboards then wiped the surface clean with a dishcloth. Felicity eventually stood up after taking one last gulp of wine - directly from the bottle since apparently the situation had been too serious to use a glass.

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” she pouted as she started to run water in the sink.

“Well… I can honestly say it was,” Oliver grinned as he leaned down to press a kiss on her cheek, his hand resting on the small of her back. “What kind of cake did you make?”

“Chocolate. With caramel frosting. And it would normally have a dark chocolate ganache but it’s still in the fridge because I tried to cut the cake in half and… it didn’t end well. The frosting step really doesn’t look like the picture in the book. It was supposed to be thick and… firmer.”

Throwing one small glance at the cake, Oliver winced as yet another dollop of frosting miserably dripped on the counter with a wet sound.

“I’m sure it will taste great,” he said nonetheless, his arms going around Felicity’s waist.

“I left it a bit too long in the oven,” she winced as she started to clean one of the salad bowls.

“I like my cake well done.”

“I also think I mistook the teaspoon of salt with a tablespoon.”

“... I’m more of a savory kind of guy,” he murmured as he kissed her neck.

Felicity let out a breathless chuckle as he started to nibble his way up her ear. “No funny business, mister. I need to clean the mess I made first.”

With a sigh, he dropped his forehead against her shoulder, squeezing her waist one last time before letting go. He was finishing drying a whisk when her words made him pause. “Hey… did you send me to the drugstore because you really needed it or…”

Felicity looked at him slyly, a little smirk stretching her lips as she rinsed the last bowl. “Birthday sex is safe, Oliver, don’t worry.”

“You little vixen,” he chuckled as he leaned in for a kiss.

“Oliver,” she moaned against his lips. “We need to finish this and… I’m covered in chocolate and you’re wearing a white shirt.”

Regretfully, he let her go with one last peck. He was about to hand her the last salad bowl when he realized there was still frosting in it.

A quick glance confirmed to him that she was done with the rest of the dishes and she was just about to empty the sink when he twirled her around to face him.

“Oliver,” she gasped, her hands dripping with water and foam. “Your shirt!”

With a smug smile, he grabbed the hem of her top, pulling it up upwards until Felicity didn’t have any choice but to raise her arms as well.

“What are you-” she giggled, the sound muffled as the shirt passed her face, revealing what he had guessed as soon as he had seen her sitting on the floor: no bra.

“You probably spent an awful lot of time trying to make my birthday cake,” he said as he lifted her on the counter by the stove. “Least I can do is taste-test it.”

“Oh, yes I can see you’re purely doing it for selfless reasons,” Felicity snorted as she dropped her gaze to his crotch.

“It’s kind of a big turn on to have you barefoot in the kitchen, you know.”

She shook her head, but nonetheless grabbed the frosting and a spoon. “I actually tasted it and it’s not bad, honestly.” She collected a small amount on the spoon, presenting it to his mouth.

Oliver looked at her, cocking an eyebrow. “That’s not what I had in mind.”

Gently taking the spoon off her hand, he lowered it until it reached her breast then, with a small heated glance at her, passed the back of the cold metal on her nipple, making it instantly stiffen.

Felicity let out a small gasp, but he was already covering the little bud in frosting, carefully making sure the pink areola was completely engulfed.

“Perfect,” he smiled, giving her a small wink.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” she murmured.

“We always have time for this.”  
  


 

***

  
  


Felicity smiled, her eyes closing as she laced her fingers through Oliver’s hair. His ragged breath was warm and humid against the skin of her stomach and the only sounds that could be heard were the gentle buzz of the fridge and their little pants as they tried to recover.

“After much consideration, I maintain that the second helping was the best,” Oliver eventually said as he raised his eyes to smile at her.

She giggled, hiding her face behind her hands. “I’m all sticky, now.”

“I made sure to lick you clean, though” he said innocently.

“Shut up,” she laughed just as she felt him press a little kiss on her lower abdomen.

She was lying down on the kitchen counter - obviously - and Oliver had dropped on a stool, his head on her stomach, after his own climax. What had started as a “tittie-test-taste” as Oliver had called it had turned into a full oral sex session with two extremely satisfying orgasms for her. Then of course, she hadn’t wanted Oliver to be left unsatisfied and… well, this was how they were currently in that position.

Oliver eventually stood up then readjusted his pants, the sound of the zipper putting an official end to their activities. “Go get a shower, I’ll start to set the table.”

“Thea said she’d be here around 6:45… which is in less than half an hour,” Felicity said as she bit her lips and let Oliver help her to her feet.

“Don’t worry, she won’t notice a thing,” Oliver winked before getting the sanitizer from under the sink.

Now that their activities were over, she felt a little bit too… naked. Picking up Oliver’s shirt from the floor, she quickly shrugged it on before gathering her own clothes in her arms. She stopped when she saw the two bags full of boxes on the stools.

“What…” she trailed off as she opened them. “Oh my God Oliver, what is this?!”

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck, a slight blush creeping up on his cheeks. “I didn’t… I couldn’t remember which ones you use exactly and… hum…”

Covering her mouth with her hand, Felicity stared at the… twelve, she quickly counted, boxes of tampons.

“I tried to call you, you didn’t reply. Then I tried to text you, you didn’t reply either,” he sheepishly explained. “Do you have any idea how many sorts of tampons there are?”

Slowly, she turned her head to face him. “Yes, Oliver. I do have an idea. Especially since I, you know, buy some every month.”

“Well… I wasn’t aware, OK? And since you weren’t answering, I… whatever. I’m sure you’ll find a use for them, right?”

Smiling, Felicity nodded. “Yes. I’m sure I will. The cardboard ones are actually perfect for nosebleeds.”

Oliver stared at her with wide eyes. “Really?”

“Just kidding,” she giggled as she slapped his butt, walking past him and grabbing her cellphone on the way. “But we definitely need to add another movie to watch together, then.”

She was indeed very sticky from her chest to her thighs and she winced when she climbed up the stairs, feeling her skin stretch awkwardly with each step. She threw her dirty clothes in the hamper before starting the shower, knowing it needed a little time before the temperature could reach a level that didn’t remind her of the Arctic.

Opening her phone, she saw the missed call from Oliver - that she hadn’t really missed to be honest but had been way too busy battling with the electric whisk to take.

As well as about twenty texts.

**Oliver, 4:50PM - Baby, I’m at the drugstore. I know you usually buy Tampax, but… there is like a gazillion kinds…?**

**Oliver, 4:55PM - Damn are you taking a nap? I… I went for a walk and got you some chocolate bars and ibuprofen but I still don’t know… I know you like pink and purple but I assume it’s not just about the colors on the box, right?**

**Oliver, 4:59PM - What the hell? They have pearls in tampons??**

**Oliver, 5:03PM - I had to ask a clerk. He was as lost as I was and said that “it’s all more or less the same, does she prefer big ones, small ones?” and I didn’t know what to say.**

**Oliver, 5:05PM - I can’t believe I’m asking you this but do you usually need a big one?**

**Oliver, 5:07PM - There is a dad who looks even more lost than I am. His daughter just started her first period and his wife is out of town. Oh God. You’re gonna have to give me classes about this stuff. He looks like he’s about to pass out.**

**Oliver, 5:10PM - A nice lady tried to help us but I didn’t understand everything. Do you have a heavy flow?**

**Oliver, 5:12PM - I told her you usually have bad cramps, but I don’t think it helped.**

**Oliver, 5:13PM - I told her you are very cranky too and she glared at me.**

**Oliver, 5:15PM - What the fuck?! Toxic shock syndrome?!?**

**Oliver, 5:16PM - Oh my God baby, did you know about that?? You could die!!!**

**Oliver, 5:17PM - Allan and I decided to buy a little bit of everything. He needed an extra basket because apparently pads are better?**

**Oliver, 5:19PM - It’s your health and I love you and respect you but I was just told there is no toxic shock syndrome with pads.**

**Oliver, 5:20PM - I was also told to mind my own male business so nevermind.**

**Oliver, 5:21PM - The nice lady I told you about isn’t that nice actually.**

**Oliver, 5:24PM - I’m sorry and I know you’re going to say masculinity is so fragile but I couldn’t walk to the cashier with just tampons so I'm also getting a box of XXXL condoms.**

 

She was still laughing when she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her. It was, in a way, completely marvelous to see how Oliver was now, compared to the man who had come back from his three years away.

A small knock on the door alerted her to his presence just a second before his voice reached her. “Hon, can I come in?”

“Yup,” she snickered. “The area is tampon-free, don’t worry.”

He glared at her as he stepped inside, leaving the door slightly ajar. “Not funny.”

“I’ll have to disagree with you on that one. Honey, you were in the Russian mob, how can you even panic over tampons?!”

“I know it might be hard to believe but shopping for tampons wasn’t a part of my initiation.”

Felicity snorted as she put some moisturizer on her face. “They would end up with no one making it at all if it was.”

“Thea is going to be here in less than ten minutes. I finished cleaning the kitchen, and the table is almost set.”

“Awesome,” Felicity replied as she started blowdrying her hair. She wouldn’t have the time to straighten it so a low, messy bun would have to do.

She watched as Oliver got rid of his clothes before splashing water on his face and using a washcloth over his chest and underneath his arms. She almost felt guilty that he was in such a hurry he didn’t have the time to take a shower but the tingling between her legs quickly washed away the feeling. He was almost completely dressed when she stepped out of the bathroom, her hair now fixed.

Smiling, she carefully picked up the lavender dress she was keeping for a special occasion. The skirt was slightly flowy, with a lot of sheer lace including on the top which was covered in small purple leaves. Her shoes were black with high heels, mostly made of thick, solid lace with flowers, leaving her toes and the sides of her feet bare. She had made sure to get a mani-pedi the day before, her nails matching the color of her dress perfectly.

She felt Oliver’s heated gaze on her as she shimmied into a pair of panties, the clear fabric of the top of the dress not allowing a bra.

“Oliver… your tie,” she said with a knowing smirk as he stared at her, his tie hanging limply from his hand.

Making sure to not ruin her hair, she slipped her dress on, wordlessly turning her back to him.

He dropped a kiss between her shoulder blades before zipping her up, much slower than necessary. “I think I like helping you dress almost as much as I like helping you undress,” he murmured.

With a little smile, she turned around and took the tie from his hand, slipping it underneath his collar. “I think I understand the feeling,” she whispered back as she started to work on the knot. “There… perfect,” she added once she was done, smoothing the tie on his chest.

“Can the birthday boy get a kiss?”

“You’re lucky I haven’t put my makeup on yet,” she grinned before reaching up on her toes.

Their lips were still joined when she felt his hand creeping up under her skirt. “Oliver,” she smiled, forcing his hand away.

“I’ve been thinking about my birthday sex all day, Felicity,” he all but whined in her mouth.

“And what exactly did we do in the kitchen not even one hour ago?”

He groaned, letting her go. “You weren’t wearing what you’re wearing right now so it doesn’t really count.”

“Tsk tsk. I’m not ready yet and I’m pretty sure you don’t want your sister to interrupt us.”

She walked back in the bathroom for the finishing touch, sensing Oliver following her. He leaned against the doorframe as she started to apply eyeshadow.

“Hum, by the way, I only have a small present for you. I ordered the real one but it hasn’t arrived yet so… don’t be disappointed, OK? You’ll get the real deal soon.”

Oliver smiled lazily, letting his eyes travel up and down her body. “One blowjob and all is forgiven.”

Smugly, she slowly applied her lipstick, making a show out of it. “I’ll see what I can do about that.”

With a small shake of his head, Oliver walked into the room, a smile playing on the corner of his lips. He waited patiently until she was done then circled her waist with one arm, the other reaching across the counter to grab her cellphone. “I think this is already the best birthday of my life, you know.”

He opened her phone, getting to the camera before snapping a few pics of them in the mirror. “That’s what I’ll remember of it. Watching you get ready in  **our** bathroom, before  **our** guests arrive, in  **our** apartment.”

Felicity let out a small pout that he quickly caught in a picture as well. “You won’t even remember my cake?”

“I’ll definitely remember your frosting,” he murmured as he pressed a soft, lingering kiss on her cheek.

They heard a small bang from downstairs, followed by the clicking of heels announcing Thea had arrived and they smiled at each other before Oliver let go of her.

“Ollie, I’m here!” Thea shouted. “So stop whatever you guys are doing, OK? I’m… I’m walking into the living room!”

They both chuckled as they heard Thea’s obvious relief. “Oh good, you guys are not… oh my God what is… Felicity! I  **told** you not to make the cake!”  
  


***

  


Oliver smiled as he watched Felicity pay the delivery boy for their food.

“I’ll do it,” he said once she started to unpack the bags.

“I can put things in an oven, you know.”

Purposely, he eyed the cake that was still on the counter.

“Right,” Felicity said, letting go of the bags. “Good point.”

He was just done storing the salad in the fridge when Dig arrived, carrying a big box that Oliver recognized from one of the pastry shops nearby.

Dig barely glanced at the cake Felicity had made, shaking his head in resignation. “I told her, you know.”

“We all did,” Oliver chuckled. “Thanks for plan B, though.”

“Anytime.”

Oliver looked at Felicity who started to distribute champagne glasses to all their guests. Walter and Tommy were talking on the balcony, enjoying May’s first warm days while Sara and Thea had mostly been keeping guard on the small buffet of appetizers.

“How are you?” he asked Dig as he leaned back against the counter.

“I’m good. I should be asking you that… you’re officially thirty years old. How are you coping?”

Oliver chuckled as he accepted the glass Felicity handed him with a smile. “Quite good, actually. Getting old isn’t as scary as I once thought it would be.”

“You’ll see it’s often better than we thought.”

“How is Lyla?”

“She is good. She found a buyer for her apartment and should be here full time in less than a month.”

“Still waiting for her to set the nursery?”

“I think she’d have my balls in a sling if I even dared to paint the walls without her.”

Oliver laughed, remembering he had offered to help when they had found their perfect home. A comfy two-bedroom apartment, with an elevator and a lot of light, right in front of a park. The perfect place to have a little one. “Is it starting to sink in?” he asked, knowing Dig had had needed a bit of time to really process the news that he was going to become a father shortly.

“Yes. It helps when you actually move in and see all the baby stuff starting to pile up. It becomes… real in a way. We haven’t told a lot of people yet, but we’re having a girl,” Dig smiled proudly.

Smiling widely, Oliver slapped his shoulder. “Congratulations! And… good luck, I guess?”

Dig laughed as he took a sip of his drink. “I think I’m gonna need it, yes.”

“If you need anything… just ask. I know Felicity already told you that once Lyla wants to get back to work, we’ll help find her a job if she wants to but… for the rest too. If you need a hand to build a bassinet, I’ve been told that I’m actually pretty good at Ikea-assembling, as Felicity says.”

“I won’t hesitate. I actually… might need your help or… advice on something soon,” Dig said in a much more serious tone.

Oliver frowned. “Is there a problem?”

“Nothing that I want to talk about during your birthday party but I’ve been approached by the ADA, concerning the trial.”

“What?” Oliver breathed.

“No, no. Not because of that,” Dig quickly reassured him. “Apparently… one of Merlyn’s goons, you know the ones who were drugged?”

“Yeah?”

“They identified him as the man responsible for the shooting… when Andy died.”

“Oh my God… are they sure?” Oliver asked, knowing that the fact that his brother’s murderer had never been brought to trial had always weighed heavily on Dig.

“DNA confirmed it. The thing is… since they also found drugs in his system, implying he wasn’t in control of his actions, they probably wouldn’t prosecute him with serious charges for the whole project but… there will probably be another trial for the shooting. They wanted to let me know and I’ll have to testify. But it will take a little time. I know they are going to approach the other witnesses and victims as well so don’t be surprised if you get a call.”

“Wow. Are you… are you OK with that? I mean… it has to be a relief but at the same time… how is Carly handling it? And AJ?”

“It was a shock. As much as we wanted to see the son of a bitch pay, they had found a new balance and it just brought them back to that. It’s for the best in the end, but AJ has had a lot of nightmares lately because of that. It just… reopens old wounds, you know?”

“If you need a few days off to take care of them… maybe take AJ camping or something… you do it, OK?”

“It’s not exactly the right time, man. I have several appointments with the Mayor’s office in the next few weeks, not to mention several charities.”

“Hey. If it comes to that, I’ll handle them. Family comes first.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Anytime, right?” Oliver smiled.

  
  


They were all sitting at the dining table, Tommy as far away from Felicity as possible, the memory of their last encounter in his office obviously still fresh in his memory.

“Felicity, I have to say… you might not know how to cook but you’re very good at choosing your caterer,” Sara said as she cut a small piece of salmon.

“Why, thank you. But to be honest, Oliver picked it,” Felicity laughed as she patted his thigh underneath the table.

“Actually, it was Thea,” Oliver corrected her with a small glance at his sister.

“It’s good to know that even after six months away, I still know the good places in Starling,” Thea laughed from the other side of the table.

“Speaking of which, are you back for good?” Tommy asked her. “Your internship is done or will be soon, right?”

Oliver watched as Felicity and Thea shared a small look and he furrowed his brow, wondering what the hell it was about.

“Well… yes my internship is officially over,” Thea eventually said with a small nod.

“... and?” Tommy asked, completely oblivious of the fact that apparently Thea didn’t feel like sharing more.

“It was a successful one,” Felicity chirped.

“That’s good but what are you going to do now?” Tommy continued.

Thea quickly glanced at Oliver before playing with an asparagus stalk on her plate. “I was considering maybe…”

“Yes, Speedy?” Oliver encouraged her.

Willing to give her complete freedom over the topic, he hadn’t asked her any questions of what she wanted to do once the internship would be over, fearing she might think he was trying to influence her. That being said, it didn’t mean he wasn’t curious himself.

“I have actually decided to register at Columbia. For good, not just for a few classes. Walter is helping me, actually,” she eventually said.

“Business administration?” Sara asked. 

“No… I…”

“You seemed to like public relations, didn’t you?” Oliver offered kindly.

“I did but I realized that…” Thea took a deep breath. “I want to study journalism.”

Oliver paused, then took a small sip of water. He was a bit surprised honestly because from what he had seen, Thea had seemed to really enjoy her time in a big company so he had figured she would do something in that field.

“It’s just that… I really liked working on the newsletter and I got to interview people and… I think I like that aspect better? Asking questions rather than being asked I guess,” she finished with a nervous laugh.

Oliver felt Felicity’s hand on his thigh, squeezing tightly. He turned his head to face her and she glared at him, her head tilting in warning.

“And Columbia has a good journalism program?” he eventually asked.

“Yes,” Walter said. “Excellent, actually.”

“Then, congratulations,” Oliver said with a smile as he raised his glass to his sister.

“I haven’t been accepted yet,” Thea said with obvious relief.

“It’s a mere formality, I told you,” Walter assured her.

“I guess that means we only have you for a few months?” Oliver asked.

“Yes. I still have to ask mom for the apartment and… I haven’t told her yet.”

“I’ll go with you,” Oliver promised, sensing how nervous his sister was at the idea of telling their mother about her choice of career.

“Hum,” Felicity coughed. “Between us… based on what she told me, I think she already has suspicions so… no need to be nervous about it.”

Oliver pressed her hand underneath the table as a silent thank you.

_Thank you for reassuring her._

_Thank you for visiting my mother._

_Thank you for having been there for Thea, keeping the promise I had made her._

_Thank you for helping her find her way._

Felicity gazed up at him, a soft smile on her lips letting him know she understood. “Always,” she mouthed.

  
  
  
  


“Rise and shine!” Felicity’s loud and clear voice tore him from his sleep and he groaned, battling to open his eyes.

“Felicity?”

“Right here,” she said just as he felt the warmth of her body pressing against his hip.

“Since when are you up so early… actually since when are you up before me?”

“Since I have a surprise for you.”

Rubbing his eyes, he sat up, checking the alarm clock. 6AM.

Felicity beamed at him as she stood up and he noticed that not only was she awake, she was also apparently ready to go. A pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a hoodie, as well as converse shoes on her feet.

“Are you taking me on a trip?”

“Not exactly… although we do have to drive a bit so… chop chop. We’ll have breakfast on the way,” she smiled as she clapped her hands. “We should be back around lunch time.”

“Aren’t you excited?” he asked as he got up and accepted the cup of coffee she was handing him.

“I’ve been planning this thing for more than a month, Oliver.”

He took several sips of coffee before giving her the cup back and heading to the bathroom. “OK, OK… just give me five minutes, alright?”

Felicity was pacing in the living room once he walked down the stairs and he couldn’t help but stop. “OK, who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend? The girl who threatened to castrate me the last time I woke her up at six o’clock?”

“It’s your birthday,” she smiled as she all but bounced her way to him.

“Technically… it was yesterday.”

“Well yes but… for the sake of my surprise, let’s pretend it’s today, OK?”

He followed her in the kitchen as she poured coffee in two travel mugs. “No, seriously, how many cups of espresso have you had to be this awake?”

Felicity bit her lips. “Four. Can we take your SUV?”

Oliver’s eyebrows reached his hairline. “Why do you… please tell me we’re not going to Ikea.”

“For your birthday? No! I promise! It’s just that we might need the space. I have stuff to take with me.”

She handed him a gallon of water as well as his mug of coffee and he stared at her for a few seconds. “Are we going on a hike? Is that why we had to wear comfortable clothes and shoes?”

“I’m not telling you,” she grinned. “But I’m positive you’ll like it.”

As she had said, Felicity had quite a few things to bring with them. They were in a big travel bag and she refused to let him peek, threatening him with another sex strike if he tried to go behind her back. They drove one hour east, then stopped for breakfast in a diner. He tried to question her but she remained stubbornly quiet, only smiling mysteriously.

“OK, so I’m gonna need you to look inside my purse and grab the scarf,” she said suddenly as they turned right and left the highway. “And then blindfold yourself.”

“Seriously?” he grinned. “ **Where** are you taking me?”

“It’s a surprise,” she said as she patted his thigh. “Now, come on, hurry.”

They drove for a little longer, probably around five minutes or so before he noticed the car slowing down, and finally stopping.

“Can I…?”

“No!”

He heard Felicity open her door then close it and couldn’t help but smile, the excitement building up despite him. He had no idea where they were or why Felicity had insisted he cover his eyes but he couldn’t remember the last time someone had tried to give him a surprise like that and he honestly felt like a kid again.

“Get off.”

“I imagined you saying that in different circumstances,” he said teasingly.

“Shut up and behave,” Felicity chuckled as he closed the door, standing and waiting patiently for her directions.

He felt her hands on his shoulders as she twisted him around, and he paid attention to the sounds around him. They were quite far from the road, because he could only hear the cars from afar. There was a little bit of wind, and the very specific sound it made when it blew in trees.

“You can take it off,” she finally said.

He pulled the scarf off, then paused, looking around him. They were indeed far from the main road, standing in front of what seemed like a farm, or ranch, he wasn’t sure.

“O… K…” he said.

_Are we horseback riding?_

Then he heard them.

Barks.

A lot of them.

They were muffled, obviously coming from inside the building but… they were there.

“Hum… Felicity…”

She looked at him with a gigantic smile on her face, before handing him a small present bag. “Happy birthday, Oliver.”

He opened up the bag then looked at her. “Is that a leash?”

“Yes! Not for you don’t worry…” she pointed out towards the main entrance where he saw a sign he hadn’t paid attention to until then. “Service Dogs - Training Center and Kennel.” 

“They train dogs but not all of them are built to be service dogs. You can adopt the ones that don’t… exactly fit the bill. I figured that with our jobs… we wouldn’t have the time to train a puppy. And we would know his background and general attitude, which might be good for us since it’s our first dog? I mean… we’re probably gonna mess up some stuff, so it’s good if the basics are there.”

“We’re getting a dog?” he said in awe, his mind only focusing on that part. “Today? We’re getting a dog  **today**?”

“Yup,” Felicity smiled. “I know how much you want one and… I think it’s a good time.”

He wrapped her in his arms, lifting her off the ground and twirling her around before pressing a loud peck on her lips. “This is the best birthday ever.”

“Come on, let’s go inside. They have about a dozen candidates.”

He grabbed her hand, entwining their fingers before raising it to his lips.

It wasn’t just about getting a dog - even though he had been thinking about it forever and it was one of those things he had held dear to his heart for years. Ever since he had started picturing himself sharing his life with her, which was about… almost four years ago if he was honest.

He knew what it meant for Felicity. A dog was commitment. It was long term. It was her saying “I know you’ll be around for the next ten to fifteen years and so will I.” From the little girl who had built up a wall to protect herself, always preparing herself to see the men she loved leave or abandon her… it was a gigantic step.

“Mister and Mrs Smoak?” a man in his late forties, wearing an old pair of jeans and a beige button up shirt with a badge on it, said as he opened the door.

“Hum. No. I am Felicity. Felicity Smoak. And this is Oliver Queen,” Felicity said with a little blush as she pointed to Oliver, who all but beamed at the employee.

“But I do not mind being called Mister Smoak. At all,” he said as he shook the hand of the man.

“My name is Winston,” the man smiled before leading them to a small room with a few high tables. “I see that Miss Smoak already sent us your application. You’re looking for one dog, male or female, no preference, right?”

Felicity looked at Oliver who shrugged. “Yeah, it doesn’t really matter to us.”

“Anything specific? As you know, all our dogs are perfectly trained. They’re housebroken, don’t climb on furniture, don’t bark or pull on the leash when you walk them for instance.”

“Hum… no… we live in a loft, but Oliver loves to run and I like walking so… is that good though? I read that as long as they get plenty of exercise, it doesn’t matter but…”

“It’s perfectly fine. All our dogs are gentle by nature, obviously, but some are more comfortable with kids than others. Are there children in the picture?”

“Hum,” Felicity coughed. “No, no kids in the picture.”

“Good.”

“But there will be! In a few years. Probably?” she glanced at Oliver who smiled, his head now filled with pictures of a house with a garden, their children running around and playing with their dog.

“Definitely in a few years,” he confirmed.

“OK, it’s good to know. We have two or three dogs that, even though they are very sweet, are not exactly super enthusiastic with young kids so I always prefer to let people know beforehand. Might as well pick a dog that will fit perfectly in your future family.”

Unable to get rid of the smile on his face, Oliver could only nod. A dog, mentions of a family and Felicity not freaking out… this was turning into the best day in his life. 

“Right. Ready to dive in?” Winston asked, leading them to a backdoor. “They’re enjoying a little stroll in the garden.”

Oliver squeezed Felicity’s hand, feeling oddly nervous. “Ready.”

When they stepped outside, Oliver counted eleven dogs, all minding their own business or playing with random toys. They all seemed adult, but still young and full of energy and not at all shocked to see strangers. The majority were labs, yellow and black, but he also saw a couple of smaller dogs. 

“Oh, God. Now I understand why mom always refused to adopt a dog,” Felicity moaned by his side. “How do you choose? I want them all!”

Winston laughed. “Don’t worry, all of them will find a family very soon. They’re quite happy here too, as you can see.”

Oliver looked at a chocolate lab who was munching on a dandelion while a smaller dog was giving a piece of its mind to a tennis ball. 

“Why did they fail the training?” he asked as he kneeled down to scratch the head of a dog that had gotten close to them.

“Oh… some are a bit too shy. Some are too easily distracted to concentrate on their job. A few are just too lazy to be service dogs. We have one who really doesn’t like cats and despite our best efforts keeps on trying to chase them.”

Oliver was about to stand up, the dog having apparently decided they weren’t interesting enough when a big ball of yellow fur literally came out of nowhere and almost slipped in its hurry to get a good petting, crashing at Oliver’s feet.

“And others are just… very social and enthusiastic,” Winston finished. “It’s hard to get them to work when they just want to cuddle and show you love. And when I say you, it’s mostly anything with two legs. Or four.”

Oliver laughed as the dog sat down, its tongue hanging from its mouth as it tilted its head back to give Oliver the biggest surface possible to stroke its fur.

“Aren’t you a good boy?” Oliver said as the dog put his paw on his thigh.

This earned him a small proud bark.

“And a smart one,” Felicity said as she kneeled down next to him.

Oliver glanced at her, watching her reaction as she started to stroke the dog's head. He wanted the two of them to find the perfect dog for them. Even though his heart was already melting for the big furry cuddler, Felicity also had to fall in love.

“Is this one good with children?” he asked when he saw the bright smile on Felicity’s face probably mirroring his own.

“Yes. He might seem a bit too energetic, but he's a big softie with young kids. He will really need his long walks though, as you can guess. But since you seem to be the athletic type, it might be the perfect match.”

“What do you think?” Oliver asked Felicity.

“He’s scrumptious,” she mumbled as she buried her face in the fur of his neck. “And he seems to like us.”

“What’s his name?” Oliver asked.

“Pickle.”

Oliver shared a surprised look with Felicity who bit her lips, stifling a little “aaww”, her eyes all but begging him.

As if it was necessary, he thought, thinking of their little Big Belly routine.

“Do you guys want to get to know the others?” Wilson asked.

One small glance at Felicity and Oliver was shaking his head. “No. Pickle is perfect.”

Winston asked them to go on a walk with Pickle, just to check if things were comfortable for all involved, then sat with them in order to go through all the obligations and duties of a good owner. He also explained that the fee Felicity had paid was mostly used to cover the cost of training, in order to make sure that people in need could afford to get a service dog.

In the bag Felicity had brought along, there was a large cover for the backseat, as well as a bowl in case Pickle would get thirsty. She had also included a few toys and a blanket from their couch to get him used to the smell of his future home.

“I can’t believe his name is Pickle,” Felicity chuckled as she sat on the passenger seat, letting Oliver drive.

“I’d say it’s pretty spot on, seeing how many pickles you've stolen from me, that you actually got me one for my birthday.”

“I like to pay my debts.”

Oliver laughed, shaking his head. “We need to get him a basket or at least a big cushion.”

They had bought a big bag of food at the center, so they wouldn’t disrupt his disrupt his normal diet but there were still a few things they needed to get.

“I got them. They’re hidden in Thea’s room. I figured we would prefer to spend the weekend with him rather than go shopping.”

“Wait a second… you weren’t waiting for my present, were you? You lying liar who lies!”

Felicity laughed as he pulled out of the driveway. “I've really improved in that aspect, right? I fooled you twice in less than 24 hours.”

“That doesn’t bode well for my future, does it?”

“Nope,” Felicity grinned as she turned the radio on.

Just as he was about to merge onto the highway, Oliver threw a look at the backseat. Pickle was lying down, his face between his paws, eyes already drifting to sleep.

_You’re gonna have a good life, buddy._

  
  


***

  
  


“Good morning, Debbie. Is my dimwit of a boyfriend in his office?”

Oliver smiled at the saccharine tone in Felicity’s voice that reached him through the slightly open door.

“Hum… yes,” Debbie replied with a chuckle. “I guess I should hold his calls?”

“No, no, don’t worry this won’t take long.”

Leaning back in his chair, Oliver tapped his finger against his lips, trying to hide the smile that was already growing.

“Oliver Jonas Queen,” Felicity said as she entered and closed the door behind her.

“Felicity Megan Smoak, what can I do for you?”

Lifting the file she was holding above her head, she stormed her way to his desk. “It’s the third time this week that I've gotten this file on my desk, Oliver. I still haven’t changed my mind. I want the main building to be Palmer Tech’s.”

“I attached a very interesting study about how our top offices offer great sunlight in the afternoon and make your hair golden.”

“I mostly saw your post-it about how there was also enough room to build a spa between our offices and the great advantages you’d get by seeing my naked butt during lunch break.”

“Well, to be fair... I would.”

“Oh, what about the...” she huffed, opening the file and flipping the pages. “There it goes: It would also greatly improve the odds of reaching our beloved number five if we didn’t limit ourselves to the weekends and off-duty hours.”

“Honey, you can’t deny I have a point.”

She glared at him. “We said no more sex at work.”

“ **You** said no more sex at work. I just said we needed to lock the doors.”

Felicity rolled her eyes. “There are locks at PT, you know.”

Oliver frowned. “But this one is bigger.”

“Yes, but still not big enough. I’d like to keep all the executives and support staff there, and move our engineers and researchers here.”

“Well if that’s what’s really bothering you, we could have a spa at PT and make my office smaller. I’m not picky.”

“Ugh!” she groaned, throwing the file on his desk. “If I get this file on my desk one more time, not only there won’t be a spa, but also you won’t get me in a shower for one week straight.”

“Hey!”

“I mean it, Oliver.”

With one last warning glance, she turned around, walking back to the door in a decided, angry gait.

With a small sigh, he cocked his head to the side, watching her hips swaying, her perfect ass so perky and arrogant, the firm globes of flesh teasing him as she-

Felicity’s outraged gasp made him snap out of it. “What the… Oliver, did you… No… you didn’t!”

His eyes snapped up to her face guiltily. “No, no, I didn’t,” he said automatically.

Narrowing her eyes, she let go of the door handle, taking a few steps forward. “Did you make sure I’d show up in your office just so you could take a good look at my butt?”

Avoiding her eyes, he pinched his lips. “... no?”

“Oliver!”

“Felicity you’re wearing **that** dress!”

She looked at him, her mouth dropping open. “Oh my… I was wearing the zipper dress on Monday when I got this file… Then on Tuesday, when I was wearing the one with the slit and… Oh my God, Oliver!”

“... It was torturing me to know you were wearing them and not getting to see you in them,” he mumbled.

“Why didn’t you come to my office then? Not to mention it’s one of the perks of, you know…  **living together**!”

“Hum… Felicity, honey, don’t get mad but-”

“That might be a tiny bit too late.”

Oliver winced, continuing. “When you’re angry, you walk… in a very specific way… and your butt is just… I mean it looks amazing,” he finished dreamily, half tempted to ask her to leave his office just to get another good look.

“Ugh!” she huffed as she opened the door. “I’m wearing pants for the next ten days or so, that will teach you!”

“What? No!” he cried out, jumping from his chair. “Felicity, it’s almost June, it’s too hot to wear… hum when you say pants, does that include your skinny jeans?”

“Not that… not that I have anything to say about what you wear,” he added sheepishly when Felicity threw him the Death Glare.

“Good. Does that also mean I won’t get this file or any of the likes waiting for me on my desk anymore?”

“I can make that promise under one condition.”

“You’re in no place to make that kind of demand, Oliver.”

With a smile, he circled his desk and was by her side in an instant. “I just want a kiss,” he murmured, his eyes dropping to her lips just as his finger stroked her jaw. “Haven’t had one since this morning and… it was just a peck.”

He could see the anger quickly vanishing as she obviously battled a smile. “Maybe it’s because you didn’t deserve more than a peck?”

“That’s not what it sounded like when you moaned my name last night. Twice,” he murmured in her ear before dropping one small, teasing kiss underneath her jaw.

“It… it doesn’t count. I was on top and… doing all the work,” she breathed just as she tilted her head back, wordlessly encouraging him.

“I’m pretty sure a certain part of my anatomy was at least partially responsible.”

She blinked her eyes open, gulping visibly before taking two steps back. He followed her with a wolfish smile, only stopping when he saw his assistant from the corner of his eyes.

Debbie looked at him, her mouth twitching as she picked up her purse and her cellphone. “I’m going to take my lunch break,” she said wisely. “I’ll be back in thirty…” she trailed off, eyeing them and the way Felicity was purposely avoiding her eyes. “I’ll be back in forty five minutes,” she corrected.

Oliver stared at Felicity, his lips lifting in a little smirk as he saw Debbie walking to the elevator as if the devil was chasing her.

“I’ll never be able to look at your assistant ever again.”

“ **Your** assistant saw my naked ass so… you’ll manage,” he smiled as he leaned in for a kiss.

One hand firmly on her butt, he pulled her back towards his office, mentally high-fiving himself. What he had hoped would be a small session of butt-staring was turning into office sex.

Felicity stopped him, pulling on his tie and breaking away from the kiss.

“What…?”

She offered him a small, devilish grin as she kept on pulling on his tie, walking backwards. “We never really christened the archive room. Not the way we should have, at least.”

He followed her with a beaming smile, making sure to lock the door behind them before attacking her mouth with his lips.

It was the second time they were having sex at work. Well… that month. Felicity had taken over Moira’s office a few weeks before, dividing her time between the two headquarters and of course, they had such a good memory of the bathroom that they had to relive it. There had also been that time in Oliver’s conference room but that had been interrupted by Debbie - thankfully no one had been naked yet.

Banding an arm around her waist, he lifted her and pressed her against his body, his tongue invading her mouth just as her arms went around his neck. He carried her until they were stopped by a small table then he put her back on her feet, their lips still joined.

Felicity’s hand roamed over his chest, palpating the muscles and letting her nails dig into the flesh. He shivered, her touch as always enough to bring his entire body to life.

One hand cradling her face, he tilted her head to deepen the kiss, exploring her mouth and drinking in her small breathy moans.

“This is so not what I had in mind when I offered a merger, for the record,” she panted when they finally parted.

Oliver passed his hand over her thigh, pushing her dress out of the way as his thumb stroked small circles on the sensitive flesh inside. “Isn’t a merger about getting the best of both worlds?”

Felicity let out a small chuckle that ended on a moan when he palmed her breast through the fabric of her dress. He could feel her tight nipple straining against the top and he shifted on his feet, his arousal straining in his pants.

“This is highly unprofessional,” Felicity murmured as she trailed little kisses over his jaw.

Oliver briefly closed his eyes, savoring the sensation of her warm breath over his skin. No woman had ever been able to enflame his senses like Felicity. They might have slowed down a bit, compared to the beginning of their relationship, but they were still extremely active and… hungry for each other. His body constantly called hers, the touch of her skin, the taste of her lips and he knew, down in his soul, that it would always be that way. Maybe not as wild and passionate, maybe not as raw but… this constant call he felt, it wouldn’t die anytime soon.

He wouldn’t let it. It was more than sex and pleasure for him. It was a constant reminder that they were both there, alive. Together.

“Where did you go?” Felicity asked softly, nibbling on his ear.

“Nowhere,” he whispered before brushing a kiss on her cheek. “I’m always with you.”

“How do you always manage to say the most romantic things?”

“It’s a gift,” he said smugly, cocking an eyebrow. Then, before she could reply, he grabbed her shoulders and twirled her around until she was facing the table.

“Ah,” she said in a small breath as her hands reached out to rest on the flat surface, automatically arching her back.

His face nestled in the crook of her neck, attacking the tender skin, knowing there would be hell to pay for the hickeys he was about leave there.

With rushed hands, he gathered the fabric of her skirt, pulling upwards until it uncovered her panties-covered bottom. Well, panties… it was more like a thong really.

“Damn,” he whispered, his palms already covering the naked flesh.

He heard Felicity’s breathless chuckle as she bowed her head and pushed back against his hands.

The next thing he knew, he was unbuckling his belt and lowering his zipper.

And then, after three years and about eight or nine months - his brain wasn’t really functional at the moment - he finally christened the archive room.

  
  
  


***

  
  


“So we agree, then? We’ll keep offices in both buildings for us, as well as a few empty ones for executives when they visit. PT will be for HR, public relations, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, sales, and so on while we renovate QC to welcome engineers and our scientists.”

“Sounds good,” Felicity nodded sleepily as she burrowed her face in the crook of his arm.

He smiled, his eyes dropping to glance at her. “Fancy a little nap, Miss Smoak?”

“Don’t tempt me,” she yawned.

They were sitting at Oliver’s desk, Felicity on his lap, after their short but oh so satisfying little pilgrimage to the archive room.

“We’ll have to update most of the building. I already asked IT for a budget. They’ll ask each team and we should get an estimation in about a month. We should be able to close one property at the very least within a year. We need to decide which one but I think unions might want to have a say too. I told them we were hoping to let them know by September at the latest.”

“Mmhmmh,” he nodded as he accepted the slice of apple she presented to his mouth.

“Funny how you’re much more cooperative after an orgasm.”

He quickly chewed and swallowed his bite. “It was a great orgasm.”

Felicity smiled as he touched his lips to hers, the tips of her fingers stroking the stubble on his cheeks. His eyes were soft and utterly at peace, full of love as he gazed down at her.

“I think we should head back to work,” he finally whispered. They had finished their lunch and were, unfortunately, running out of excuses to stay together.

She pouted, dropping one last kiss on his lips before leaving his lap. “Are you still OK with meeting the legal team without me?”

“Yup. I know you’re dying to get back to your engineers,” Oliver said as he rolled his chair closer to his desk.

“Yes, there is something I want to try with them concerning the chip. We’ve had issues with stability lately and…” she trailed off, watching Oliver listening to her but also aware she was about to lose him. “And I had an idea about it.”

“Awesome. I’ll handle the attorneys, don’t worry,” he reassured her with a wink.

“Aren’t you the co-CEO of my dreams?” she chirped as she turned around to leave his office.

“Doing my best for sure!”

She could still feel the tingles in her lower belly as she made her way back to her office, knowing that even though, technically, Oliver had gotten what he wanted (and actually more), there had been no loser.

Well, except for her thong, which was currently still in Oliver’s pocket.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have several things I feel like adding.  
> THEY FINALLY GOT A DOG!!!!! I have made sure, throughout this (hum rather long) story that Oliver and Felicity, despite their passionate love story, always tried to keep a cool head for important decisions (well mostly Felicity let's be real). So, I knew this wouldn't happen until they lived together. At first I had considered Oliver getting a dog for Felicity. Then I realized that... symbolically (?right word? XD) speaking, Felicity taking that step was much, much more meaningful in regards to her own issues and her own journey. She didn't get Oliver a dog until they lived together. She didn't get Oliver a dog, she got a dog for *them*. And Oliver is right: for her, it's pretty big.  
> As to the how and the why, my beta, Mysticaldetectivepanda, told me the story of how she got her first family dog as well. And I realized that someone as prepared, thorough as Felicity would consider so many things when it came to adopting a pet, that this would be the perfect solution for them. They both have crazy schedules, they are childless at the moment but hope to have a family one day. Felicity also says "for our first dog", meaning they plan on getting more (maybe even at the same time ;)), etc etc. When you never had a dog before, and you take this kind of decision seriously, you really think it through. "Do I have time to train him the way he needs to? Do I actually know how to?" etc.  
> And the reason I didn't go with the "usual" kennel/shelter (I don't know if there is a difference O_O Is shelter for humans only?), is because Felicity knows they might not have the time/skills to fully train a dog. And it also helps other people, because yes you have to pay for them (and much more than at a kennel), but it's because training service dogs costs a lot, and that money is injected back for people who really need them.  
> In the future, long after STAMTB is over, they will get another dog, a rescue, because Pickle will need a friend to play in that giant ass garden they'll totally have. 
> 
> Pickle! That bloody name XD I wanted something like a "sign". I decided their dog should have a name that would make them go "Oh". I had Ivy in mind, I had Vegas, Elvis, Bellagio and a bunch of others that didn't make me happy, and I was thinking about the things that are special for them and I thought of the pickles Oliver has always given to Felicity ever since HGW, and how she cried her heart out when he did it again after he came back. It's also a goofy name for a goofy dog :)
> 
> Dig: I am not bringing Andy's murder for plot reasons. I am doing it because Oliver has leaned on Dig and it's a good way for Oliver to give back. I also want Dig to get closure :)
> 
> How long will it take their future kids to start cringing everytime their mom wants to cook? I'm thinking it will start as soon as they turn two, two and a half. Poor Felicity. The frosting and the ganache were good, but... well. At least she tried.
> 
> And sorry the archive room smut was cut short XD (I can see some of you chasing me with forks and all that). I would have felt too repeatitive to me for the story itself. But hey there will always be one shots :p


	49. I Bet My Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!  
> OK so this is a long-ish chapter... well not that long but, like for the previous one, a bunch of stuff are happening that you might have been wondering about (or not). 
> 
> Special thanks to pidanka and mysticaldetectivepanda <3<3
> 
> Song: I bet my life - Imagine Dragons.
> 
> Note: I've had this son ready for a chapter, and what I wanted in the chapter, almost ever since I started writing STAMTB. I think it's perfect for Oliver and where he is right now <3<3

**"I Bet My Life"**  
  


I know I took the path that you would never want for me  
I know I let you down, didn't I?  
So many sleepless nights where you were waiting up on me  
Well I'm just a slave unto the night

Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me  
Remember when I broke you down to tears  
I know I took the path that you would never want for me  
I gave you hell through all the years

So I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you  
I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you

I've been around the world and never in my wildest dreams  
Would I come running home to you  
I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth  
There's you in everything I do

Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me  
Remember when I broke you down to tears  
I know I took the path that you would never want for me  
I gave you hell through all the years

So I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you  
I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you

Don't tell me that I'm wrong  
I've walked that road before  
And left you on your own  
And please believe them when they say  
That it's left for yesterday  
And the records that I've played  
Please forgive me for all I've done

So I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you  
I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you

So I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you  
I, I bet my life, I bet my life  
I bet my life on you

 

 

 

 

 

“Thea hasn’t replied to my text,” Felicity said, biting her lip nervously.

“Felicity, he’s fine,” Oliver sighed as he unbuckled his seatbelt as the plane finally stopped on the tarmac. “Maybe she’s on the phone, or watching TV, or maybe she didn’t even realize she had a text from you.”

“But we’ve only had Pickle for a week and we’re abandoning him.”

“We’re not... Felicity, Thea is going to spoil him rotten for two days. I can promise you chances are he’ll want to stay with her when we get back. Not to mention, you know what Winston told us. He is used to different people taking care of him.”

“You didn’t see the way he looked at me when I was packing my suitcase.”

“I think it has more to do with the bag of Skittles he saw you sneak in.”

Felicity folded her lips behind her teeth. “I know you’re probably right.”

“Yes. I am. And… I won’t lie, if I had known we were going to get a dog, I wouldn’t have planned this trip so soon but I couldn’t change it.”

“It’s OK,” she smiled as she patted his leg. “I’m actually excited. You were awfully mysterious, Mister Queen.”

Oliver grabbed their bags then she followed him as they left the jet. When he had told her, a few days ago, that he had been planning a surprise trip for her birthday, she had expected a small weekend in a bed and breakfast. Not that he would take her to a place far enough away that he would have to use QC’s private jet. The trip itself hadn’t lasted long but since it was already Saturday morning and they’d have to be back by Sunday night, it made sense to buy as much time as possible.

“So, where are we going?” she asked once they were both seated in the rental car that had been waiting for them.

“Guess.”

“Hum… OK. Based on where the sun was when we were flying, I think we’re still in California.”

“Good thinking.”

“Well that’s a bit vague,” she noted as he started the car.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Willing to play along, she nodded before trying to find a radio station they both would like. They had been driving for almost twenty minutes when she suddenly frowned.

“This kinda looks familiar,” she said as she watched the sides of the road. They were driving through trees, which was probably one of the most common things in the world, but somehow, there was something tickling her memory.

It was only when they crossed a bridge that she gasped loudly. “Oh my God! Are we going to-”

“Yup”, Oliver smiled. “It’s the corndog festival this weekend. And-”

“We’re so gonna win that thing!”

Oliver laughed. “We’re so gonna win that thing,” he agreed. “We’re also getting the exact same room, by the way.”

“Ooooh,” Felicity squealed. “And I’m sure that you’ll be able to walk in with your head held high since you outdid big bad wolf.”

“There was no way I would have been able to come back if I hadn’t managed to give you at least three orgasms during one intercourse, Felicity. My ego wouldn’t have been able to take another amazed “three orgasms, Oliver. She had three orgasms!” after we had been together for nine months.”

Felicity giggled. “I didn’t sound like that!”

“You did! It was like the man had cured cancer right in front of your eyes.”

“I was tipsy!”

“And I was challenged,” Oliver said with a teasing glance.

Felicity couldn’t help but clap when they drove past the sign that said “Welcome to Ivy Town”, her heart doing a little backflip. She had kept in touch with Victoria, the hairdresser who had peeled Oliver off his serial killer looks, but it was mostly a few emails a year, for birthdays and holidays for instance.

She and Oliver had talked about going back but then he had been missing and presumed dead for three years and she had never entertained the idea to go back without him. Too many happy memories had turned extremely painful and she just never had the courage.

“It’s funny, isn’t it?” she said as they were reaching the bar/bed-and-breakfast-without-the-breakfast-part-because-the-owners-were-usually-too-hungover-to-cook.

“What?”

“We said we would come back here and… here we are. And… I know I used to think that by then we’d have a dog and… we do now.”

“We’re catching up?” Oliver offered with a soft smile just as they pulled into the parking lot.

“Yup.”

Felicity got out of the car and stretched while Oliver grabbed their bags from the trunk. The whole place seemed to be exactly the same. It had that weird, shady vibe from the outside, music was playing, and she could hear loud laughter echoing in the busy building. It was almost noon, so they were probably right in the middle of lunch service.

Oliver dropped the bags by her feet and cradled her face. “There are so many things on my bucket list and I want to do them all with you. I had three years to dream about our life, and that is without counting all the hopes and goals I already had before. I thought for a while that I’d never get the chance to act out on it, mostly because I was quite-”

“Dense,” Felicity finished for him.

“I was gonna say pessimistic, but that works too,” he humored her with a small grin. “Point is… now we’re together and all my fears proved to be pointless. Now all I want is for us to get to do the things we were robbed of. Even if that includes silly things like a corndog festival.”

“That seems like a perfect plan,” Felicity agreed as she pressed his hand in hers.

Oliver leaned in to graze a small peck on her forehead then, still holding her hand, pulled her towards the entrance of the bar. “Now come on, we just have time to grab a bite.”

***

  


“So… you mean you’ve always been a woman?” Danny asked, struggling to open a pistachio.

“Yes,” Felicity sighed, throwing a dirty glare at Oliver.

“And Oliver’s penis is…”

“Perfectly normal.”

“Well a little more than normal, actually,” Oliver grinned as he rested his arm around Felicity’s shoulders.

They had finished their mini-golf tournament and were currently at the bar, waiting for the results and had naturally met up with the same little group from four years ago. Even though it had also meant coming clean with… a bunch of things.

“Damn.”

“You know, we heard about you missing. News reached the town and we recognized you. Victoria told us it had all been a little joke but we weren’t sure if… **everything** had been a joke or not,” Sofia explained gently.

“And so, after three years you were found and everyone had thought you were dead?” Danny continued.

“Yes,” Oliver nodded.

“Wow.”

“It’s not as… amazing as it sounds.”

“You lived like Robinson Crusoe, dude! That’s… wow!”

“I always wanted to be in Survivor. How did you survive? What did you eat?” Fred asked as he sat down at the table with a new round of drinks.

Oliver smiled, sharing a quick glance with Felicity who squeezed his thigh in support. “There were a lot of fruits and plants. I also hunted and fished.”

Ever since he had been back it was the first time he was actually talking about his time away - granted he was mostly lying about it but it still didn’t make him feel as uncomfortable as it used to for some reason. Maybe the fact that Ivy Town was far away from his home, where no one would ever catch on to oddities about his tale, was making things easier.

Even though he had had a cover story about the three years, he had never really used it, except for the paperwork needed to officially bring him to life and to answer a few questions from his family. He had a feeling that, from now on, this would be how he would tell his story. It wouldn’t be the truth, but lying about it didn’t bring up guilt either. This would be the version most people would know and he might as well start telling it now.

“Hasn’t it been hard? To readjust? I mean it took me months after my kids were born to get back in the game at work and you were gone for years and… I mean… wow,” Sofia said as she rubbed her swollen belly. She was pregnant with her and Danny’s third child.

“It hasn’t been easy for sure. But… I had help and… it’s also good to force yourself into some kind of normalcy.”

“Oh come on, guys, enough with that. I’m sure Oliver doesn’t really like talking about this,” Victoria said as she raised her glass. “All that matters is that everyone is in a good place right now, and that Oliver has a good haircut.” 

“Amen!” Felicity said as she picked up her shot and downed it.

 

 

“We are the champions… we are the champions, no time for losers ‘cause we are the champioooooons-”

“Felicity, shhh”, Oliver tried to shush her while guiding her to the stairs.

“Of the wooooooorld,” she finished, dramatically spreading her arms wide and almost knocking him down with her precious trophy.

“I know, honey but it’s three in the morning and people are sleeping,” Oliver humored her as as he took hold of the trophy, afraid she might hurt herself with it.

“Only losers are asleep! And **I** am not a loser, Oliver Jonas Queen!" she said emphatically, spreading a hand over her chest as she proudly straightened her shoulders. "I am a champion! I am the queen of the corn! The queen of the dog! The queen of the corndog!”

“Felicity… please keep your voice down”, Oliver hissed as he rushed behind her as she started to awkwardly climb the stairs on all fours.

“A’right, a’right, a’right,” she mumbled as she slowly made her way to the second floor. “But I’m the queen, Oliver.”

He chuckled, trying to ignore her wiggling butt as he followed her with a hand hovering over her just in case she’d lose her balance.

Fortunately, she remained mostly silent during her climb and he sighed in relief when he finally closed the door of their room.

By the time they had officially announced the winners of the mini-golf tournament, Felicity had already been slightly tipsy. Then she had wanted to celebrate her first title, as well as her birthday and the next thing he knew, he had had to take her down from a table where she had started to dance a weird mix of the Macarena and “I’m a little teapot”.

“Baby, no, no, no,” he said when he saw her starting to climb into bed.

“I’m tired, Oliver.”

“Yes but you still have your shoes on.”

“Why?”

Oliver paused, his hands on her shoelace. “Why what?”

“Why do I have my shoes on, Oliver?” she whined, throwing an arm over her eyes.

“God, you’re gonna have the hangover of the century,” he chuckled as he got rid of her socks.

With relief, he saw that the few things he had asked to be brought up in their room were there and he opened a bottle of water. “Honey, you have to drink a little.”

“You said I had to stop!”

“Alcohol… not water,” he explained patiently as he forced her to sit up. “Now, come on you need to drink at least half of it.”

“You’re so bossy,” she grumbled as she took the bottle from his hand. Still kneeling, he watched as she slowly drank and it seemed to him her eyes started to be a little more focused when she finally handed the bottle back.

He had just put it on the night stand when she threw her arms on his shoulders, her lips landing on his chin.

“Huh? Your lips are prickly.”

“It’s… not my lips,” he huffed out a laugh, his hands on her hips to steady her.

“I love you.”

He smiled as he gazed at her. “I love you too.”

“Good. Because you have to know something, Oliver Jonas Queen. I might be the undefeated queen of the corndog, but one day I’ll also be your Queen.”

“Is that so?” he grinned.

“Yes. I know you’re a bit skittish right now and it’s alright because we have time but-”

“I’m not the skittish one!”

“Yes you are but it’s OK,” she said as she patted his cheek, much harder than she usually did.

He couldn’t help but wince, tilting his chin up to avoid her hand.

“Just so you know, one day, when you’re ready, I’d like your ring on my finger. And mine on yours. I mean my ring on your finger, not my finger on your finger because that would be weird.”

“I… I got what you meant, Felicity.”

“Good. So that’s a plan?”

“That’s very much a plan.”

“Awesome. I need to eat a little something now.”

Wordlessly, he reached on the night stand again, picking up a stalk of broccoli and handing it to her.

She gasped, her hands covering her mouth as she stared at him with wide eyes… wide eyes that were suspiciously starting to water.

“This is so romantic, Oliver.”

He blinked, looking at the green vegetable in his hand.

“You remembered!”

“Hum… yes?”

“You’re the best boyfriend ever,” she cried out slapping the broccoli from his hands and launching herself into his arms. Surprised by the sudden movement, he didn’t have time to adjust his position and ended up flat on the floor, Felicity on top of him and showering his face in kisses.

_Wow. She’s really hammered._

“Felicity… honey… We can’t,” he tried to get her attention as her hands started to sneak down his chest to fumble with his belt. He was about to push her hands away - something that pained him immensely but she was really intoxicated while he wasn’t - when suddenly her weight completely dropped on him. “... Felicity?”

He waited a few more seconds, until a small snore escaped her and he bit his lips, staring at the ceiling. The night was clearly not going to end up how he had originally thought it would.

Standing up and putting her in bed without waking her up asked for a little more finesse than he usually possessed but he managed to tuck her in without waking her up.

Even though he doubted anything less than an earthquake would manage to do that.

Despite the late hour, he found himself unable to fall asleep. Felicity was close to him, her warmth so familiar and intimate, her breath tickling his arm. Unlike the last time they had been in that bed, there was no hesitation or awkwardness. He was holding her close to him, his naked chest against her back, their bare legs tangled.

Everything around him was oddly familiar. The room was almost exactly as he had remembered it, the only things that had changed in four years were him and Felicity.

Back then, he had been a spoiled, rich kid who was still trying to figure out what he wanted in life and how he wanted to achieve it. He had been a twenty-five year old man with a lot of anger inside of him. It had taken him years to acknowledge that but now… now he knew.

He had been angry at his father. For the way he treated his mother, for Isabel. For the man Oliver could see himself becoming too. Yes, he had blamed Robert Queen for his own failures, too. When you’re expected to walk into the footsteps of your father, it becomes easy to forget what makes you a different person. It becomes easy to project your own mistakes on the role model you’ve been assigned. And it becomes even easier to repeat those mistakes when they fulfill a need inside you that you still haven’t named.

Oliver, four years ago, had never found his place. He had always felt like he was the heir… but if he hadn’t been the first born, that place would have been taken by someone else. And he had struggled with that all his life, coping in the most superficial ways, taking example from his own father.

Women. Money.

And yes, Robert Queen hadn’t been the best father. But Oliver had never doubted his love for his son. Not to mention, at the age of twenty-five it was way past time for him to stop copying shady behaviors and start acting like a grown-up.

But for that, he had needed someone to set his head straight. He had needed someone to see him as his own person.

He had needed Felicity.

She hadn’t offered him unlimited admiration and forgiveness, like the other women in his life had, even if that also implied closing their eyes on his misbehaviors.

No. Felicity had called him out and forced him to take responsibility for his own actions and take a stand about what kind of man he wanted to be, disregarding his last name.

Only then, when he had himself decided to change, had she been there. Unconditionally. When he had needed someone the most, she had been right by his side, never hesitating in telling him some hard truths that he desperately needed to hear. Not just because he was needing a moral compass, but because he craved someone to believe in him and to see more than what everybody else saw.

He had once told his mother that he hoped he’d become a better man than his father had been. And he was still trying to. Not to demonize his father, but to keep in mind that the slope was often slippery and you could go from being an honorable husband and father to someone who loses sight of the real priorities very quickly. It might not be the way Robert would have wanted his son to remember him but Oliver was slowly making his peace with that.

His father had made a lot of terrible mistakes, that had cost people’s lives, and almost his own as well. There would be no good in ignoring that in order to commemorate his memory. It would be easy to only focus on the good parts of Robert Queen, the man everyone around him had always admired, the man he himself had looked up to while growing up. But part of becoming an adult yourself was also taking off the rose colored glasses you had concerning your parents.

Oliver had repeated a lot of Robert’s mistakes. But now he knew better.

Coming to terms with that, he finally fell into a deep sleep.

 

Well, until Felicity woke him up a couple hours later with her face buried in his neck and her mouth laving on his throat.

Battling to open his eyes, he blinked as he tried to catch a glimpse of the alarm clock. 6:32. “Felicity?” he mumbled.

“Mmmhh,” was the only answer he got as she threw a leg over his hips to straddle him, her teeth now nibbling on his skin.

Last time he had checked she was passed out drunk, and that was barely three hours ago. Gulping, he forced himself to stay still, thinking that maybe she was having a dream - a very vivid dream, he added in his mind as she ground down on him. His hands on her hips, he tried to stop her, her ministrations already having a very visible, physical effect on him.

“Felicity, honey, you should-”

“I should suck my boyfriend’s dick, that’s what I should do,” she said in a calm, controlled voice as she started to slide down his body.

Oliver’s eyes snapped wide open at her words. _Whoa. OK, she is clearly still drunk as hell because there is no way Felicity would ever- oh fuck._

“Baby, no,” he said through gritted teeth as her little tongue started to tease the head of his cock, her small hand stroking the hardening shaft.

“Baby, yes,” she said in a small mocking voice.

“Felicity, you’re drunk,” Oliver panted as he tried to slip up the bed and avoid her deliciously warm mouth, much to his penis’ chagrin.

“And really, really… **really** horny.”

“It’s… it’s not right,” he insisted, mentally cursing himself for his new sense of honor. Five or six years ago, he wouldn’t have hesitated. A willing woman jumping his bones? Hell, yes. But this was before, and being completely conscious himself, it seemed awfully wrong, like he was taking advantage of an inebriated girl. **His** girl.

Even though, judging by the way she was climbing his lap, she clearly wasn’t the one being taken advantage of.

“I… Felicity, please, stop,” he breathed, moaning low in his throat when she got rid of her shirt and bra.

With one deep breath, Felicity sat back on his legs, looking at him with dark eyes. “Oliver… I’m horny,” she repeated slowly.

“But you’re drunk,” Oliver blurted out.

“So what?” she exclaimed. “Oliver, it’s not like I don’t jump your bones every time I get the chance anyway! Did we go to bed mad at each other? Did I push you away when you tried to touch me? No. So yes, I’m drunk  **and** I want to have sex. With you. In this bed that still squeaks when we move too much. I want you to fuck me so hard we’ll make such a racket that even big bad wolf will cower with his tail between his legs.” She paused to lick her lips. “Pun intended, by the way. See? I’m not too inebriated to make puns!”

Oliver blinked at her, trying to focus on her words. He could see her mouth moving but truth be told his brain had short circuited right along the “fuck me so hard” part. His dick on the other hand seemed to have heard every single word because he was now hard as a rock and digging into Felicity’s thigh.

“Tell you what,” Felicity continued as she stood up, reaching for the wall behind Oliver’s head to keep her balance. Automatically, his hands reached for her hips to help her and he almost swallowed his tongue when he saw her getting rid of her panties. “I’ll be on top. In full control. If you don’t want to fuck my brains out I’ll just do it myself.”

She kneeled back down, one leg on each side of his hips and looked at him. “So?”

“So?” he repeated weakly, his eyes travelling from the stiff little nipples that were begging for his mouth to her hand that was slowly travelling down her stomach until it reached her sex. “Holy fuck,” he groaned when he saw her fingers dipping where he was dying to go himself. She stiffened with a small intake of breath when she brushed against her clit, her head slowly falling back as she opened her fingers in a V, gently caressing the sides of the little bundle of nerves.

She had never done that before. Well yes, when one of them had been away and they had a Skype session but… Felicity had never, so openly, caressed herself in front of him. And to say that it was turning him on like crazy was probably the understatement of the century.

“Felicity… I…” he tried to speak but truth be told he had no idea what he wanted to say. Please go on? Please use my fingers? Please touch me?

“Shhh,” she quieted him, pressing a finger against his mouth and pushing it softly between his lips.

He groaned, loudly, when he tasted her arousal and he lightly bit the tip of her finger as his hands tightened on her hips. He licked her finger clean, his throbbing erection becoming impossible to ignore now.

She gave him a lazy, wicked grin before leaning in and brushing kisses over his chest then his throat while she slipped up his body a few inches, only stopping when her heated folds were in direct contact with his flesh. She shuddered then, before rocking her hips back and forth to rub herself against his length, a small whimper escaping her when the thick head brushed against her sensitive clit.

He could feel her wetness coating him with each stroke and he eventually snapped, his arm banding around her waist as he turned them around until he was cradled between her thighs.

Felicity let out a small surprised gasp, her lips stretching in a pleased smile before her mouth went slack, her eyes closing in pleasure, when he pushed inside her in one thrust, making her slip up on the bed.

“Ah,” she breathed, her legs tightening around his hips, her heels digging into his ass and pushing him forward.

He was already so taunt, so tense from the little show she had given him that his hips set up a punishing pace right away, thrusting in relentlessly, completely uncaring of the loud noise the springs underneath them were making.

Felicity’s hand reached up, pushing back against the wall behind her, her eyes searching for his while her teeth started to dig in her lower lip. He knew she was doing it to keep quiet, to muffle the sounds of the pleasure he was giving her but a part of him, a very primitive part of him to be honest, wanted nothing more to hear her scream it loud and clear, to fill the room with her moans and gasps and all the other sounds he had wanted to hear so badly the first time they had slept together in that bed.

His hips rolling, pushing inside her with deep, hard strokes that made every muscle of his abdomen tighten, he freed her lip, slipping his thumb inside her mouth.

“Suck,” he murmured, forcing himself to focus on the way her little tongue peeked out rather than the silkiness of her walls as he glid inside her.

Which was a mistake since his mind was immediately invaded by the vision of her perfect lips wrapped around his cock, her tongue circling the head like she was circling the tip of his finger.

He wasn’t going to last long if she kept that up.

He pulled out his thumb, his lips already searching for hers as he slipped his hand between their bodies, his lubricated thumb finding the hard, stiff little pearl right above where their bodies were joined. He only had to stroke once, twice, before her thighs tightened on his hips, her walls clamping down on his cock as a long strangled moan spilled out of her lips and right into his mouth.

Her breath was hot and humid against his skin as she burrowed her head in the crook of his neck to muffle the last of her cries as her climax ran its course. He didn’t slow his movements, keeping the same sustained pace, wincing in pleasure at the way her inner muscles were massaging him deep inside her.

He could feel the tremors going through her body as she tried to catch her breath, but the way her fingers were now digging into his side let him know she was still far from sated. Pushing up on his arms until they were straight and he was hovering above her, he looked at the deep blush that had invaded her face and her chest, the sparks that her orgasm had brought to her eyes, the way she was gripping him tightly between her silky thighs and his fingers dug deep into the sheets as he tried to anchor himself. The metal frame of the bed was now starting to squeak, as if the springs were not causing enough of a racket to wake up the whole place. Felicity’s eyes were dark, heavy with pleasure and desire and she licked her lips when a particularly hard thrust caused the frame of the bed to bang loudly against the wall and he realized that, far from being embarrassed about it, the sound of their lovemaking was turning her on.

He felt a drop of sweat glide from his forehead, then saw it drop on Felicity’s chest, falling towards her throat as she arched her back. He could feel the pleasure building in his loins, the tension growing tight as it started to burn so good. Swiftly, he reached out to grip one of her knees, spreading her wider to open her folds to his thrusts so he could brush against the sensitive spot with his pelvic bone, sensing he wouldn’t be able to hold off much longer.

“Felicity,” he whispered frantically, lowering his face to kiss her.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she panted against his lips, both her hands now pressing down on his ass. “I’m almost there.”

One elbow supporting his weight, he slipped a hand underneath her ass, pushing her up to meet his thrusts. Felicity dug her heels in the mattress, rolling her hips against him as she started to climb the wave again, her breathy moans echoing louder and louder in his ears.

He could sense his skin was moist with the exertion but once he heard Felicity’s loud cry of relief when she came for the second time, he couldn’t even feel the burn in his muscles anymore, mesmerized as he was by the blinding pleasure he could see on her face.

The way she was looking at him, the sounds escaping her throat… it was all too much and he lost the last bit of control he still had on himself, and he slid his knees up the bed, moving into a kneeling position as both his arms stretched out to push back against the wall, unable to stop himself from pounding into her and chasing his own climax that he could feel coming at a lightning speed. It took half a dozen furious thrusts, his balls tightening before the pleasure erupted from him in long, satisfying spurts as he shouted her name.

His ears were still ringing with the intensity of his orgasm, his eyes too heavy to open as he hovered over Felicity, his head dropped between his arms as he tried to get some air into his lungs before it finally registered with his brain that he hadn’t been the only one screaming in the end.

Breathless, he opened his eyes in worry, but then closed them again when he saw Felicity’s dazzling smile that told him her scream had been of pleasure.

“Wow,” he panted heavily, still not trusting himself to let go of the wall, his limbs shaking with the aftershocks of his climax.

Felicity looked up at him with a sleepy, utterly sated smile as she all but purred in satisfaction. “Three orgasms, Oliver,” she said with a lazy laugh. “She had three orgasms!”

Oliver let out a breathless chuckle before shakily lowering himself next to her and gathering her in his arms. “And she didn’t fake it!” he added as he brushed the damp skin of her forehead with a kiss.

A loud banging echoed from the other side of the wall. “Now if she could fake sleep I’d like that very much!” someone bellowed from the room next to theirs.

Felicity looked at him with wide eyes, biting her lips in order to keep her laughter at bay even though her cheeks were reddening with embarrassment. Oliver smiled, pressing a quick peck on her nose before forcing himself to a sitting position. “Thirsty?” he asked with a slow caress of her hip.

“Yeah,” Felicity murmured as she gazed up at him.

He went to get a bottle of water on the small table by the window, gulping half of its contents before handing it to Felicity and heading to the bathroom to freshen up a little. He came back with a damp cloth and cleaned up Felicity before putting the now empty bottle in the trashcan.

“We still have a few hours to sleep,” he said quietly as he walked back to her. He put a knee on the bed, climbing next to her… and the next thing he knew, his heart was dropping to his stomach, a loud bang resonating in their room.

Felicity looked at him with wide eyes, completely frozen on spot as they stared at each other for a few seconds before she erupted in a fit of giggles while Oliver tried to keep the metal headboard from falling on her. Trying to keep his own laughter at bay, Oliver looked around him, from a position now three feet lower than it had been a few seconds ago, realizing he had just managed to achieve one of the most noble goals of his life.

After months of going at it like bunnies, he had finally broken a bed with Felicity Smoak.

 

 

 

 

 

“So, how was the little birthday trip?” Thea asked as she joined them with a glass of champagne.

“... Interesting,” Felicity said noncommittally.

“She got so drunk,” Oliver snorted as he took a sip of water. “I haven’t dared to look at my credit card receipt because she left the room in such a state that-”

Felicity gasped at him, a deep blush growing on her cheeks as she cut him off. “Oliver!”

“Hey, it’s true!” he said with a little wink, remembering perfectly how he had had to inform the owners that the bed hadn’t made it through the night.

“Anyway, if you want to leave again before I start college, don’t hesitate. Pickle and I really bonded over Gossip Girl. He seems more like a fan of Serena, but I managed to talk some sense into him. I felt bad dropping him back to your apartment before we even reached the end of season one.”

“I think he’ll survive. I also think he mostly enjoyed being allowed on the couch more than anything else,” Oliver said quietly, narrowing his eyes at his sister.

“He’s so cuddly!” Thea squealed. “Also, Felicity told me she did it too when you weren’t home, so honestly, you should blame her first.”

“Thea!” Felicity protested.

“If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me!”

“Oliver,” Dig interrupted them with a little smirk. “We both know you allowed your dog on the couch when I stopped by to watch the game.”

Felicity turned to face him, her hand on her hip.

“Thanks, Dig,” he said, tilting his head.

“Hey… I’m just trying to get a good start with my new boss. By the way… very nice reception.”

“Thank you,” Felicity beamed at him. “We didn’t want anything over the top but… it was important to show that we all were enthusiastic about this merger and wanted to share that.”

Oliver smiled at the excitement in Felicity’s voice, forbidding himself - for at least the fifteenth time that night - to reach out and let his hand rest on the small of her back. This event was about being professional and even if it was killing him, he would do just that. They had made sure to avoid any kind of PDA and tonight, of all nights, it was really important to make sure they’d maintained that image, especially with the journalists around as well as their board members and other investors. It had taken them long enough to quell the gossips, and they didn’t want tonight to be about their relationship.

Well… at least not until they were back home, obviously.

Or safely hidden in the limo.

As Thea and Felicity left them to mingle a little more, he took the opportunity to talk with Dig about his plans to help Starling City. With everything that had happened, he had slightly lost track of this project, but he was still as committed as ever. Not to mention he had a complete trust in Dig’s work. The merger was complicating things a little, because budgets were now being harder to approve, but with a slight push from Oliver, they had at least been able to open the gym to give teenagers a place to hang and blow off some steam.

There had also been a few internships offered, and Oliver was working hard to make sure similar positions would open at Palmer Tech. Felicity was busy setting up a scholarship in Ray’s name like she had planned to do, and they were considering teaming up and offering one or two of their interns the possibility to pursue a career in technology, making sure that not only it would benefit teens in need, but also people from the city itself.

Oliver had had a couple of meetings with the mayor’s office, trying to find a partnership with the city college as well as several high schools. Dig had been right from the beginning: it was probably best to focus on the future generation rather than put all their efforts into trying to fix what had been broken before. They had to look forward and Oliver felt a responsibility for the unprivileged youth whose lives were tough while his had been made so easy in many ways.

“All in all… they are good kids, Oliver. They just need a goal in life, something that is reachable for them. Once they have that, half of the work is already done.”

“So, no problem with them at all then?”

“No. A few are a bit more… hard-headed but I’m experienced with those cases, as I’m sure you remember,” Dig snorted.

“Hey! I wasn’t… that bad.”

“Let’s just say the situations were slightly different. It’s sometimes hard for them to really believe that someone is offering them a chance and is not going to take it back or let them down. So they build up a wall. It takes time but… they’ll get there.”

“That kid you told me about is still troublesome?”

“Nah,” Dig said with a small wave of his hand. “Well… maybe a little. But he’s always there on time, polite with the other employees. Sometimes a little bit too snarky and proud but he has potential… hey, is that the mayor?”

Oliver looked behind him, spotting the white-haired man immediately. “Yup.”

“He hasn’t seen my friendly face in a while,” Dig grinned as he put down his glass of champagne. “If you’ll excuse me, he promised he’d get me in touch with the firefighter captain for a small visit.”

“By all means,” Oliver smiled, deciding to head to the bar where he could see his sister was waiting for a drink.

He got held up by a journalist for a few minutes and by the time he had made it to the bar, Thea was already deep in talk with a young man. Not willing to play the overbearing big brother, he stood a little to the side, enjoying a little bit of calm. The place was rather crowded, people talking in small groups and waiters taking care of their every need and even though being in a crowd didn’t make him as uncomfortable as before, he still needed a little break every now and then.

“You know, princess, you shouldn’t mix with the peasants,” he heard the young man snicker. “I’m sure you could ask anyone to bring you a drink and they’d do it.”

“Well, yes, probably but I’m also very capable of doing it myself, you know,” Thea answered coldly. “And if I had indeed asked a waiter, I wouldn’t be able to tell you that if you’re here to grab drinks for the small group I saw you with five minutes ago, know that Teddy means white wine when he asks for a glass. And the others are PT employees that I know fairly well and I’m ready to bet you weren’t paying attention or didn’t really care because there is no way in hell Josie nor Lisa would have a Cosmopolitan. They’re Manhattan girls through and through.”

“Like you?”

“Only part-time. Starling is my hometown.”

Oliver watched as the young man corrected his order to the barman, secretly amused to see how Thea had been handling the situation. He was more than aware that not so long ago, she wouldn’t have behaved that way. First of all, she wouldn’t have been hanging around the bar at a work reception, and probably wouldn’t even have cared about the intern next to her, let alone offering her help when he had been borderline rude to her first.

“You know, I used to be an intern not very long ago. And yes, I might be the little sister of your big-boss, but you can be damn sure that where I worked, it didn’t matter. It took me months of just fetching coffee and placing chairs in a conference room before I got more responsibilities. So I suggest you do as I did: grit your teeth. And don’t bite off the hand of the one who’s offering you help.”

The young man looked at her for a few seconds before a small smile stretched his lips, giving him a boyish look. “Alright. I’m sorry, princess. I owe you one.”

“It’s Thea,” she corrected him, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Thea,” he repeated dutifully as he offered his hand. “I’m Roy.”

“Spying on your little sister?” Felicity whispered in his ear, forcing his attention away.

“No,” he turned around with a smile. “I actually didn’t want to intrude but I was already there so… I got stuck.”

“Let me unstick you then.”

“I made that dirty in my head,” he murmured with a little wink.

“Good. Keep that in mind for later,” Felicity grinned as she asked for a glass of water.

“She has grown a lot,” Oliver said quietly, his eyes drifting to his sister.

“Well if by that you mean she talks to boys now, then yes… it’s also been a while, I’m sorry to break it to you.”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “No. Well that too but that’s not what I meant. I read what happened with her in the papers and tabloids… how she was last year and now… she is so mature and responsible. So much more than I was when I was her age.”

“She lived through different things, too. It also shaped her.”

“I’m just happy to see her so… balanced. She seems to be in a good place.”

“I think she is.”

“And so are you,” he added with a smile.

“What about you?”

Oliver took a deep breath, letting his eyes travel across the room. The logos of both companies were visible in several places, and he could spot Dig in deep talk with the mayor and another man. He had once thought he’d never get back to Queen Consolidated but… he was happy he had.

“I really am,” he eventually said. “Good job. Great friends. Amazing girlfriend. Perfect dog.”

“I get amazing but Pickle gets perfect?” Felicity asked in fake outrage.

“He fetches me stuff,” Oliver shrugged innocently.

“But not coffee.”

“We’re working on it.”

“Keep working on it and you’ll end up sleeping in the dog house.”

 

 

 

“Oliver?” Felicity’s soft voice reached him, forcing him back to earth.

He was at his desk, at home, supposed to be working on a report.

Instead he had been staring at the blank screen of his laptop for the last thirty minutes or so, according to the clock.

“Yes?” he said with a small smile as he saw her walk into his office.

“Hum…” she started, twisting her hands. She seemed to make up her mind as she joined him, sitting on his desk to face him. “Oliver, it was my birthday yesterday.”

Oliver frowned. “I… I know that. We went on a little trip two weeks ago for that very occasion. Did you… did you want a small party? I thought you had said you just wanted something relaxing but…” he trailed off, wondering if part of his duty as a boyfriend would have been to maybe organize a surprise party. Maybe when Felicity had said she didn’t want to make a fuss out of it, she had just meant she didn’t want to organize it and was hoping he would do it for her and-

“No, no,” she quickly reassured him. “We had your birthday party, then the reception and we had… a good time in Ivy Town so no that’s not what I meant at all.”

“Are you feeling old now?” he couldn’t help but ask teasingly.

“No, you old thirty year-old man.” She poked him in the arm and he automatically grabbed her hand to drop a kiss on her knuckles.

She took a deep breath, her face now serious and he couldn’t help but stiffen on his chair. “Felicity what’s going on?”

“Oliver… I know my birthday isn’t just my birthday to you,” she eventually said softly.

Oliver let go of her hand, leaning back in his chair. “Honey, I don’t-”

“Wait. Please, Oliver, hear me out.”

He looked at her for a few seconds before nodding.

“I understand and I respect the fact that you don’t want to talk about it. But I’m aware that it’s also the anniversary of your father's death and you don’t have to pretend like it’s not. You know that, right?”

“Yeah… I just… I don’t want to focus on the past. That’s all.”

Felicity reached out, stroking his cheek. “Honey, you’ve been awfully distracted lately. Thoughtful. I know it must play in your head somehow.”

Shrugging, Oliver shook his head. “It’s not… it’s not so much about the day he died.”

“What is it then?”

“I don’t know… I always had this weird… relationship with him as you know. At first I saw him like a God. Then, as I grew up, we started to fight more and more and I couldn’t understand why, since I was trying to be like him so much. Then I finally started to get that I was resenting him for putting me in a position where I would have to follow his lead, yet I was never good enough.”

“And then you started to keep your distance and he passed away.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the last talk I had with him. I said a bunch of things that were harsh, and I know it. I used to feel so guilty about that but… four years later I realize how much truth there was in my words. My father wasn’t a perfect man, far from it. He was a great businessman, an accomplished socialite with a lot of friends and allies… I never doubted he loved us either. But… it seems awful to say it but I’m actually glad I stopped trying to follow his lead. I wouldn’t be where I am right now if I hadn’t and… it’s hard to realize that my last image of him was actually very accurate.”

“It’s never easy to admit your parents aren’t… what you hoped they were.”

“It’s more than that. I know there is a lot of him in me and not just physically. People tell me how much I remind them of him and yet… the best parts of me don’t come from him.”

“I see a lot of him in you, too, you know. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Robert Queen wasn’t an evil man. He made terrible mistakes but in the end he felt remorse and tried to fix things. You’re a natural leader, just like him. You have that aura that draws people to you, just like him. You are smart and driven, just like him. You still have a moral compass that he lost along the way and I agree, from what I know, you became a far better man. But Oliver… I don’t think you should feel bad about that. Isn’t it every parent’s wish to see their child become the better version of themselves? Even if that means accepting their own flaws? Your father never got the chance to really see you, see the man you have become. And that’s a shame because I know for sure that… there is no way he wouldn’t have been tremendously proud to see you become what he never could.”

A small scratching sound came from the door and he leaned on the side, smiling when he saw Pickle walking in the room, not stopping until he was at Oliver’s feet.

“Hi there, buddy.”

With a big sigh, the dog put his head on Oliver’s knee, his eyes clearly asking for a good petting.

“I think he can sense you’re not in a good place,” Felicity whispered as Oliver started to stroke him between the ears.

“I should take him out for a walk. Wanna come with us?”

Felicity smiled as she stood up. “No. I think it’d be good for you to have a little… boy date.”

“What do you say, Pickle? You, me, that lovely greyhound you met at the park last time? Just don’t smell her butt, I told you that’s not how you treat ladies.”

Pickle’s ears straightened at the mention of the word “park” and he let out a small bark, shifting on his paws.

“Oliver…” Felicity said as they were walking down the stairs. “I think… you should go to your father’s grave.”

Oliver licked his lips, gulping. He had never been there, not since the funeral.

“You should tell him how you feel. I know…” Felicity trailed off with a little stiff smile, her eyes darkening in what seemed like pain. “I know it helped me. With you. To tell you things even though… well… it felt good to say what was weighing on me. So… maybe it’s time for you as well?”

 

Oliver went to the park with Pickle. Unfortunately, the greyhound was nowhere to be seen, but his dog comforted himself with a small chubby Pomeranian. At least, he didn’t seem to have a specific type in terms of females.

Without even realizing it, he drove back to the mansion afterwards. He was driving up the driveway when he finally processed where he was. He saw that Thea’s car was there and, judging by Pickle’s enthusiastic tail wiggling, he had picked up her scent as well.

After a few minutes of hesitation, and small impatient whimpers coming from the backseat, he eventually opened the car door and stepped outside. Climbing up the stairs with Pickle trailing behind him, he opened the door, nudging towards the hallway with his chin. “Come on. Go find aunt Thea.”

“Mister Oliver,” Raisa welcomed him with a smile as she was just walking out of one of the sitting rooms.

“Raisa,” Oliver grinned. “Can I leave him with you? I’m just going for a walk.”

“Of course,” Raisa nodded as she watched Pickle running upstairs. “Thea is in her bedroom, do you want me to-”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m pretty sure he’ll get her attention somehow,” Oliver chuckled as he followed his dog, heading straight to his old room. There was something he had stored there that he felt the need to bring with him for some reason.

The walk to his father’s grave seemed awfully long and awfully short at the same time. He wasn’t looking forward to that moment but also knew that Felicity was right.

It was time.

Seeing his father’s name on the tombstone felt like a punch in the gut. There were fresh flowers on the grave, which didn’t surprise him. Thea had been taking care of it much better than he had.

He took the last steps, stopping merely a foot away from the first bouquet of flowers and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Hi, dad.”

It was quiet around him. The sun was bright, and it was a gorgeous day in May. It was peaceful, a little bit too peaceful for the way he was feeling inside.

Sitting down on the grass, he watched the flowers and the tombstone for a few minutes, unsure of what to say, thinking back on the four years his father had missed of his life.

“I… I didn’t marry Laurel,” Oliver eventually said with a little smile. “I know it was your hope but… she wasn’t right for me. And I wasn’t right for her. I tried to honor your wish when you died. Laurel and I were even engaged for a whole… forty five minutes I believe. I think it was my last try at becoming the man supposed to succeed you. I… I stopped afterwards. We found out what you had done with Malcolm. He tried to kill me, and I ended up missing for three years. Long story short but… your actions, the ones you thought were put in place to protect your family ended up almost killing your son and eventually sending your wife to jail. I really blamed you at first. Then I realized you had just made… a lot of mistakes. That you had tried to fix in the end, but it was too late. I’ve been thinking a lot lately. I’m CEO of Queen Consolidated… well co-CEO and the company has changed a lot. Again… directly because of your actions. With Isabel this time.”

Oliver took a small pause, pulling at a few strands of grass. “I don’t… I’m not blaming you anymore. But these are lessons that I intend to learn from. I know I told you I didn’t want to be like you anymore but I’ve accepted that there will always be a little bit of you inside of me. It’s up to me to make sure that that part is the best of you, though. It’s my responsibility now. Not yours. I know that you were disappointed in me… that I wasn’t taking the road you had wanted for me. And truth be told… I’m still probably not on that road. But it’s OK. I like it, dad. It fits me. I’ll never be the second Robert Queen, leading the company the way you had. There is so much that I want out of life and my job, even though I value it… it’s not the biggest part of it. I mostly see it as a way to fix things. I… I don’t want other families to be torn apart the way we have been or… the way you and Malcolm destroyed others. It’s not about leading for me. It’s about trying to make something good out of what you left me. In a way… I have to thank you. I don’t think I would have found my place, really my place, if I hadn’t been confronted by all of that. It’s because of Isabel that I started to fight for the company. It’s because of the project that I started to care for this city. And both are important to me now. I once told mom I would never be at your level when it came to business but that I really hoped I’d become a better man. I felt very guilty when I thought back on those words but… I think I succeeded, dad. And now I’m proud of that. You were not perfect. You made a lot of mistakes that were hard to forgive, but at least thanks to you, now I know the value of what really matters to me. I try to remember that you tried to make things right before you died. That’s the part of you I want to live on with me. And I hope it’s OK.”

“I told you that I broke up with Laurel. The thing is... I met someone else, you know. Well, actually you met her. Felicity. She was my assistant. And I… I fell in love with her. I wish you could have met her, really met her. Mom loves her. So does Thea. I think she would have blown your mind… because she is probably not the kind of woman you ever pictured me with. Felicity is my partner, in every meaning of the word. She is the bright one, the one who is destined to shine even though she doesn’t really know it yet. I used to want to give her the world but now I just want to make sure she never doubts I’m by her side when she shoots for the stars. She saved me. In so many ways, dad and… she’s my whole world. A part of me wonders if you ever had that with mom. I… I don’t think so. Because there is no way you would have ever been able to look at another woman if you had had that.”

Oliver shifted, leaning on the side as he slipped a hand in his pocket. In the sunny light of the day, the diamonds in his palm shone brightly. “I’m going to marry her. Not today. Probably not this year. But one day. And your dreams of passing the company onto me, then onto my son probably will never happen. Or it might… I don’t know. But all my children will understand that what matters in life is not the family legacy. It’s our values. In the end, that’s what you remembered, right? It was too late for you… but not for mom. Not for Thea and not for me. And I finally understood today that your mistakes and your choices put us all in danger but… it’s because at the last moment you remembered what really matters in life that we all eventually ended up on the path we’re on right now. And… it’s a good path, dad. It’s a really good path.”

Oliver took a deep breath, his hands wiping his cheeks.

He felt… more at peace. He had needed to say those words to his father, the harsh ones and the good ones. There were things he had needed to tell him, from son to father, from man to man and even if he hadn’t had the chance before, it didn’t mean it didn’t feel right to do it now.

And yes, he would probably always live with the shadow of his father somehow. But he had accepted it, just like he knew that from now on, he’d focus on the parts that had made him the man he was today. It was time to let go of his guilt and regrets.

He heard Pickle’s paws running on the ground a few seconds before he was by his side, his tongue hanging from his mouth.

“Good boy,” Oliver rewarded him when he sat down next to him.

Pickle sniffed what he was holding in his hand and Oliver chuckled, moving it out of his way. “Oh no. That’s for your mom and I definitely don’t want to explain to her how you ate her engagement ring.”

“Oooh… engagement ring?” Thea said with a little squeal as she joined them.

“Not-”

“Right now,” she finished for him as he stood up. “I know… Believe me… I know. And I get it. I mean I’ve seen how crazy your lives have been and… I understand better now that you just want to… chill and spend your free time watching TV rather than planning a crazy wedding.”

“I don’t think we’d go for an over the top wedding anyway,” Oliver smiled.

“Please. With me, mom  **and** Felicity’s mom on the wedding committee? Tommy already dreams about ice sculptures in case you forgot.”

“I wish I could forget that actually.”

“I promise I’ll do my best to rein him in and veto releasing doves. Oh and no flamingos.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Anytime. Now, come on. Show me the ring!”

Oliver grinned, holding out his hand.

“Oh my God, is this…”

“Yes. It’s Grandma’s ring. You know how much she and Grandpa loved each other.”

“Yes. Yes, I know... I've seen their pictures and mom told me their story so many times... It’s perfect, Oliver. But why did you get it from our vault if you don’t plan on proposing right now?”

“I… I don’t know. I just like having it near me, knowing it’s available as soon as I’ll want it. I… it just reminds me of what’s ahead and it helps me focus on that. I went to get it after the whole Slade and Isabel drama.”

Thea let out a trembling smile before reaching out to hug him. “I think I know exactly what you mean.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo...
> 
> Many stuff happened, right? They went back to Ivy Town (yaaaay) and Felicity finally won her first trophy (well first *sport* trophy). And they broke a bed *smirks* yeah Oliver is still beating his chest btw.
> 
> I wanted to show, in this story, how Oliver was going back to the living, letting go of his past and his demons but the last one, and the biggest one in many ways, was his relationship with his father. To me, it had to be the final step in his journey to an adult man. His last convo with RObert always haunted him but he finally made his peace with it. He is seeing things differently now, not just in black and white anymore. He is owning up to his own mistakes and immaturity back then. 
> 
> Also, yes, Oliver already has the ring. It's a way for him to keep looking forward. Oliver and Felicity, right now, aren't there yet. By that I mean, like Thea pointed out, their lives had been crazy. They just want to sit down, cuddle on the couch and... enjoy life the way it is. I think they earned that <3<3  
> But if Oliver has the ring already, obviously you won't have to wait *too* long for a next logical step ;)
> 
> Also it's no coincidence that we had that scene of Oliver and Thea at Robert'sgrave. It completely mirrors the scene, at the very beginning of STAMTB, with Felicity and Thea. And I think it also shows some very nice growth on Thea's part.


	50. She

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Here is chapter fifty, aka my chapter, my baby, the one I wrote and edited and rewrote I don't know how many times because SO MANY THINGS HAPPEN Y'ALL.  
> "She" is a song originally written (and sung) by Charles Aznavour (who is French) and I absolutely adore the English version from Notting Hill. I had this song listed since before I wrote STAMTB, so that should tell you something XD  
> Special thanks to mysticaldetectivepanda for editing this chapter and her reactions <3<3 and semi thanks to pidanka who only read half unfortunately XD

**"She (Tous Les Visages De L'Amour)"**  
(originally by Charles Aznavour)  
  


She  
May be the face I can't forget  
A trace of pleasure or regret  
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay  
She may be the song that summer sings  
May be the chill that autumn brings  
May be a hundred different things  
Within the measure of a day.

She  
May be the beauty or the beast  
May be the famine or the feast  
May turn each day into a heaven or a hell  
She may be the mirror of my dreams  
A smile reflected in a stream  
She may not be what she may seem  
Inside her shell

She who always seems so happy in a crowd  
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud  
No one's allowed to see them when they cry  
She may be the love that cannot hope to last  
May come to me from shadows of the past  
That I'll remember till the day I die

She  
May be the reason I survive  
The why and wherefore I'm alive  
The one I'll care for through the rough and ready years  
Me I'll take her laughter and her tears  
And make them all my souvenirs  
For where she goes I've got to be  
The meaning of my life is

She, she, she

 

 

 

 

“I can’t believe it’s already been a year,” Felicity said as she rested her head against the back of her seat.

Oliver turned his head to face her as he stopped for a red light. “I know. Can you believe that I officially came back from the dead, we dismantled a terrorist attack, my mom went to jail, my mom got out of jail, we became rival CEOs, then co-CEOs, moved in together, adopted a dog… and now we’re on our way to the hospital because our friend just became a dad… all of that in twelve months.”

“And somehow… we still haven’t managed to go on a vacation together.”

“We visited your mom in June,” Oliver noted as he checked the rearview mirror before turning left.

“It’s not a vacation if it ends with Xanax, Oliver.”

Oliver laughed, shaking his head. “Then let’s say it was the closest thing we managed to fit into your crazy schedule apart from our two days in Ivy Town.”

“Hey!”

“Felicity, I love you but we both know you’re the one who has a hard time disconnecting from her job.”

“There is just so much to do Oliver!”

“I know,” he said softly, gently squeezing the hand on his thigh.

“Not to mention, if my co-CEO didn’t interrupt me several times a week for office sex, we might have gotten more time.”

Oliver let out an amused gasp. “Felicity, you were the one waiting underneath my desk this very morning!”

“I was looking for my pen.”

“Hell of a pen you found in my pants.”

“It sure did the job,” she smiled cheekily, her fingers creeping up his jeans.

“Honey…”

“Yes?”

“It pains me to say that but… please stop. I don’t think walking into the maternity ward with a hard-on is proper etiquette.”

“I wasn’t aware you knew so much about maternity ward etiquette,” she couldn’t help but tease him.

“I know the basics,” Oliver chuckled as he parked the car. “You send or bring flowers, coo at the baby, say they look exactly like their parents even though you only see a small wrinkly package, and congratulate. Messy hair from fucking your girlfriend in the parking lot isn’t a part of it either by the way.”

“I can keep my hands to myself, you know.”

With a lopsided grin, Oliver leaned in close enough to brush her lips. “We both know the only times that happens is when I tie you up.”

Felicity smiled, closing the small gap between them to join their lips. “If you’re nice, I’ll let you do it again tonight.”

She felt Oliver’s grin widen just before he deepened the kiss, his tongue tracing her lower lip. Her arms around his shoulders, she pressed her body close to his and let him inside her mouth with a little sigh of contentment.

It had been a year since Oliver had been back and they had started their relationship again.

And she was still as blissfully in love as before. The past four months had been calm for the two of them. No terrorism, no hostile take-over, no kidnapping... just them dealing with their everyday life. Yes, their work was eating up a lot of their time but both were happy, happier than they had ever been. Their routine was often interrupted by little dates or surprise lunches at the office or, her favorite, small picnics in a park.

They had even brought Pickle to the lake where Oliver had taken Felicity all those years ago and it had become a little habit for them to head there every Saturday afternoon once their chores and grocery shopping were done. The three of them would walk in the woods then eventually sit down for a nice little dinner by the lake.

Sometimes, Dig and Lyla would join them, but they had stopped two weeks ago, Lyla having reached her term. It had taken a bit longer for their daughter to decide to show up, though.

“God, I love you,” Oliver murmured when their lips parted. Felicity smiled, her mind still a bit fuzzy from the kiss as she rubbed her nose against his.

Oliver gave her a few more quick pecks before finally leaning back. “Ready to meet your goddaughter?”

“Yes!” she squealed as Oliver unbuckled her seatbelt. “Can you imagine that? I’m a godmother. I’ll get to spoil her rotten and buy her like… a mini chemistry set and I won’t have to deal with the burnt carpet.”

“Felicity, she was born about eight hours ago. I think you have a little bit of time before the chemistry set.”

“It’s always good to prepare, Oliver.”

He paused as he was opening his door, then slowly turned to face her. “You already bought it, right?”

Felicity bit her lips guiltily. “It had a little girl on the box. I never had one of these with a girl on the box when I grew up, Oliver!”

“I’m sure Dig and Lyla won’t have second thoughts about choosing you as her godmother if there is a little girl on the box of the chemistry set their daughter will use to burn holes in their carpet.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” she yelled as he closed his door. He was walking around the car and she knew it was to open her own door and she couldn’t help but mentally roll her eyes at his old habit.

Of course there were times where Oliver getting the door for her was very much appreciated, like when they were on a date for instance.

But she couldn’t deny it felt slightly over the top when it was after their grocery shopping or in the parking lot of a hospital.

Not that she would ever complain, she thought as he held out a hand to help her climb out of the SUV.

“I put the rest of the presents in the trunk,” she said as he opened the back seat to get a big basket full of sheets, little pajamas and other essentials as well as a brown paper bag for Lyla.

“What do you mean, the rest of the presents?” Oliver asked in confusion as he stared at the big basket he already had in hand.

“Well, duh… this one is just cute little stuff but you know they had a list.”

She took the basket from his hands, pointing to the back of the car with her chin.

Oliver went to open the trunk and for a few seconds, she heard nothing, her vision blocked.

Then the lowered the trunk door again to glare at her. “Seriously?”

“It was on their list!”

“Why did you wait until the last minute? Their room is going to be packed!”

“I waited until the last minute because Lyla didn’t want presents before the birth. She says in her family it’s considered bad luck. And they’re gonna need the car seat for when they take her home!”

“OK, that explains the car seat. What about the bathtub?”

“Well…”

“And… that giant pillow thingy?”

“Apparently it’s nice for them when they start staying awake a little longer. That… that’s what the clerk told me,” Felicity explained sheepishly.

“Was it on their list?”

“... no,” she admitted with a small shake of her head, pursing her lips together in a little pout, which she knew was Oliver’s kryptonite.

“Don’t you dare activate the cute mode, Felicity!” Oliver warned her, sternly pointing his finger at her.

“I’m not, jeez,” she said.

_Damn, I’m gonna have to find something else._

“Knowing Dig like I do, I can safely assume the giant plush panda wasn’t on the list either, right?”

Felicity started to trace circles on the ground with the tip of her foot. “You have to admit it looks very cuddly.”

Oliver looked at her sternly and she winced, offering a small hesitant smile in return. She saw the corners of his lips twitching as he eventually shook his head and huffed out a laugh. “OK. I’m taking the car seat. I’ll bring the pillow, the panda and the bathtub to their place in a few days.”

“There… there is also a mobile.”

“Felicity…”

“Oliver, it has the entire solar system! And there is music and it plays Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star!”

“This is the last time I leave you in charge of the baby shopping, honey.”

“I… I don’t know how to tell you this but they’re going to baptize her so I’ll have to buy another present in the next few months.”

Oliver closed the trunk, the car seat safely in hand as he locked the SUV with the remote. “I’ll come with you, then.”

“Thea offered to help since-”

“Oh, yeah no way!” Oliver said with wide eyes. “You  **and** my sister baby shopping?! No, no.”

“But-”

“Non-negotiable. Dig would never forgive me.”

“You know I could still order online,” she said nonetheless as they walked inside an elevator.

“We have a joint account and despite what you think, sometimes I  **do** check.”

“I also have my own account, Oliver.”

“You can’t use your own money for a gift for Dig’s kid,” Oliver said, horrified. “It… it has to come from us!”

“She is my goddaughter, I think it’s more than fair if I spoil her a little more than you.”

“We live together and-”

“And I still make my own money, which I spend however I see fit, Mister Queen,” Felicity cut him off as they stepped out of the elevator. “Are we on the right floor?”

“Yes. Dig told me to turn left and go all the way down the hall,” Oliver nodded before continuing their conversation. “I’m not saying I have the right to tell you how to spend your money but Dig is our friend and it seems right that common gifts have to be decided together.”

“Fair enough. We’ll just have common gifts as Dig’s friends and I’ll give separate gifts as her one and only godmother.”

“But you won’t be the one getting the side eye from him when her bedroom is full of pandas and giant pillows!”

“Of course not. Dig never side eyes me,” Felicity said smugly as she stopped in front of a door. “I think this is it,” she said innocently, cutting him off as he was about to argue back.

He tilted his head, throwing her a dark glare before shifting the car seat in the crook of his elbow and knocking on the door. “Don’t think you’re off the hook.”

“Do you want to tie me up or not tonight?”

Oliver opened his mouth, then closed it, locking his jaw. “Damn it, Felicity.”

“I can’t believe you guys can’t even stop bickering for a hospital visit,” Dig’s exasperated voice forced their attention away from each other.

“He started it.”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Come on in, she just fell asleep,” Dig smiled with a little shake of his head.

Felicity forced herself to keep her voice down as she let out a tiny squeaky sound of excitement, shoving the basket into his arms as she walked to Lyla.

“Mazel tov,” she said as she hugged the new mother, who seemed exhausted but also tremendously happy.

“Thank you. She seems to be a heavy sleeper, and she should be out for a few hours,” Lyla said as she pointed towards the tiny bed against the wall.

“Oh my God, she’s adorable,” Felicity cooed as she watched the little bundle of joy in her small yellow onesie with a little beanie on her head. “Oliver, come and see,” she hushed, waving at him while keeping her eyes on the little girl.

She was holding her tiny hands in little balls and Felicity was almost positive she could have fit in Dig’s palm.

“Oliver?” she asked again, noticing he hadn’t joined her. She lifted her head, expecting to see him walking to her but was caught off guard when she saw that he was still by the door, comically holding the car seat that Dig was trying to take from him.

His eyes were fixed on her with an expression she had never seen on his face.

“Oliver,” she repeated with a little confused frown.

“Hum… right, sorry,” he finally said, handing the car seat to Dig. He cleared his throat, adding, “so hum… can we know her name?”

Dig smiled, sharing a look with Lyla. “We named her after my grandmother, Saran. It means joy.”

“It’s a beautiful name,” Felicity smiled before snapping a few pictures.

“Lyla, we stopped by your favorite sushi restaurant since now you can officially eat raw-”

“My hero!” Lyla exclaimed, eagerly grabbing the paper bag Oliver was presenting her.

“Hey!” Dig objected.

“What?” Lyla asked as she opened one of the containers.

“He brings you raw fish and he’s a hero? I spent the last twenty six hours by your side, looking after your every need!”

“He brought me sushi. You just gave me ice cubes, John.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


“She’s so cute,” Felicity said with a little sigh as she looked through the fifteen pictures she had taken of the sleeping baby before shutting off her phone and slipping it back in her handbag.

“She really is,” Oliver nodded as they were heading to the loft.

There was quite a lot of traffic in the early evening and they were moving ever so slowly. Felicity glanced at Oliver, who sensed her eyes on him and winked at her before stroking the knuckles of her hand.

“I promise we’ll go by the end of the year,” she said quietly.

“Where?”

“On vacation.”

  
  
  
  


In the end, weeks turned into months and they only managed to get in a four-day trip to New York to visit Thea - and also because they wanted to check their branch there - in January. They both had prefered to take days off for the holidays, to celebrate them with their families. Donna hadn’t been able to make it for Thanksgiving to Thea’s great despair but had joined them to celebrate Hanukkah and had taken it upon herself to teach Oliver about some of their traditions. Moira had invited her for Christmas and after a serious lecture from Felicity concerning what kind of present was and was not acceptable for the occasion, their mothers had finally met.

Surprisingly, they had gotten along much better than Felicity would have thought even though Donna had spent most of her time with Thea and Tommy while Felicity had mostly talked with Walter and Moira, Oliver going from one group to another.

And, fortunately, there had been no rubber duck involved.

Well… at least not in public.

The merger was well on its way now, one year after the initial announcement. There were still a few issues with some contracts and clients, but the legal team was working on compromises to fulfill QC and PT’s obligations while making sure nothing would stall their merger.

As Felicity had promised, they were trying to avoid job losses as much as possible. To be fair, it was mostly Oliver who was in charge of that and judging by the number of times he had been held back at the office, it wasn’t an easy task.

All in all, everything was progressing the way it was supposed to and Moira had been right: they had found their balance, naturally, in every aspect of their relationship.

And when she was savoring her coffee on a Tuesday morning in March, waiting for Oliver and Pickle to come back from their little run, a simple phone call made her suddenly realize how far she had come.

“What do you mean, _Time_?” Felicity asked, tightening her grip on her cellphone.

“I mean _Time_ _Magazine_!  **The** _Time_!  **The** magazine!” Daniela squealed. “They want an interview. With you. And probably a small photoshoot.”

“But… why?” Felicity asked in a breath.

“Hum... I don’t know… It might be because of your very first prototypes of artificial limbs that literally already changed a bunch of people’s lives? Or maybe it could be that chip that allows people to move their arm for the first time in sometimes years? Or, now that you mention it, it might be the rumors of the essays about said chip being used as a way to counteract the effects of paralysis? Unless it’s this new contract you managed to snatch with NASA? All of that while finalizing a merger between Starling’s two biggest companies, of course.”

Felicity blinked, staring at her cup of coffee.

“Felicity this is amazing, you realize that right?” Daniela continued. “I know journalists aren’t exactly your favorite people on earth but… this is a golden opportunity for you and for the company!”

“I know. I know! I’m just a bit shocked I guess? I… I never realized that… people would know about me.”

“Of course, Miss I’m so busy creating and inventing with my teams while my boyfriend handles the public… but people are curious about the brain behind everything. And they want to know more about you.”

“O...OK. Hum, yes, OK. Wow. _Time Magazine_ , though.”

“Oh thank God, she has processed. Listen, I know you took the morning off, so I won’t hold you any longer but I just had to tell you!”

“Yes, thank you. I’ll see you later,” Felicity said quietly before hanging up.

Leaning back against the counter, she absently tapped her cell phone against her lips.

She had been so taken by her work that, truth be told, she hadn’t really considered the extent of her achievements as CEO. To her, it had been taking things one day at a time, making sure her teams were all giving themselves 110%, offering them the possibilities to think outside the box and yes… it had yielded results. Tremendously fast.

She was still standing by the coffee maker when Oliver walked in the kitchen, Pickle following him with enamoured eyes, his tongue hanging low from his mouth, proving he had had a good exercise session.

“Blueberry muffins, from your favorite bakery,” Oliver said as he put a small paper bag on the counter, therefore explaining the adoration in their dog’s eyes. He pressed a quick kiss on her cheek before opening the fridge.

She blinked then automatically patted Pickle’s head when he sat at her side.

“You OK?” Oliver asked as he started to pour a mix of vegetables and fruits in the blender for his usual after workout smoothie.

“Hum… _Time Magazine_ asked for an interview. With me.”

Oliver’s eyes widened as his mouth went slack. “Oh my God, Felicity, this is amazing!”

“I… I’m still processing. I think?” she said with a little grimace. “I mean… I’m just a CEO. Doing her job. Like hundreds of other CEOs in the country and… it’s not just me. There is also you and there was Ray before me and Walter and… what I mean is that I didn’t create this all by myself.”

“No, you didn’t,” Oliver smiled. “But you’re the one who gave it the impulse it needed. You’re probably one of the smartest persons in the world, Felicity. And you use that to make good things. You should be really proud of what you have done. I definitely am.”

Felicity snuggled into his arms, mostly happy she got to share the news with him. She knew that her success was also his in a way, but the fact that he was so willingly stepping aside only made her love him even more. There was no competition between them - well… at least not regarding their job.

“Oh God,” Oliver said suddenly, his voice unsure.

“What?” Felicity snapped her head up in alert. “What’s wrong?”

“Your mom is gonna flip.”   
  
  
  
  


 

“OK, so you need at least two or three of your super sexy CEO dresses, something a little more sober and maybe a jeans-blouse-blazer combo,” Thea said as she walked straight to Felicity’s closet.

“I… you do know that the photo shoot is in two weeks, right?” Felicity said as she followed her with a cup of coffee in hand.

Even though she had already given her interview, the photo shoot had been pushed back several times.

“Yes, of course. But you’re leaving for Hong Kong next week, and you’ll be drowning in work again when you get back and you’ll probably pick a few outfits at the last minute. I’m here to make sure everything is ready for you so you don’t have to worry about it,” Thea said with an innocent smile as she patted her cheek. “You’re welcome.”

“I wasn’t going to worry about it anyway,” Felicity mumbled as she watched Thea literally disappear in her walk-in closet.

Knowing it was probably pointless to argue, she sat down on her bed, distractedly listening to Thea’s rambling.

“OK I definitely want you to try the navy blue, the dark grey and that one… and that one too and ooooh is that a Stella McCartney?”

“Thea, don’t get carried away, I don’t have much time. Daniela scheduled a video call in one hour.”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I have never seen you in the Stella McCartney, can you please try it on?” Thea said with a little pout and pleading eyes as she appeared in the doorframe.

Felicity rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly. “For real?”

“Oh, come on, you can spare fifteen minutes, can’t you?”

“You promise it won’t last longer?”

“Pinky swear! That’s all I need!”

With a little glance at the clock, Felicity grabbed the black dress and headed to the bathroom to change. Tying her hair in a low ponytail, she quickly slipped it on before smoothing the fabric on her hips and opening the door.

“Oh… that’s nice but maybe a little too… dark?” Thea said with a little frown.

“... it’s a black dress. Of course it’s dark.”

“I like it on you but it might seem too serious, that’s what I meant. Here, try this one instead.” With another smile, Thea handed her a navy blue dress before pushing her back in the bathroom.

“Are you playing Barbie with me?” Felicity asked through the door as she was unzipping the black dress.

“Of course not! I’m just being the best sis… I mean the best boyfriend’s sister ever.”

The blue dress received Thea Queen’s approval, as well as a dark grey one and two others. Felicity was just getting out of the bathroom with the last outfit - a pair of dark blue jeans with a pink blouse and a blazer on top when she heard Thea’s surprised exclamation coming from the closet.

“Hey I never saw you in this kind of outfit,” she said as she walked out with a pair of dark slacks and a pale pink button shirt.

“It’s what I used to wear at first. Typical IT girl wardrobe,” Felicity explained with a little frown. “How did you even find it? I was sure I had sneaked my older clothes into Oliver’s closet.”

“Well… it was definitely there. Maybe he saw it and moved it back?” Thea replied distractedly, eyeing the shirt in her hands.

“Hum, Thea, can I change my clothes now?” Felicity said, trying to get her attention.

“Oh yeah, it’s fine. Perfect,” Thea said with a dismissive wave of her hand without even glancing at her. “But you should put this on.”

“What? Come on, I’m not gonna wear that. I don’t even know why I kept these clothes.”

“Please, Tommy told me so much about your little librarian look,” Thea pleaded with a little pout.

“My **what**?”

“Your librarian look. Actually he usually said naughty librarian but he stopped after the fourth or fifth smack on his head from Oliver.”

“Thea…” Felicity trailed off, staring at the alarm clock on Oliver’s night stand.

“You said fifteen minutes, I still have two!” she answered, all but shoving Felicity back in the bathroom.

“OK, what is going on with you?” Felicity said, holding her ground. “You show up unannounced, which is OK by the way but totally unusual, then you start a random makeover, only to end up not even looking at my last outfit and now you’re making me wear something that I am pretty sure you would normally insist I burn.”

Thea’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. I just… I have a first date tonight and I’m a little nervous and…”

“Oh?” Felicity said softly. “With who?”

“... a boy.”

“Well, that really limits the possibilities, thank you,” Felicity grinned.

Thea rolled her eyes. “Fine! It’s that guy I’ve been texting a lot with. You know, I met him last year at the merger gala? Well… we kept in touch and since I’m back in town for spring break… well… I just… I really like him and I don’t want to jinx it so I’ve been trying to keep myself busy instead of texting him embarrassing stuff all day, OK?” Thea grimaced, twisting her hands.

Felicity looked at her, feeling her heart softening. “Yeah first dates do that to you.”

“Glad you understand. Now, you only have one minute left and…”

“Yup,” Felicity nodded, closing the door behind her. She quickly changed her clothes and she actually paused in front of the mirror when she saw her reflection. She had changed quite a lot in five years and hadn’t worn this kind of outfit in forever. It was slightly weird to see her old clothes again, like a jump to the past. Surprisingly, there were no wrinkles and the fabric even smelled of the softener she and Oliver usually used and she couldn’t help but let her hand travel down a sleeve, enjoying the soft, well-used fabric. It had been her lucky outfit during her last year at MIT, the one she had worn to all of her exams. With a smile, she put her glasses back on her nose, completing the outfit.

“Tada,” she said as she eventually opened the door. “Felicity Smoak, fresh out of MIT for your eyes only.”

Thea looked up from her phone, letting out a little squeal. “Oh my God, you look so young!”

“I know right?” Felicity chuckled. “I had the same reaction and-”

The ringtone of her phone interrupted her and she grabbed it, smiling when she saw Oliver’s face. “Hi hon, I only have about thirty seconds and your sister is right by my side.”

“Hi baby,” Oliver’s rushed voice reached her. “Hum do you remember the digest you were supposed to approve for me?”

“Yup. Of course.”

“Well… where is it?”

“What do you mean, where is it? I left it on your desk. Myself. Last night, along with my notes.”

“Felicity, it’s not there. I checked my desk, the drawer, even your desk…”

“Well there is still the copy on your hard drive probably, and-”

“I tried but there is something wrong, it says I don’t have the authorization to open it.”

“What?” Felicity frowned. “That’s not possible, it’s on your own server. Unless you saved it somewhere else?”

“Come on, Felicity. You know me, I can save a document. I’m sorry, I know you’re busy but I have an appointment in thirty minutes and I really need it. Can you stop by quickly? You know if I ask IT it’s going to take them hours.”

Felicity groaned, checking at the alarm clock. “Oliver I have a video call in-”

“I know, and I’m sorry but you could use your office here if you want to? So you wouldn’t have to head to PT?”

Taking a deep breath, she pinched the bridge of her nose. Oliver still had his main office in QC’s headquarters and even though they both traveled between the two buildings, she was still more used to her own. But if she had to stop by his office, she would never have the time to drive to Palmer Tech afterwards, or even their apartment. “OK… I swear to God you better be sure I don’t find that bloody digest once I’m done, though.”

“Awesome, love you,” Oliver answered, hanging up right away.

“Rude!” she exclaimed, staring at the screen of her phone. Not only was he disturbing her schedule but he also didn’t seem to care about her threats.

She would teach him, though. It had been a while since they had had one of their little fight sessions at work but it seemed like there was going to be a massive one today.

Of course, usually their little fight sessions at work ended up in one of their offices or a beloved archive room on the 16th floor of Queen Consolidated.

_Good thing I’m wearing my red lacy panties._

“What’s wrong?” Thea asked.

“Nothing but your brother lost a digest and apparently can’t find it on his computer,” Felicity huffed out.

“Oh, is it for the Ladsbroke contract?”

“Yeah… how do you even-”

“He told me he was super nervous about it. Apparently they seemed hard to convince and… well, you really should go. I hadn’t seen him so unsure about his work in forever. Here, put some shoes on,” Thea explained quickly, throwing a pair of flats on the bed.

“I didn’t know he felt that way,” Felicity said, feeling instantly guilty. Truth be told, Oliver had been a rock at work in the past year. Calm, confident, self-assured. In all circumstances. But he was only a man, and sometimes he also had the right to feel a bit less at ease.

“Yeah, he didn’t want to annoy you with that,” Thea said before freezing and staring at her. “Hey, why are you undressing?!”

“Thea… I have to head to the office,” Felicity repeated calmly, her fingers pausing on a button of her blouse.

“But what you’re wearing is nice! Come on, just put some flats on,” Thea said as she shoved the flats in her arms before emptying Felicity’s handbag on the bed. “You’re right though, the purse doesn’t fit.”

“Hey?!” Felicity said in outrage. “I know you’re a bit of a fashion freak but is the whole handbag-changing really necessary? I’m only heading to the office for a video conference.”

“It’s OCD, OK? Please put your shoes on, Felicity. The sooner we go, the sooner we can start planning the rest, OK?”

“But you… you already approved all my outfits?”

Thea looked at her with a small grimace. “Yes… yours. But  **I**  still have a date tonight.”

“Oh. OK,” Felicity breathed as she slipped on a pair of comfortable flats before accepting the handbag Thea was handing to her. “Oh my God, where did you-”

“With your outfit.”

“I was sure I had stored it in-”

“Oliver’s closet? He must have sneaked it back in yours. And by the way, you should start looking for a bigger place if you already ran out of space one year after moving in.”

“You know, you don’t have to come with me. You can stay here,” Felicity said as Thea started to run down the stairs.

“And miss you giving my brother an earful?” Thea laughed. “Never!”

Thea insisted on taking her car and even Pickle joined in, being promised a little walk with his favorite auntie while Felicity was busy with her video conference. The car stopped on the curb right in front of Queen Consolidated’s main entrance.

“Thea, you can’t stay here,” Felicity said, pointing towards the no-parking sign.

“I know but I forgot my badge, so I can’t get in the garage. Go, I’ll park down the street and bring you some coffee. Caramel latte?”

“Oh, yes. Double whipped cream, I feel like I’ll need it.”

“Noted!”

“And no sweets for Pickle!”

“... ugh. Noted,” Thea grumbled as Felicity closed the door.

Checking her watch, she saw that Oliver’s appointment was in less than twenty minutes now and she rushed in, thankful that the building was mostly empty on this Saturday morning because her disheveled appearance didn’t really scream “I’m the boss here”.

“Felicity,” Dig smiled at her as she quickly walked to the security gate where he was standing guard.

“Dig,” she grinned back rummaging through her purse for her badge. “How’s my goddaughter?”

“Perfect. She has her third tooth now.”

“Oh my God, she is growing so fast! She only had one last week!”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Damn,” she cursed, still going through the contents of her purse. “I don’t have my badge.”

Dig frowned. “Are you sure? It’s not like you to forget it.”

“Thea switched my purse and probably forgot. Can you scan me in?"

“I can’t do that, Felicity.”

“What do you mean you…” Felicity trailed off as she realized something else that should have made her pause. “What are you doing here by the way? You don’t work in security anymore.”

“I was talking with a colleague but the poor guy is sick. I offered to replace him while he went to the bathroom. Bad diarrhea.”

“Oh. Yikes.” Felicity made a face. “Anyway, surely you must have your badge?”

“But each employee has to have their own badge.”

Felicity paused, staring at him. “What the…”

“Felicity, I’m sorry but you know our policies. You even established them with Oliver. No one gets in unless they have a badge.”

“Dig… I’m the CEO,” Felicity explained slowly, staring at her best friend and wondering if he wasn’t somehow suffering from partial amnesia. She knew that his nights were short with a teething baby and all that and maybe the lack of sleep was causing some kind of mild brain damage?

“And you’ve always said that you have to show the right example because of that,” Dig nodded wisely.

“Oh my God!” She rolled her eyes, turning around to head to the reception desk, mentally cursing Oliver for losing the digest, Thea for changing her purse and forgetting her badge and Dig for the apparent personality transplant that had turned her long-time accomplice in various building break-ins into a rule abider.

“Hi. I’m Felicity Smoak and I forgot my badge,” she said to the blonde receptionist before doing a double-take. “Are you… are you new? I don’t remember seeing you around?”

“Miss Smoak,” the blonde woman smiled, not answering her question and handing her a visitor's badge. “Fifteenth floor.”

“That’s not where Oliver’s office is… you know what, nevermind,” Felicity sighed before forcing a smile. “Thank you.”

She walked back to Dig, making a show of the badge she was holding and making sure to scan it in front of him. “Happy?”

“Yes. Rules are rules, Felicity.”

She was still grumbling and wondering if she had woken up in a parallel universe when she turned the corner leading to the elevators, her steps even more hurried now, but was brutally stopped when she literally slammed into someone.

“Oh my God, I’m so-,” she quickly apologized, stopping mid-sentence when she recognized Oliver. “Oh good you’re here and…”

She trailed off when she saw him kneeling down, handing her a pen she had apparently dropped.

“Thank you,” she said automatically, her hand reaching out to grab it... only to realize that she hadn’t dropped anything. Her eyes went from the innocent red pen Oliver was holding, to what looked suspiciously like a ring around it and finally to Oliver’s eyes and her arm fell back limply.

“Oh my God,” she breathed, her heart starting to beat wildly in her chest.

_He is proposing._

_Oliver is proposing._

After they had moved in together, she had half-expected a proposal within the next few months. They had settled quite well together, and everything had been as blissful as she had hoped. But it hadn’t happened, and when he still hadn’t popped the question by the end of the year, she had figured he was satisfied with their life the way it was. They were living together, were committed to each other, they even had a dog and a joint account. In many ways, they were married already, even if there was no paper to prove it. She had mostly expected Oliver to want to make things official, especially since he had been very vocal about his desire to start a family and how comfortable he was talking about marriage or in-laws. But he hadn’t, and she hadn’t brought it up either because it had never been a deal-breaker for her. And as the months had gone by, she had found herself very happy in their relationship and the idea of getting married had started to fade in the back of her mind.

But seeing Oliver, kneeling with an engagement ring and a small nervous smile on his lips… the desire grew, unbelievably fast. She wanted to marry that man. She wanted it with an intensity she had never felt before.

“Yes,” she blurted out, unwilling to give him a chance to change his mind.

Oliver’s somewhat hesitant eyes relaxed as he let out a small breathy chuckle. “I… haven’t had the chance to ask the question, Felicity.”

“Sorry. Sorry. Go ahead,” she smiled shakily, her vision now suspiciously blurry as everything around her started to vanish. Oliver was all she could see at the moment and she was pretty sure that the world around them could literally crash at their feet and she wouldn’t even notice.

_I am so gonna be one of those girls who cries at their wedding. He hasn’t even proposed yet and the waterworks have already started and… oh God he is talking. It’s happening._

“Felicity,” he started before clearing his throat nervously.

She nodded encouragingly, pressing both hands against her lips in an effort to keep them from shaking and also to force herself to keep silent. This was  **so** not the time to start babbling and make him reconsider.

“Do you know what today is?” Oliver asked with a soft smile.

“... Saturday?” she mumbled behind her entwined hands.

He let out a small shaky laugh. “It’s… exactly five years ago today, I walked into Queen Consolidated, signed a few documents and headed back out, thinking about taking a day off and maybe convincing Tommy for a short trip to LA. But… destiny had other plans for me, apparently. I had barely walked out of the elevator when a lovely blonde girl with glasses bumped into me.”

Felicity bit her lips, feeling the wetness spill from her eyes as she suddenly understood. Oliver had recreated the day they had met. The outfit from Thea, down to her flats and handbag. Rushing into the building, disheveled. Dig making her go the reception desk to get a visitor's badge... The blonde receptionist, actually… was she the same woman she had talked to that day? And the fifteenth floor was where she had been supposed to go for her interview.

“I didn’t know it back then and… it took me a while to understand that… you weren’t just a cute girl too smart for my own good. And for a while I thought this was the day that I had met the best executive assistant I could ever dream of. My girl Friday, my closest partner… and eventually my friend. I was so, so wrong Felicity. But as you know… I often was back then,” he added with a shy little smile that made her throat tighten, her heart bursting with so much love that she honestly didn’t know if she could contain it any longer. “That day… it’s the love of my life that I met. And even when I was taken away from you, even when thinking of you was so painful because I was missing you so much… you were still with me. Every minute. Every second. It was always you. It will always be you. Because there is no one else for me. No one else I want to share my life with.” He stopped, gulping visibly before murmuring, his voice breaking, “Felicity... will you marry me?”

If someone had told her that one day, she would feel such happiness that she would be unable to breathe, Felicity would have probably said that, scientifically speaking, joy didn't cause a blocking of the respiratory system, so the probabilities were extremely low. But as Oliver was talking, all she could do was choke up, battling to stop the sobs threatening to burst from her throat. It wasn’t so much the words, even though they were the most beautiful words she had ever heard, but the little thought in the back of her head reminding her how close she had been to never hearing them in the first place. No one had taken his place while he had been gone and she knew, without a single doubt, that no one would have ever been able to. The happiness she felt, that emotion that was wrapping itself around her was the kind you only found once in your life.

Her throat was painfully tight and it took her a few tries before she could breathe properly.

“That is, and by far,” she eventually said with a little sniffle, her lips stretched in what was probably the widest smile of her life, “the stupidest question you’ve ever asked me. It even beats the “do you want me to stop by the ice cream shop?” from two weeks ago.”

Oliver chuckled, his smile as wide as hers and she noticed that his eyes were shiny as well when she knelt down in front of him, dropping her handbag carelessly on the floor. She gulped, gazing at him and trying to show him with her eyes all the love she had for him. “Yes, Oliver. A thousand times yes,” she finally whispered as her hand cradled his cheek, her finger stroking the little dimple she loved so much, the one that only appeared when he was smiling, the one that she had remembered so perfectly for three years, the one that had taken so long to reappear on his face when he had come back.

The one she saw on his face every single morning now.

And the one, she vowed herself, that she’d make sure she would see every single morning for the rest of their lives.

Beaming, he let out a breath of relief before leaning in, his mouth sealing her answer with a kiss that she felt down in her every bone.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

“I love you,” she answered just as low, engraving the moment in her memory. This would be something she would remember until her dying day and she didn’t want to miss one thing. The way he was looking at her, the softness of his lips against hers, even down to the cold tiles underneath her knees.

She wanted to remember it all, remember the sheer miracle that it was even happening.

Oliver eventually leaned back and wiped the last tears off her cheeks, his eyes traveling across her face intensely, as if he was doing exactly the same.

“You and me… it’s forever, you know that?” he whispered.

She nodded as she bit her trembling lip. “I’ve known for a while, Oliver.”

Oliver stood up, holding her elbow to help her to her feet as well and with a small, peaceful smile, took hold of her left hand. She felt her throat constricting again when she saw his shaky fingers battling with what looked like a gorgeous diamond ring.

“It was my grandmother’s. You know… good ol’ James’ wife?”

Felicity let out a wet giggle. “It’s… it’s perfect,” she said even though to be honest all she could see was that the ring was shiny, the tears in her eyes making her vision awfully blurry. Her glasses were probably a mess too, but to be honest… she couldn’t care less about the bling. Oliver had chosen that ring for her, a family heirloom, and nothing could ever mean more than that in her eyes.

The ring was a perfect fit, just struggling a little to pass the last knuckle, which was actually a relief - less chances to lose it.

The weight on her hand was so foreign, especially since she never wore rings, that she knew it would be a constant reminder of what had just happened.

She was engaged to Oliver Queen.

Her fiancé.

“I’m gonna get married,” she blurted out just as Oliver was taking her glasses off.

“That’s the idea, yeah,” Oliver chuckled as he pulled on a tail of his shirt to clean her glasses before handing her a handkerchief.

“I must look like a mess,” she grumbled, patting her cheeks dry.

“Then I hope you’ll look like a mess for the rest of your life.” With what she suspected would turn into a permanent smile - on both their faces - Oliver gently put her glasses back on her nose, making sure the branches slipped behind her ears.

“Oh. Oh wow,” she breathed once she finally got the chance to take a good look at her engagement ring.

_I have an engagement ring. I have an engagement ring!_

“I… I thought you liked it?” Oliver said nervously, probably misinterpreting her exclamation.

“I did! I do! I just didn’t… OK I didn’t see it at first, with the tears and the glasses and… but wow.”

“You told me it was perfect?”

“Because… I knew it was, Oliver. You picked that ring for me. And what I could see was that it was simple and shiny and classic. But it really is stunning, even if you hadn’t picked it for my engagement ring, I would still find it gorgeous.”

The ring was very classic indeed. A big oval diamond, with simple, elegant lines, on a rose gold ring encrusted with smaller diamonds. 

No surprise it was shiny, Felicity thought as she tried to count the number of stones. It was delicate, and even if the size of the solitaire was definitely making a statement, Oliver had picked a ring that would be comfortable for her to wear everyday. Big, yes... but in an elegant, natural way to fit her hand, which was on the smaller side.

“Come on,” Oliver said quietly in her ear, pulling on her hand. “I know they’re dying to stop pretending they have no idea what is going on here.”

“They?”

“Well… Dig and Thea for one, obviously. Daniela will meet us later but-”

“Daniela?”

“I needed to make sure you wouldn’t plan anything for this morning. Hence the fake video conference,” he winked as they walked back into the main hall.

“Sneaky! Who else?”

“Well… there was also someone else who played a huge part that day.”

“Your mom,” Felicity smiled.

“Yes. And I couldn’t invite my mom and not-”

“Oh God,” Felicity breathed just as a high pitched scream was heard, pulling him back around the corner. “Why couldn’t we just celebrate in the archive room?”

“Well… we reached an agreement.”

“What kind?”

“We have a little engagement celebration brunch with everyone… then  **your** mom is staying at our place to take care of Pickle and  **my** mom will be keeping an eye on work for the next two weeks.”

“Wh-”

“We’re going to Bali. Our plane leaves tonight.”

“What?! Oliver, I can’t! You know I have this trip to Hong Kong planned… and… oh my God was that fake too?!”

With a lopsided smirk, he leaned in to brush a kiss on the corner of her lips. “Yup. I had accomplices on two different continents.”

“But, Oliver, two weeks is-”

“What we need and deserve. You, me, Bali… you in a bikini… you without a bikini…”

“Are you sure we can?” Felicity asked, biting her lips.

OK, the idea of two weeks just with Oliver, in an exotic place, with cocktails and sunsets and walks on the beach was probably very close to her definition of heaven on earth but the responsible CEO in her had a hard time letting go.

“Yes, honey. We still have four VPs, in case you forgot. I also informed them that they would all keep their positions until we’re back from our honeymoon, whenever that happens. Then we’ll restructure the executive offices, but only once our wedding is over. My mom will also make sure they behave - unofficially, of course.”

“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” Felicity beamed up at him before reaching up on her toes to kiss him.

“Ahem,” she heard someone clear their throat behind her just as she was about to deepen the kiss.

“Guys, please, can’t it wait a few hours?” Thea’s cringing voice made her drop back to the soles of her feet with a little pout.

“She said yes,” Oliver said proudly, holding her hand protectively.

A chorus of oohs and aaahs surrounded them as everyone approached to get a good look at Felicity’s ring.

“I can’t believe my baby is going to get married,” Donna let out a weird noise between a squeal and a sob as she engulfed Felicity in her arms.

Thea sniffled as she hugged her brother, then turned too impatient and hugged Felicity as well while Donna was still holding her.

“I’m so happy. I’m so happy for you,” the young woman whispered in her ear and Felicity’s eyes started to water again at the clear emotion she could hear in her voice.

A big bear hug from Dig was next and as usual, his calm strength was enough to settle her emotions a little.

“I still remember that day,” Moira said with a smile as she released her. “If only I had known…”

“I think we all had an amazing sense of timing,” Felicity giggled as she remembered the cascade of events that had led to her becoming Oliver’s executive assistant.

“Things do happen for a reason,” Moira nodded, discreetly patting under her eyes.

“Mom, are you crying?” Thea fake-gasped.

“Of course not. It’s awfully dusty in here, that’s all,” Moira said as she took a delicate handkerchief from her purse.

“I agree,” Donna said as she twisted her own.

Felicity looked up at Oliver as she snuggled into his side. He offered her that soft, peaceful smile she had learned to love so much in the last few months.

“No, no, no,” Thea stopped them when Oliver was just about to kiss her again. “Brunch! Besides, your dog is waiting with the nice reception lady.”

“Was it the same girl?” Felicity asked with a frown.

“Yes. She doesn’t work for us anymore but she couldn’t refuse the trip to New York I offered in exchange for her services.”

“That explains why she was much more friendly than in my memories.”

  
  
  


Oliver had booked a table at the small restaurant by the farmers market, the same one they had gone to for breakfast, just the two of them, after their first night in her apartment. It was nothing fancy, and it could have been odd that the Queen family would pick this place to celebrate the son’s engagement, but to Felicity it was perfect.

Especially since they were the only customers in the patio where Pickle had been allowed as well. It was a small party of ten - Oliver, Felicity, Donna, Moira, Walter, Thea, Daniela, Dig, Lyla and their daughter. Unfortunately, Sara and Tommy hadn’t been able to join them, one being on a little romantic weekend with Nyssa, the other unable to cancel a business trip planned for months.

“Not too nervous at the idea of leaving the ship for two weeks?” Walter asked with a little smile as Felicity was busy feeding her goddaughter what looked like a yummy mix of potatoes, carrots and beef.

She winced, looking apologetically at Oliver. “I… I can’t help it.”

“It’s the trademark of most CEOs, Felicity. You’ll learn to let go with the years. I was exactly the same, so was Robert. It might be good for you to be forced to do it, though. You’ll see the company will still be standing when you get back, so you’ll be more relaxed when you have to leave for your honeymoon.”

“I am also ready to compromise,” Oliver said with a little smile as he put Saran on his lap, turning her to face Felicity who was having trouble juggling scrapping the last of the food in the container and holding the little girl. “I can accept two hours a day to stay updated, under the condition that the last four days are completely disconnected.”

“You… you were expecting me to not even check my emails?” Felicity paled. “For two weeks?!”

“Felicity, this is our first vacation together.”

“But… emails, Oliver,” she whined.

Saran let out a small frustrated wail, her little hand reaching out for the spoon.

“Sorry, sorry,” Felicity hushed, gently presenting it to her mouth.

“Don’t you worry, honey. You relax for two weeks, we’ll handle everything here. By the time you’re back, you will already have a nice selection of venues and I will get in touch with a few Rabbi’s,” Donna chimed in, her eyes sparkling.

“Woaw, OK hum… can we slow down? I mean I literally just got the ring.”

“But honey, we only have a little over a year, and believe me, this is short for a big wedding.”

“What… Oliver, do you already have a date?”

Oliver looked at her in surprise. “No! I figured we could take the time to talk about all the details in Bali, when we’re stress-free and… alone.”

“You should come visit me in New York to buy your dress,” Thea said as she kneeled between Oliver and Felicity.

“Hum… OK first of all, I don’t want a June wedding,” Felicity said with a little frown as she wiped Saran’s mouth clean. “I mean, Oliver if you-”

“No. It doesn’t matter, hon.”

“I was thinking fall or winter?”

“Oooooh… then we have about eighteen months ,” Donna told Thea. “We should plan a trip to New York in August then.”

Felicity looked at Oliver with wide eyes, feeling something close to panic starting to grow. She didn’t really know what she wanted for their wedding, but she knew she didn’t want anything over the top.

Oliver smiled at her reassuringly, gently stroking Saran’s soft hair before handing her back to her father. He let his arm fall on the backrest of Felicity’s chair, his fingers massaging the back of her neck in a soothing pattern. “Don’t start planning anything. Felicity and I will decide when and what while we’re away.”

  
  
  
  


***

  
  
  


Oliver smiled as he glanced at Felicity who was admiring her engagement ring, probably for the 126th time since he had put it on her finger.

The little ball of nerves he had been carrying around for days had finally vanished from his stomach. They were on their way for their honeymoon rehearsal, as Thea had called it, and Felicity had been babbling most of the time - probably thanks to the generous amount of mimosas she had had at brunch.

He had gotten his grandmother’s ring a year before, not sure of when he would pop the question until a plan had started to form in his head sometime during the fall. He wanted something special, something meaningful to them, and it was actually Dig who had, without knowing it, given him the idea when he had mentioned that he had known Felicity for almost five years. It had been easy to find the exact date, and it had stayed in his head for months.

Felicity had cleaned her closet around the holidays in December and he had caught a glimpse of a pink shirt he hadn’t seen in a long time and he had almost asked her to wear it again before realizing that he also remembered the bag she had used, and even the color of his own tie.

He had told her several times that the day they had met had been engraved in his mind, but he had never realized how true that was.

So, for months, he had kept that date in mind, thinking it would probably be the best way to celebrate it. Everyone around him had helped, some with tears of joy like his future mother-in-law, others with cries of “finally!” and even though he knew that Felicity and he were on the same page concerning their future, he still had felt more and more nervous as the day had approached.

Would she understand? Was it romantic enough or a big mistake to propose at what was, after all, their working place? Had she eventually gotten used to living together and had the idea of getting married lost appeal for her? Would she like the ring or should he get another one? And the little celebratory brunch, maybe they should just plan a formal reception rather than in a laid back restaurant? Would she like Bali? He had hesitated a lot, only sure that they would leave for at least two weeks because they deserved a vacation and needed a little bit of time just for the two of them. But he knew she had quite a long list of places to visit and he had hesitated a long time, figuring that they could go to Europe for their honeymoon.

Having so carefully planned everything, he had been surprised by how emotional it had been for him too. To see the surprise in her eyes, the happiness, the joy when she had understood… and all his doubts and insecurities had quite simply disappeared.

“You know, it’s still the same one,” he couldn’t help but chuckle as Felicity twirled her hand in a small ray of light coming through the small window next to his seat.

Felicity smiled when he caught her hand in his, entwining their fingers. “I know but I can’t help it.”

“Soooo… you want a winter or fall wedding?” Oliver asked for confirmation as they both turned to their sides to face each other.

“I think so, yes. I… also don’t want to wait more than a year?”

“You definitely won’t hear me complain about that.”

“Do you think… would it possible to get married in… November, December?”

“I can’t see why not. Except if you want a big wedding or if you have specific things in mind, like the venue, which might be complicated.”

“I… I don’t care, honestly. I just want us to get married, have a lovely day surrounded by people we love, a great cake aaaaand… a dance. Not necessarily in that order.”

Oliver laughed, his thumb stroking her knuckles. “Of course. I guess the cake is high on the list?”

“Yes,” she winced.

“As for me, I just want you in a beautiful dress, even though I know you’ll probably find one that will torture me all day, and a nice ceremony. Oh and the wedding night.  **That’s** on top of my list.”

Felicity let out a small breathy laugh. “Of course it is.”

“Seeing as...” Oliver started, feeling his cheeks heating up a little because he was about to say something quite sappy - even by his standards which were quite low in that matter according to Tommy.

“Yes?”

“Our first kiss was at a Christmas in July party.”

“Yes,” Felicity sighed dreamily.

“I like the idea of a December wedding, with the white lights and maybe a little bit of mistletoe?”

“Oh… yeah… that would be perfect.”

“So… we’re getting married in December?” He asked, unable to keep the grin from his face.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Small wedding?”

“Small wedding,” he agreed before dropping a soft kiss on her lips.

“Are you going to agree to everything I say?” she smiled against his lips.

“Today? Probably.”

He honestly didn’t feel like “no” was even in his vocabulary today. He was way too happy for that.

  
  


***

  
  


It was really hot in the room, even with the air conditioning. Bali’s temperatures were abnormally high for April and Oliver and Felicity had spent more time in the water than they had thought at first. There had also been a couple massages at sunset, a few trips inside the country, but mostly a lot of sex in the humid heat and being lazy by the beach, sharing cocktails under a sunshade and just generally being head over heels in love.

They had fallen asleep after a very slow, languid afternoon in their bed and, as usual, Oliver was awake first. It was bright and the only sounds he could hear were the calm purring of the air conditioning unit and Felicity’s peaceful breathing. She was lying on her front, a thin white sheet barely covering her butt, her left hand on the pillow right next to her face.

She was so beautiful that Oliver couldn’t help himself and took a few pictures of her, knowing he’d probably frame at least one or two to have in his home office or on his night stand. She was wearing her engagement ring, which she only took off when she would either shower or swim, and Oliver had bought a chain to keep it around his neck every time she needed to store it somewhere safe. After a little more than a week spent doing nothing but sleep, make love, eat and walk in nature, Felicity’s skin had taken a gorgeous golden shade, her hair turning even lighter than usual.

Knowing she would need to wake up soon, he softly kissed her shoulder, making his way to her cheek. “Felicity,” he whispered as he nibbled her ear, trying to keep the smile off his face when she moaned in protestation.

His stubborn, grumpy fiancée.

Soon-to-be wife.

“I’m awake,” Felicity mumbled while he was daydreaming about their wedding day, and more importantly… the wedding night. She opened her eyes, then closed them again with a little laugh. “Ugh. Oliver… what is it this time?”

“I was thinking about the wedding night lingerie,” he admitted without shame.

In the last ten days or so, she had caught him with either a goofy smile -her words- or dreamy eyes -again, her words- and he had been forced to share with her what had caused them. Usually it was either from picturing her in her white dress or planning their wedding night.

“Any particular wish?”

“I was thinking… maybe a bow? A real one? Is it possible?”

“You want to unwrap me?” Felicity grinned.

“... yeah,” he smiled unabashedly.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

  
  
  
  


Later that night, Felicity was wearing one of the super light, thin summer dresses Thea had bought for her and they were enjoying a very romantic dinner with candlelight, right on the beach front in a secluded area just for the two of them. The sun was slowly setting, and despite the low light, he could clearly see Felicity’s freckles. She hadn’t worn make up at all ever since they had arrived, and that combined with the sun was really making them pop on her flawless skin.

He had also noticed she had some on her back and he had spent an entire evening kissing each and every single one of them.

If this was how their honeymoon rehearsal was going, he doubted they’d do much apart from making love during their real honeymoon.

“Oliver?” Felicity asked just when he was about to suggest they forget the main course and go back to their bungalow.

“Yes?”

“Are you OK? You know… after this afternoon?”

Oliver blinked, looking at her for a few seconds before realizing what she was talking about.

Earlier that day, after their nap, Felicity had headed to the spa for some “woman time”, while Oliver had gone to the pool. He had been swimming, vigorously since it was his only real work out here, and had not noticed that a little boy had wondered about the scars on his chest.

Truth be told he didn’t even see the scars anymore, except for when Felicity would take it upon herself to lick every single one of them. Then, he would be very, very aware of each and every one of them. But long gone was the time when they shamed him. They were a part of him now, a testament to the three years he had spent away and a reminder that nothing was ever a given in life. But for other people, they were often a shock.

He hadn’t wanted to make the parents of the little boy uncomfortable and had pretended he hadn’t heard a thing, listening as they explained that sometimes when you had a very, very big ouchie, it left a scar when it healed.

Which had made him realize two things.

The first one was that he had healed.

Really healed. It wasn’t so much that he was back to the living. He was… he was good. In every meaning of the word.

Sure, Oliver wasn’t naive, he knew that his experience would always, always be a part of him and he was ready to face the fact that sometime, in the future, it could pop back into his life but he was now healthy, mentally healthy enough to deal with the fallout.

The second one was that one day, he would have to explain to his own children why he had so many marks on his skin.

That one had been a little more troubling for him but instead of closing off or letting the emotions run wild inside him, he had calmly put the thought aside, knowing that he’d pick up on it when the time would be right and he would try and find the best way to explain to their kids what had happened to him.

And Felicity had obviously picked up on that when she had walked to him right when the parents were in the middle of their explanation.

She was watching him intensely, waiting for his answer and it took his breath away to see her, so painfully beautiful in the sunset, a strap falling off her shoulder, her naturally curly hair - which she had cut shorter - framing her face, her cheek nestled in her hand as she leaned with an elbow on the table.

His fiancée.

“Yes,” he answered simply. “I’m more than alright.”

  
  
  
  


***

  
  


“Oliver and Felicity, in the name of the board and our employees, let me congratulate you on your engagement,” Louisa, the new head of the board, said as everyone took their places around the long table in the conference room.

“Thank you,” Felicity smiled lightly, her eyes once again checking if her engagement ring was still in place.

It had been more than two weeks now but she still, somehow, wasn’t used to seeing it there.

“Thank you, Louisa,” Oliver nodded as well as he sat down next to her.

“As you know, this is the final step,” Louisa continued. “It took us about fourteen months, but now everything is settled. Queen Consolidated and Palmer Tech officially merged and I think this deserves a round of applause.”

Everyone clapped while Felicity and Oliver shared a happy little glance.

“There is only thing left to do.”

“We need a new name,” Felicity nodded.

“Yes. While you were away, we came up with several possibilities. We considered simply joining both names, like Palmer-Queen Enterprises, but with the recent news of your engagement… We think that Queen Enterprises or Queen Incorporated could work as well.”

“And… both sides agree?” Felicity asked with a little frown, surprised her original board wouldn’t mind the disappearance of the name Palmer.

“Well… yes. Obviously we would love to keep the name Palmer but we also must keep in mind that Ray is gone now and it might give the impression that we are still living in the past, somehow.”

“You’re not afraid of the same thinking applying with the name Queen?” Oliver wondered out loud.

“You are one of the CEOs. Your fiancée is the main shareholder and the other CEO. I think it shows that we are accepting the history, and embracing the future, quite the contrary. We definitely don’t want to get back to Queen Consolidated, but as I said Queen Enterprises, or Queen Incorporated could work.”

“I think Incorporated puts the emphasis on the fact that it’s not just a Queen company, which I prefer,” Felicity stated as she started to scribble the name on a sheet of paper. It looked nice, she had to admit it, even though the disappearance of Palmer was causing a little pitch in her heart. Ray would always be the one who had put her in the position she was at the moment.

But she knew his name would never be forgotten. She had set up a scholarship in his name, and had also donated a good chunk of money to Starling University to create a new wing for their engineering department. And Ray had never been about having his name on a building anyway, so she was absolutely positive he’d rather have it on a school rather than on a skyscraper if he had been given the choice.

“I agree. It’s also my preference,” Sidney, the board member on her left said. “Maybe we should vote? No need to make it more complicated than it is.”

Felicity turned to Oliver. “What do you think?”

“I… Yes. I think Queen Incorporated has a nice ring to it,” Oliver said with a small thoughtful nod.

“The sooner we approve of a name, the sooner the final step of the merger can happen. We will rebrand the buildings and so on. We already have designers working on several ideas.”

“Do we have an idea of the cost?” Felicity asked, knowing they’d have to change the signs on top of not one, but two buildings, plus the business cards and stationery, as well as rebrand everything electronically, whether it was for email signatures or for their website.

“Their first draft is well within budget, but I’ll make sure you have it on your desk by tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, then,” Felicity grinned. “Let’s vote. Who wants Queen Incorporated?”

“Wait,” Oliver interrupted her with a soft hand on her arm. “Felicity… wait.”

“Oliver, do you have another idea?” Louisa asked. “Do you prefer Queen Enterprises or maybe Queen Holding?”

“No… I mean yes,” Oliver said with a little frown. “This is…” He paused, his thumb rubbing his lips as he once again glanced at her. “It’s not my family’s name that should be on top of this building.”

“Hum… I’m not sure I’m following?”

“It should be Felicity’s.”

Felicity stared at him, her eyes wide as she tried to make sense of his words. So, alright, they hadn’t talked about whether or not she was going to take his name or not, or hyphenate because truth be told she still wasn’t sure herself, but it didn’t change the fact that they were getting married and would officially become a household, a family. “But, Oliver, we’re going to be married anyway,” she tried to explain.

“I know,” he smiled. “Hum, would you excuse us for a second?” he said as he stood up, nudging her to follow him.

Her heart beating, she followed him outside of the room, wondering if maybe he had changed his mind somehow. He led them to a small empty office a few doors down and leaned back against the desk, holding her hand in his.

“Oliver, I’m very, very confused right now.”

“I know,” he repeated. “Honey… I love you.”

“I… love you too? Are you having second thoughts? You can tell me, Oliver.”

_Please don’t tell me you have second thoughts. Please, please, please._

What?” Oliver exclaimed in a surprised laugh. “Of course not!”

“Then I don’t-”

“Baby, it’s your name that should be on top of that building. Yours. Not mine.”

She blinked. “I… well maybe your name will be my name soon?”

“I… would honestly love that,” Oliver admitted quietly.

“Then… why?”

“Felicity, you are the one behind everything. You’ve been for a long time, whether it was Queen Consolidated or Palmer Tech, way before the merger was even in play. It’s time you stop being in the shadows. It’s time for you to be front and center, and not just for me, not just for the board, not just for our employees. You deserve this, Felicity. You deserve to have your name on top of that building. Your mother deserves to see her name on top of that building. All the sacrifices she made, all the ones you made… you deserve your moment in the spotlight.”

“I’m not… I’m not sure,” Felicity whispered, the little voice inside her, the one she hadn’t heard in forever, murmuring that she was just a girl from Vegas and had ended up where she was by pure luck. “I mean I’m a nobody. People know the name Palmer and they know the name Queen. Smoak is… unknown in this business.”

“Smoak is unknown for the  **public** but I can guarantee you that people in our business know exactly who you are. You wouldn’t have gotten an interview with Time Magazine if they didn’t. So maybe we should just educate the public?”

“It just seems very heavy all of a sudden. It was never my ambition, Oliver. You know that.”

“I know. I told you, years ago, that you were destined to shine, Miss Smoak. You proved me right already. Time to prove it to everybody else...” Oliver trailed off as he gently pressed a finger against her forehead. “Including yourself.”

Felicity let out a trembling smile at his words. “You’ll have to stop calling me Miss Smoak at some point.”

“I think I will always call you Miss Smoak every now and then. Especially when you wear one of your dresses.”

“Are you sure?” Felicity asked him again. “It’s your family’s company, I know how much it mattered to you. It’s not just you, it’s also your mother and Thea.”

“Thea is on her own path. Mom is fully aware of the fact that if things had been left in our family’s hands, we would have lost the company already. And yes, it is, or was, my legacy. But honey, I just can’t stop thinking about…”

“About?”

Oliver nervously licked his lips. “If we have a daughter… I want her to feel the same pride I used to feel when I saw my father in the building bearing its name. I want her to see what her mother created because I want her to understand that she, too, can create amazing things and no man, not even her own father, should overshadow her in any way. I want her to see, with her own eyes, that our new family legacy came through her mother. When you quit QC, I had a talk with my mom. She told me that, in our company, my name would always overshadow yours, no matter what accomplishments you would reach. I don’t want that. Not for you, not for our future daughter. I want her to look at your name, and feel proud that her mom did that. I want her to realize that, no matter what her own last name is, a Smoak woman created that and she has the same blood running through her veins.”

“And if we have a son?” Felicity couldn’t help but ask teasingly, knowing she’d better put some slight banter into the conversation or she would probably end up crying over the sheer perfection she was going to marry by the end of the year.

“Then he’ll grow up with a much better example than I did. The world has changed since Queen Consolidated was created. If girls managed to grow when all the power seemingly was in men’s hands, I think our son will learn to accept his mother is the real big boss. And I hope he’ll realize much sooner than I did that his last name won’t matter if he doesn’t work his ass off, like you’ve done most of your life. Felicity Smoak… this is your achievement. You gotta own it, baby,” he added with a small wink.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure,” Oliver said softly, brushing a kiss on her knuckles. “Everything that is being created, every single one of our most important innovations comes directly from you and from the way you inspire our employees. And that’s what the name of our company needs to represent. If you take my name when we marry, it won’t erase the fact that **you** , Felicity Megan Smoak, did all of this on your own. This is your success and even though I know we share everything, I want you to have this. You never let me give you the world, because you didn’t need me to and you wanted to work for it, to earn it. You’ve done it, honey. You’ve earned that name. Don’t stop right before the finish line.”

Felicity gulped, nodding. She had never even considered a company carrying her last name but everything Oliver had just told her was hitting her right in the gut. Yes, she too deserved her own legacy.

Oliver must have sensed his words had reached her because he gently pulled on her hand. “Now, come on, we need to come up with the right name.”

Their hands separated when they walked back inside the board meeting and even though Felicity sat down, Oliver remained standing. “I know that the news of our engagement probably changed perspectives. But… I think we can all agree, around this table, that the one person who made this whole thing possible is Felicity. Whether she guaranteed we still had jobs,” Oliver said with a smile, pointing to himself and a few board members from QC, earning a few laughs, “or she created technology that made Palmer Tech a worldwide leader, which in return made a bunch of you millionaires, thanks to your original investment. She is also the one who has been inspiring our engineers for more than a year now. She is the brain behind most of the projects these walls are seeing born, right as we speak. Her name is already linked to some of the greatest advancements science and technology have seen in the last decade. I say it’s more than time we make things official.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY'RE ENGAGED!!!!!!  
> OMG it finally happened :'( :'( :'(  
> Fun fact: until like... four months ago I had NO IDEA how I was going to have Oliver propose. I mean, and Danka can confirm, this story was planned and I had mental scenes for almost everything (at least the big, important events, of course) but I was drawing a GIANT blank for the proposal which... was starting to make me nervous to be honest. Because duh after so long, I had to write the proposal, and it had to be worth it.  
> And, one night, I was at my mom's and as usual I was brainstorming in my bed there (I almost never take my laptop with me so I couldn't write, therefore I always tried to still be productive at night and come up with headcanons etc) and suddenly POOF the idea came to me. Oliver would recreate the day they had met. I thought it would be a perfect way to make it meaningful, super romantic and to really make the whole story a full circle by calling back to the first chapter of HGW. I told Danka who was as enthusiastic as I was and I noted the small idea down in my "note doc", knowing we still had a BUNCH of chapters before we reached it but feeling so much better because I knew this was it. This would be my proposal.
> 
> And here we are, FINALLY and I would be lying if I told you I didn't cry writing it.  
> A few of you knew it was heading our way since you helped me in "the ring quest" which tortured me... and I eventually picked another one. It's very similar to Blake Lively's engagement ring, but the diamond is smaller because Felicity has small hands. When I wrote this chapter and sent it to my beta, I had the same version of the ring in mind but with platinum instead of rose gold. But... ugh. I don't know but I think the rose gold gives the ring a more vintage look. I always wanted the ring to be from the Dearden's vault, as opposed to the one he bought for Laurel. 
> 
> Then... Dig is a dad. And yes of course Felicity is the godmother ;) As for the name, I was struggling because to me Baby Sara *is* Dig's daughter. But with a Sara still alive and a friend of his it was weird even though I really wanted to use that name. So I researched African names and found Saran, which is SUPER close to Sara and the meaning is so beautiful, I decided it was the perfect compromise. I have no issue calling her Saran in my head because it starts exactly like Sara.
> 
> Oh and yup... the plan was never to have Queen Incorporated by the end of STAMTB. It was always Smoak Technologies. It's Felicity's legacy more than Oliver's now. It's her time. As for Oliver's legacy, I dropped a few hints every now and then but you'll find out more in the next chapter (and the one after that ;)). That being said, Felicity is the one who blossoms and thrives with her work. Oliver is a bit different in that aspect but then again he doesn't have an IQ of 170 that he needs to keep busy lol.
> 
> They went to Bali yaaaayyy!! I know I didn't write a lot about it but they just had a lot of sex and gazzing and kissing and snogging and snuggling and more gazing and day-dreaming about their wedding, or about Felicity's lingerie as you saw.
> 
> Oh, also, has anyone stopped at the mention of Felicity, at the beginning of the chapter when Thea stops for her "make over", going to a trip to Hong Kong? I didn't want you guys to think I was pulling another stranded story but I liked the call back (and the very different outcome). Plus, I had to find a way to make Felicity leave for 2 weeks all of a sudden. It didn't seem realistic to me that she could drop everything for 2 weeks like that. So... with Daniela's help and their branch in Hong Kong, they made up a fake business trip to justify 2 weeks away + visas or vaccines (if needed) etc.
> 
> Hope you liked this chapter and that it was worth the wait ;)
> 
> xoxo


	51. Rome Wasn't Built In A Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew... here we go, guys.  
> Last chapter of STAMTB before the epilogue O_O 
> 
> Song: Rome wasn't built in a day - Morcheeba.  
> Little fun fact: this wasn't my original idea for the last chapter. I heard the song for the first time some three to four months ago and some lyrics really stuck with me. Seeing it took more than a hundred chapters to get here, I think "Rome wasn't built in a day" is quite spot on too ;)

**"Rome Wasn't Built In A Day"**  
  


You and me were meant to be  
Walking free in harmony  
One fine day we'll fly away  
Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day, hey hey hey

In this day and age it's so easy to stress  
'Cause people are strange and you can never second guess  
In order to love child we got to be strong  
I'm caught in the crossfire why can't we get along

'Cause you and me were meant to be  
Walking free in harmony  
One fine day we'll fly away  
Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day

I'm having a daydream, we're getting somewhere  
I'm kissing your lips and running fingers through your hair  
I'm as nervous as you 'bout making it right  
Though we know we were wrong, we can't give up the fight  
Oh no

'Cause you and me were meant to be  
Walking free in harmony  
One fine day we'll run away  
Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day  
You and me we're meant to be  
Walking free in harmony  
One fine day we'll fly away  
Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day

You and me (you and me) were meant to be (meant to be)  
Walking free (walking free) in harmony (in harmony)  
One fine day (one fine day) we'll run away  
(we're gonna run away, we're gonna run away)  
Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day

You and me (you and me) were meant to be (meant to be)  
Walking free (walking free) in harmony (in harmony)  
One fine day (one fine day) we'll fly away  
(we're gonna run away, we're gonna run away)  
Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What?!” Oliver laughed before shaking his head. “No way.”

“Oh, come on, they even have little wands that we can customize with our names and the date!”

“Felicity…”

“Yes?” she asked, beaming.

“We’re not having a Harry Potter themed wedding.”

Her smile slipped from her lips as she sat back on the seat. “Ugh.”

She glared at him from the corner of her eye for a few seconds and he could have sworn he heard the little wheels turning in her head even before she let out an excited gasp. “What about-”

“No Doctor Who either.”

“You are unbelievably unreasonable, Oliver.”

“Do you want me to let you deal with Thea and your mother alone?”

“You’re the best fiancé ever,” Felicity said with the fakest smile he had ever seen on her face.

Oliver rolled his eyes, knowing fully well that the way the corner of his lips was twitching was probably ruining any attempt to remain firm. “Why do we need a theme anyway?”

“I… I don’t know,” Felicity frowned. “Mom told me we had to have one, Thea nodded while pinching her lips and looking at me like I had committed a deadly sin when I told her we hadn’t talked about it.”

“Can’t it be just you, me and our guests?”

“Yeah, I guess so. But… well we need to choose the invitations and then we’ll have to pick flowers and I guess… ugh, we should at the very least know which colors we’d like.”

“I think a winter wedding is a theme in itself. I mean, I don’t care about decorations. Do you?”

“Well, if we could have a Harry Potter-”

“No.”

“Lord of the Rings?”

“No.”

“Oooh, Star Wars!”

“No.”

“Then I don’t care either, I guess,” Felicity grumbled, crossing her arms. “I’m sorry but R2D2 as ring bearer would be amazing.”

“I think your mother or mine would probably pass out,” Oliver murmured as the car started to slow down. He turned to face Felicity who offered him a small nervous smile.

Today was an important day. Two months after the decision to rebrand the company, it was finally time for the official inauguration and curtain drop - so to speak. They had invited reporters to what used to be Palmer Tech’s building. Now, it would be Smoak Technologies’ headquarters for the executives and administrative employees, while QC had been transformed, like Felicity had wanted, for their engineers and scientists.

They also had an appointment with their wedding planner for lunch. At first, they had considered doing everything themselves and they had both been obliged to admit that for once, Donna and Thea had been right: it was way too much work for their already busy schedules. Not to mention, the two women were driving Felicity completely insane with their over-the-top planning. Moira had suggested hiring a wedding planner to make sure everyone stayed at least partly grounded when Felicity had massacred an innocent meatloaf with her fork during a family dinner two weeks ago, after Donna and Thea had ganged up on her to convince her to have horses and a carriage for the ceremony.

To be completely honest, Oliver had never thought planning a wedding could be so nerve-wracking. In his mind, he had thought they’d find the perfect place, hire a caterer, get some flowers, then Felicity would buy her dress, he’d get a nice tux, they would choose their wedding rings and then go on their honeymoon.

The reality had been quite different.

At first it had been about the size of the wedding. When Moira had first mentioned a number between 200 and 300 guests, Felicity had almost passed out. It had already been a battle, for the two of them, to make it much, much smaller.

Then, Donna and Thea had taken over with their wedding magazines and folders and if they had managed to make the wedding smaller in terms of guests, they seemed hell bent on making it bigger in terms of everything else. More decorations, more flowers, more food, bigger venue, fireworks, ice sculptures, and so on and so on until even Oliver had felt dizzy.

The car entering the garage brought Oliver back to the present, and he pressed Felicity’s hand one last time with a reassuring smile, knowing that as soon as they’d walk out, they would be professional, and professional only.

There were a lot of journalists among their employees - more than he had actually expected and he stood proudly in the hallway of their headquarters while Felicity made her speech, thanking their employees for their patience and support, as well as their partners. It amazed him how much she had changed in five years, how confident she had grown, how much she had made this position hers and hers only.

Oh, yes they were definitely co-CEOs, each really pulling their weight. But Oliver could see, clearly, that Felicity was now even starting to enjoy the aspects of the job she used to dislike the most. She was seeing them as personal challenges, and if there was one thing Felicity Smoak loved, it was challenges.

Oliver, on the other hand, was now getting more time to focus on a few projects of his own, which included the restoration of the bay. He had more or less forced most of their executives to show up for a day of cleaning, along with about a hundred citizens, and he was actively campaigning for the creation of a family park in the area. The mayor, unfortunately, was resistant, even with Oliver offering to fund the whole thing.

He stepped forward when he recognized the ending of her speech, having listened to her rehearsing it several times this week, either while he was busy making dinner or when they were taking a bath. He had to admit it was much more impressive to hear it now rather than when she was wiggling her toes in the foam of their bathtub though.

They were side by side when they watched the big screen that was broadcasting from the top of the building, and they shared a quick glance and a small smile as the countdown started. They had managed to keep the new name quiet, and they had, themselves, only seen the design on paper.

Oliver kept his eyes on Felicity when her name finally appeared on the screen and he saw the pride in her eyes, the way her smile widened… convincing him that his instincts had been right. Felicity might have not known it, because she had spent most of her life hiding in a way, but there was a part of her that probably needed to see something tangible, something real to show the journey the young girl from Vegas had taken to get here.

“It looks great, doesn’t it?” she whispered in awe, fixing on the blue neon letters that spelled Smoak Technologies on top of the building.

“It looks amazing,” he agreed softly, clapping his hands like everyone else in the room.

Their employees soon convened at the buffets that were offering drinks and snacks, probably taking advantage of the occasion to have a little chat rather than head back to work right away. Different reporters were filming a little segment commenting on the change in Starling’s skyline, while others were asking for a small interview. They couldn’t linger much, because they were supposed to head to what used to be Queen Consolidated to hold a small reception for their employees there as well.

“Mister Queen, if I could get a word?” a journalist asked as he and Felicity were both heading outside, where their car was waiting for them.

“Yes?” he answered politely, turning to face the thirty-something brunette.

“What was your position concerning the rebranding of the company? I mean it’s slightly surprising that two of Starling’s most iconic companies, yours and the late Mister Palmer’s, get renamed to a third name, someone who arrived late in the game.”

“Well, I won’t lie, keeping the name Queen or Palmer was definitely discussed with our board. But… there is one person who saved Queen Consolidated, not once, but twice in the past five years. It’s also the very same person who made of Palmer Tech the company it was as well. I think, and we all agreed, that it was time for the world to know that.”

Oliver smiled before muttering a small excuse and following Felicity down the steps, where their driver was holding the car door open.

“There are rumors of an engagement, even though nothing has been officially confirmed,” the woman continued as she followed them.

“Well, I’m officially confirming those rumors right now then,” Oliver chuckled.

“How do you feel personally, not as co-CEO but as Oliver Queen, about your family name disappearing from our skyline and being replaced by that of your fiancée?”

Oliver held the car door open, nodding towards Carl, their driver, and letting him know he could take his place behind the wheel as he helped Felicity get in the backseat.

Oliver looked at the journalist with a little smile before glancing at the top of the building behind her. “I feel fucking proud.”

With that, he sat next to Felicity who looked at him with a grin and laughing eyes as he reached for the door handle. He was about to close it when he caught the surprise on the reporter’s face and, with a lopsided grin, added, “feel free to quote me.”

 

***

 

“So… how do I look?” Felicity asked nervously, her trembling hands passing over the silky fabric on her stomach and hips for the hundredth time since she had put the gown on.

“Poor boy won’t know what hit him,” Dig smiled reassuringly as he leaned back against the door, his arms crossed on his chest.

“I… I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” Felicity admitted as she took another critical glance in the mirror. Her dress was a clean, spotless white, clinging to her curves and then flaring at the bottom. The front was almost brutally classic, the lines simple and elegant, and the only rebellious feature was probably the deep V neck that made her cleavage look a little more impressive than it really was.

The shop assistant had told her that with her small breasts, it gave a little naughty side to an otherwise very simple front without falling into sexy and it also showed off her collarbones and shoulders.

The back was a little more feisty with two straps, delicately embroidered with pearls and crystals, forming a V where they met the sheer sparkly lace that was protecting about a third of her back but leaving a spot of bare flesh right above the white skirt - perfect for Oliver’s hand, which had played a huge part in her decision that the dress was… well…  **the** dress.

Her hair was assembled in a soft, curly bun low on her neck, with a few strands carefully brushing her shoulders.

All in all, she was completely ready and had been spending the last ten minutes nervously pacing in her room, up to the point where she had made her bridesmaids sea-sick and forced them outside.

“It’s because it’s a big day,” Dig said gently. “And no matter how much you’re ready for it, it’s still nerve-wracking.”

“You look great, by the way,” she said appreciatively. He was wearing a black tux, with a dark red tie on a crisp white dress shirt.

“How is Oliver?” she asked with a deep breath, willing to focus on something else.

Dig chuckled. “Tommy tried to slip some Xanax in his drink, that should tell you everything.”

That made her smile. “I kicked mom out.”

“I know. You’re the bride, you get a pass, though. The groom? Not so much.”

She smiled again, twisting the engagement ring on her finger. “There is a part of me that still can’t believe it’s real. I mean… I’m not going to wake up tomorrow, and find it's been a dream, right?”

“Well… I don’t want to get into uncomfortable topics with you but I kinda hope, as your friend, that you will wake up tomorrow feeling like it was a dream. Or Oliver would have screwed up the wedding night.”

This time, her chuckle was more open. “Was it like this for you? The nerves?”

“Not really… it wasn’t a real formal wedding, so in a way it was much easier. I didn’t have to worry about all the people around me, about what we were wearing, the venue, the families and so on. But… I still didn’t manage to eat a thing that day.”

Felicity took a deep breath, releasing slowly. If even Dig - Dig! - had felt nervous on his wedding day, her reaction was completely normal.

“You don’t have doubts, do you?” he asked softly as he sat down on a chair.

“What? No!” she answered, her eyes wide. “No, no. Nothing like that. It’s just, you know, going out there, walking down the aisle with everyone staring at me… God I’m so thankful we managed to limit the number of guests. Moira was counting between two and three hundreds at first and… I don’t think you would have gotten me out of this room if that had been the case.”

Dig nodded, a small grin stretching his lips. “I can’t really understand that feeling, I’ll be honest. I was never asked to walk down an aisle in a wedding dress. But knowing you like I do, I’m aware it’s not something you’d enjoy normally either.”

“So no advice?” she asked with a little grimace, checking the clock just as a small knock on the door was heard, about two seconds before Sara popped her head in.

“Felicity… it’s time.”

Felicity looked at Dig with wide eyes, her heart thundering in her chest.

This was it.

“We’ll be right outside, Sara,” Dig answered, probably sensing she had lost control of her mouth at the moment.

Sara nodded, then softly closed the door.

“Felicity… I might not have advice to give you, but I can tell you a few things,” he said softly as he stood up and gently guided her towards the door. “I can tell you that right now you probably feel like your heart is in your throat and your palms are sweaty.”

Felicity nodded, grabbing a kleenex in futile attempt to dry her hands.

“I can also tell you that all of this will completely disappear once you are by Oliver’s side. Then it will only be you and him.”

“Oh God, that sounds amazing,” she murmured. “Can’t we skip to the only me and him part right away?”

“Nope,” Dig smiled as he held the door open for her. “But if I see you really struggle, I’ll cause a diversion.”

“Oh? Really?” she asked in relief. “Like going shirtless? I mean… that would definitely attract everyone’s attention.”

“I hope I’ll find something else but if it comes to that, yes I’ll do a strip tease in front of your guests.”

“You’re an amazing friend, you know that? And I don’t mean just for the strip tease offer but… since the beginning. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and… for being my rock when Oliver was gone,” she said in a small voice, feeling her eyes burning.

“Oh no, no, no! You’re not crying on me!” Dig stared at her with wide, almost panicked eyes.

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it,” she replied, blinking fast and trying to dry her eyes without messing up the delicate makeup she had on.

“Dig,” Sara hissed as she gave Felicity her bouquet of burgundy flowers, mixed with some pale gold - the same gold color of her bridesmaids’ dresses. “I called you for help, not to make things worse!”

“She… I didn’t do anything!” Dig exclaimed as they approached the small entourage waiting outside of the room where she was supposed to get married.

They had found the perfect inn just outside of Starling, with old beams and stones and wooden floors, and the ballroom they had picked for the ceremony had large bay windows heading straight to the gardens and their giant, old oaks - which were currently covered in snow. The ballroom’s heavy wooden doors were open, about fifteen feet further down the hall, but the hallway was completely empty except for Felicity, Dig, Sara, Tommy, Thea and the wedding planner, indicating that all the guests had taken their places.

“Woah, Miss Felicity…” Tommy said when he saw her approaching. “You… wow. I mean… yes. I mean wow.”

“No hitting on the bride, Merlyn”, Sara said as she rolled her eyes.

“I wasn’t-”

Lindsey, the wedding planner, interrupted them with a small voice. “Oliver just walked in with his mother, Mister Steele escorted the mother of the bride. Wait for the music to start then John and Thea can walk in.”

Dig pressed a small kiss on her cheek, squeezing her hand reassuringly as he whispered, “Remember. Focus on who is waiting on the other side and take pity on him. Poor boy has been waiting for this day forever it seems.”

The first notes of the string quartet started to echo and she nodded, nudging him on. Thea gave her a small encouraging smile and a thumbs up before taking Dig’s arm and disappearing from her sight. Tommy gave her a little wink, mouthing “smoking hot” before yelping when Sara slapped his arm.

For long, long seconds, she was alone in the hallway with Lindsey and the woman smiled at her warmly. “The nerves are normal. Don’t worry. Take a few deep breaths, set your eyes on Oliver then walk up to him. I have also been told that focusing on the cake you can finally eat after months of monitoring your weight helps.”

Felicity huffed out a small laugh, nodding a small thank you as she walked to the doors, her hands tightening on her bouquet.

Why had she thought walking down the aisle by herself was a good idea again? She could really use someone to steady her at the moment.

Unfortunately there was no more time as she recognized the slight change of momentum in the melody that was her signal and she mentally added the lyrics, a little trick Lindsey had given her to focus on something tangible.

 

_Like a river flows_

_Surely to the sea_

_Darling so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

 

She took the few steps separating her from the entrance, her mind filling with pictures, flashing memories of them.

The day she had met Oliver.

Their little fights at the office.

His face when he had realized she had sabotaged his car. 

Ivy Town.

Their first kiss.

Las Vegas.

The way he had given her a fern and apologized when she had started her job at PT.

The first time they had made love.

When she had seen him again in that hospital room, after three long years without him.

The first time she had seen him smile after his return.

Their first date.

His proposal.

  


She saw the last row of chairs, a few people smiling at her as she turned around to face the entrance but she was unable to smile back, her heart beating so wildly she was sure everyone could hear it. She couldn’t even appreciate the beautiful venue, the warm tones, the happiness on everyone’s faces, her brain struggling with the emotions, the nerves, the attention of so many people on her.

Then…

Then she saw him.

Right where Dig had told her, at the end of the aisle.

He caught her eyes and she almost heard his small intake of breath, the gulping sound in his throat when his eyes traveled over her face then down to her feet, then back to her face. He lightly shook his head then bit his lower lip, his eyes so soft, so warm that it almost felt like he was right in front of her and not on the other side of the room.

And suddenly, everything else was gone. It was just the two of them.

The fear, the tension, the pressure… it all vanished with that little shake of his head, the way his lips twitched and she could almost hear his voice whispering “damn it, Felicity,” like he always did whenever she would catch him off guard.

Without meaning to, without even being conscious of it, she returned his smile, her face relaxing the closer she got to him. She forgot the lyrics that were supposed to help her keep the right pace, she forgot the quartet playing, she forgot that there were people on each side staring at her, she forgot everything that wasn’t him and there was a sudden, calming wave that washed over her.

She was getting married.

To the love of her life.

And all was well.

 

 

***

 

“Relax,” Dig whispered as he took place by his side.

“I’m trying to,” Oliver breathed, watching Tommy escorting Sara, knowing Felicity would be next.

He offered a stiff nod to his best friend when he patted his arm discreetly, his eyes glued to the entrance.

It seemed to him that the seconds started to stretch into minutes and he felt a wave of panic, wondering if maybe Felicity had changed her mind or if there was something wrong, maybe with her dress, or the bouquet or one of the dozen things a bride apparently needed, like a garter or a veil, even though he wasn’t sure Felicity had picked a veil, based on what he had heard.

He saw a few guests in the very last row smiling and his breath caught in his throat when Felicity finally walked inside the room. So beautiful, he wondered if he was dreaming her for a split second.

He had imagined this moment for so long, and so many times that he should have been prepared for it.

But he hadn’t been.

She wasn’t wearing a veil, he noticed distractedly, his eyes traveling down her figure, noticing the way her dress was clinging to her curves, the purity of the white on her soft, glowing skin. He saw the tension in her shoulders and tried to capture her eyes, finally breathing again once their gazes locked.

She smiled then, and it hit him like a freight train how stunning she was.

Damn it, Felicity, he thought, already knowing he wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off her for the entire day. She had shown no mercy in the choice of her wedding gown, and it would be a miracle if he managed to find his tongue in order to say his vows.

Her dark red bouquet was vibrant against the silk of her dress, her hair was tied, but he could see soft strands had been let loose and he couldn’t help but smile, smile at his beautiful bride, forcing himself to remain where he was while she slowly - way too slowly for his liking - made her way to him.

There was a buzzing in his ears, and it was intensifying with every step Felicity was taking, as if his brain had short circuited and was unable to focus on anything apart from what his eyes were seeing. When she was finally close to him, he reached out his hand and she took it, lowering her eyes almost shyly when he pressed a kiss on her knuckles, absolutely unable to stop himself.

He was actually quite proud that he hadn’t kissed her senseless in front of everyone.

“Hey,” he breathed as his thumb stroked her fingers.

“Hey,” she said back quietly, gazing up at him as if he was the only man on the planet.

There was a small commotion on his right when Tommy apparently slipped on a step and muttered something that made Oliver extremely relieved they hadn’t picked a religious officiant but his attention didn’t waver.

He didn’t even realize the music had stopped and their officiant was talking until Felicity glanced at the middle-aged man in front of them, but his eyes remained firmly on his bride.

**His bride.**

The buzzing in his ears didn’t clear until Felicity was slipping a ring around his finger, and he honestly wasn’t even sure if he had really said his vows.

“... declare you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” he finally heard distinctly, absentmindedly thinking it would have been a shame if he had missed that part.

Felicity frowned suddenly just as he was about to do as he was told and the officiant coughed awkwardly. “I’m sorry… you may kiss your groom, and the bride may kiss the… I mean you may kiss. The two of you. You may kiss each other.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh, remembering Felicity’s insistence during the rehearsal to avoid the usual sentence as he all but grabbed his wife and pulled her flush against him. “Have mercy on him and on me and kiss your husband, will you?”

Felicity beamed and he covered her lips with his before she could say anything else, the two of them smiling into the kiss that sealed them as husband and wife.

At last.

He was about to deepen the kiss, uncaring that there were dozens of people staring at them, when his hand traveled to the small of her back… brushing a patch of naked skin that he clearly wasn’t expecting to find there.

“What-” he murmured as he broke the kiss, dying to twirl her in his arms and see with his eyes what his fingers had felt. 

“Come on, dude, you have to lead the way,” Tommy chuckled, pushing him forward.

Felicity beamed up at him, holding his hand as she turned around, and he groaned out loud when he saw the back of her dress.

_Damn it, Mrs Queen._

 

 

“You do know we’re supposed to eat, right?” Felicity murmured against his lips as his fingers stroked her naked back.

“Mmhmh,” he nodded, brushing his nose against hers before seeking another kiss. “Eating is overrated.”

“I hope you won’t say that tonight,” Felicity whispered in a teasing, cheeky tone as her hand caressed his thigh.

“Oh, I can assure you I definitely won’t,” he smiled as she snuggled closer in the crook of his arm. His hand rested in the middle of her back, playing with the three little buttons that were keeping the top of her dress closed.

Three buttons that had been torturing him for hours now.

When he had seen her walking down the aisle to him, his breath had been taken away by how gorgeous she was.

He should have known she had a little surprise for him though. How many times had he had the same kind of surprise? A perfectly normal, classic, elegant dress, and then when she would turn around…

Which was exactly what had caused Tommy to miss a step at the beginning of the ceremony, his best friend had eventually admitted.

Suffice it to say her wedding dress had annihilated every other dress she had ever worn - including the one from their engagement party, which had been exactly the same as the one he had thought had been ruined during the attack at QC shortly after his return. It turned out that she had contacted the shop, asking for another one and keeping it for “a special occasion”.

They were in the middle of their dinner, but they had barely been able to eat anything, too busy kissing and generally gazing at each other to do things as basic as sustaining themselves. He had barely glanced at the decorations or the table setting and it had actually made him laugh a little that so much brainstorming with the wedding planner, his sister and his mother-in-law had eventually ended up completely and utterly insignificant. The ballroom was beautiful, in tones of pale gold and burgundy, with mistletoe and snowflakes crystals decorating the tables.

And speaking of beautiful...

“God, you are stunning,” he whispered as he gazed down at Felicity… for probably the hundredth time that day.

“I lost track of the number of times you’ve told me that, you know,” Felicity giggled and the sound was enough to make him want to kiss her again.

Unfortunately, he was interrupted by the sound of someone clinking a glass on his right. He groaned when he saw Tommy standing up and Felicity snorted, hiding her face in his neck.

“I figure I should do my mandatory best man speech now before we find these two half naked underneath the table,” Tommy started, making their guests laugh.

Oliver sheepishly shared a look with Felicity, thinking they had been discreet - or at the very least reasonable with the PDA. Apparently… not so much.

“As you know… Ollie and I have been best friends since about forever. And even though the job of best man was bestowed on me in eighth grade, there was a… change of casting, shall we say, ever since I first agreed. A change I completely approve, by the way. I met Felicity the very first day Oliver hired her. She was underneath his desk.”

“Tommy!” Felicity gasped in outrage.

“Sorry, Miss Felicity, I couldn’t resist,” he grinned. “You can’t blame me. I’ve been waiting for this day longer than the two of you have. Ever since the day I woke up, checked my phone and saw my best friend, Oliver Queen, the second most charming bachelor of Starling City at the time, riding a mechanical bull with his secretary.”

“Executive assistant,” Oliver and Felicity corrected automatically as the guests laughed.

“My bad. So, after more pictures that in good conscience I can not describe to you today, I called him, worried he might have been drugged against his will or had a doppelganger somewhere. And… that’s when I knew that one day… we’d get here. Because I knew Oliver. And Oliver didn’t bicker with girls. Oliver didn’t let them drag him on a mechanical bull or convince him to try the dirty dancing lift. Oliver didn’t wear bright neon pink sweaters that said “corn-bitch looking for a corndog”. Oliver didn’t forget his best friend was on the phone just so he could fight with his sec… executive assistant. Oliver didn’t let a girl slam the door in his face and then go back for more. But I guess that was because Oliver hadn’t met the right girl before.”

“I saw this big idiot fall in love with Felicity… and fall hard. And I saw Felicity bringing him something he was missing. I saw…” Tommy cleared his throat, lowering his eyes for a minute. “I saw her mourn him when we all thought he was gone for good and… I knew she had loved him as deeply as he had loved her. You guys went through hell and back. But it made you strong, where it would have broken others. Your love resisted death itself, in a way. It also resisted Oliver’s general dumb attitude when he came back, which is also an achievement, believe me.”

Felicity let out a shaky laugh and Oliver turned to face her, seeing one tear escaping her eye. He gently brushed it off, sensing his own throat was tight as well.

“I’ve never seen anyone make my best friend smile the way you do, Felicity. I’m asking you this very humbly… please keep doing it for the rest of your life. I like seeing this big idiot happy. And you, Oliver… I once told you you’d never forgive yourself if you screwed up with her. So for my own sake, because I don’t feel like having another week of mopey Oliver watching every rom-com his baby sister owns, please never give her a reason to stop making you smile.”

“Fuck,” Oliver murmured, feeling his eyes burning as he stood up, giving a hard, manly hug to his best friend.

Tommy reciprocated by hitting him vigorously on the back before clearing his throat once again, holding out a hand to stop the applause that was already starting. “Sorry… I’m not done. I couldn’t, for the life of me, not let you enjoy the beauty of Oliver and Felicity singing Time of My life. Which will also be remembered as the night when Oliver Queen fell in love with his wife.” Tommy turned to the wedding planner who gave him a thumbs up and a white screen started to scroll down on a wall behind Oliver and Felicity.

“Dude…” Oliver trailed off as the first notes of the song started to echo loudly in the room, images of the night they had spent in Ivy Town five and a half years ago playing on the screen.

Felicity hid her face behind her hands and Oliver couldn’t help but chuckle at their younger selves and sent a quick apology to Patrick Swayze for butchering the song and the dance.

“I told you one day I’d tell this story and it would make you laugh,” Tommy said with a little smile as they both sat down to enjoy the show.

“Asshole,” Oliver grinned.

 

 

***

 

“I can’t believe he did that,” Felicity giggled as she joined Oliver by the bar, slipping her arms around his waist.

“It’s Tommy. I should have known he hadn’t forgotten,” Oliver replied as he turned around to pull her in his arms, his hand automatically nestling in that little spot of naked back.

The meal was ending, and the wedding planner had informed them that they would open the ball in about twenty minutes to give their guests enough time to finish their dinner quietly.

Which Oliver had apparently interpreted as “now is the time to try to ravage your wife, Mister Queen” seeing as his first reaction had been to pull Felicity out of her chair and try to drag her to the nearest closet.

Unfortunately, she had had to stop him, her poor bladder unable to hold much longer. She had had to call her mom for help, though, because going to the bathroom with your wedding dress on was an adventure in itself and she wasn’t surprised to see that Oliver had naturally walked to the bar while she was gone, where Tommy and a few others were talking.

“God, it took you forever,” Oliver whispered as he brushed a kiss on her lips.

“This dress is… a challenge in itself, Oliver.”

“We still have ten minutes left,” he murmured as he eyed the door leading to the hallway.

“We won’t be able to do anything satisfying in ten minutes with the clothes we’re wearing.”

“Don’t challenge my creativity.”

“I’m not…” Felicity trailed off, pulling away when she saw Daniela approaching them.

“Felicity, honey,” Oliver protested, his lips chasing hers again.

“Oliver, behave,” she hissed before turning to face her friend but her words of welcome died on her lips when she saw Tommy eyeing Daniela appreciatively.

_Oh, hell, no._

“I see you managed to get your Harry Potter nod,” Daniela said, completely unaware of Tommy behind her. “Ten points to Gryffindor!”

“Wait, what?” Oliver said with a frown as he glanced at her.

“Ah, hum…” Felicity huffed out a small, awkward giggle. “You approved the colors, honey.”

“Yeah and…?”

“Red and gold? Gryffindor’s colors?” Daniela offered for him.

Oliver gasped, watching her in outrage. “Felicity!”

“What? You like red!”

“I vetoed the Harry Potter theme!”

“Don’t blame me because you didn’t think to veto the colors!”

“I didn’t think you would sneakily try to get your way!”

Felicity paused, staring at him. “Hum… hello, have you met me? It's literally what I always do, Oliver.”

That made him snap his mouth shut and he looked at her for a few seconds before his lips stretched into a wide smile. “You little vixen.”

Uncaring that there were people around them, he leaned in to give her a long, thorough kiss, one that belonged more in the privacy of their bedroom than in the middle of their wedding reception. He pulled away to let her catch her breath and was about to go for another one when she noticed Daniela had walked away and was now on the other side of the bar, her hands on her hips and staring at one the ice sculptures.

Oliver whined, trying to chase her lips but she shook her head and he eventually put his hands on her hips with a small disappointed sigh. “Why can’t I kiss my bride exactly?”

“Because I’m thirsty, so I’m going to get a drink and go talk to my friend for a few minutes,” Felicity replied, patting his cheek before asking for a glass of water from the bartender.

Oliver sighed, then turned to face Tommy and they both started to talk about his speech, for which Oliver had promised to get his payback. One day.

She wasn’t paying attention to them and when she finally had her drink in hand, she turned around, ready to head towards Daniela, only stopping herself when she saw Tommy approaching her.

“It’s a swan,” she heard him say.

She couldn’t make out Daniela’s answer and, unabashedly, slipped one foot closer, pulling Oliver with her.

“Well obviously, the ice melted but originally it was a swan. It was… my idea actually,” Tommy replied proudly. “I think it looks very elegant.”

“I think it looks like the turkey my mother stuffs on Thanksgiving,” Daniela replied slowly, cocking her head to the side in an obvious attempt to get a better angle. “I’m honestly surprised that a guy like Oliver would go with ice sculptures.”

“What do you mean, a guy like Oliver?”

“You know… Alpha male, naturally handsome. Not metrosexual at all.”

Felicity saw Oliver straightening his shoulders at the praise, and she slapped his stomach.

“Hey! Ice sculptures are a must for winter weddings, I’ll have you know, metrosexual Alpha male or not!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I offend Mister Brides Magazine?”

“Mister Brides… it’s not because I have great taste and an eye for natural beauty that-”

“An eye for natural beauty?” Daniela laughed. “Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t you the same guy who thinks every girl in Playboy has natural boobs?”

Tommy pinched his lips, throwing her an angry glare and mumbling about people ruining childhood dreams.

With a small smile, Daniela shook her head. “You wouldn’t recognize natural beauty if it was dancing in front of you with a turkey shoved on its head.” She fake-gasped, spreading a hand over her chest as she looked at him apologetically. “Sorry. I mean a  **swan**.”

“I can see you’re not a fan of weddings. It’s OK, most women over twenty-five feel pressured in these occasions but-”

“Mister Merlyn, I just need to take one look at you, one of the only available bachelors at this wedding, to feel completely unpressured by the prospect of settling down. Actually… you’re making me feel quite the opposite.”

“Please, I hate it when a beautiful woman calls me-”

“That’s probably because you’re not used to it.”

Felicity shared an amused look with Oliver, secretly happy her friend wasn’t the kind to be fooled by charming looks and lines. Daniela was someone naturally bubbly and friendly, and she obviously liked attractive men based on her few encounters with Oliver, but she also had an uncanny ability to see right through you - something Tommy clearly wasn’t aware of.

“I… I don’t… I mean I am used to it, I just…”

“You just?” Daniela enquired sweetly, obviously enjoying the sight of a flustered Tommy Merlyn.

“I mean I prefer when beautiful women call me by my first name.”

“Aw. Is it a way for you to be sure they’re not confusing you with another of those playboys you always hang out with?”

“Women know exactly who they’re talking with,” Tommy huffed out in outrage. “They even seek my company!”

“I don’t see anyone battling for your attentions, at the moment…”

“You know very well there aren’t that many women here who are single and available.”

“Are you implying the only reason you’re talking to me is because of your lack of choice?”

“What?! No! You’re… you’re very pretty and you also seem to have great taste in drinks,” Tommy added as he pointed towards the Gin and Tonic Daniela was holding.

“It’s for Felicity’s great aunt. She is a widow, which makes her one of the only women who is single and available. You really shouldn’t wait any longer, I saw one or two gentlemen battling for her favors.”

“OK, I can see we started on the wrong foot, Dani.”

“Daniela.”

“Daniela,” Tommy repeated dutifully and Felicity could have sworn she saw the tip of his ears taking an interesting shade of red. “I didn’t mean to imply that… well that… I was trying to seduce you or… or Felicity’s great aunt.”

“Phew, that’s a relief because if that was your goal, you probably don’t get laid very often.”

“I do! I am a man of experience!”

“Amazing. You’re not really my type though.”

“... do you prefer girls?” Tommy asked with a little frown and Felicity mentally rolled her eyes, wondering where the hell was the smooth talker he always boasted he was.

“I prefer both, actually.”

“Oh. Ooooh,” Tommy smiled, his interest piqued.

“No, I’m not interested in a threesome with you and another girl.”

“Please, I’m more ambitious than that. I can handle three ladies just fine.”

“It’s funny how straight men always picture threesomes or foursomes with them being the only guy.”

“Hey! I’m very open-minded. Yes, I’m straight, but I… I had a homosexual experience once, you know.”

“Getting dick-slapped by a fake penis doesn’t count,” Daniela said, a hint of laughter in her voice. “But I’ll give you the kissing a guy, especially since you admitted it was a good one.”

“She told you!”

Daniela smiled sweetly before shoving the glass of Gin and Tonic in his hands. “Oh, yes, she told me everything there is to know about you. Aunt Julia is at the table near the ice sculpture that looks like a donkey.”

“It’s... it's a unicorn!” Tommy yelled at Daniela as she started to walk away, leaving through one of the side doors of the ballroom.

Tommy stood there, glaring at the drink in his hand for a few seconds, then he put it down on the bar and stormed his way after her.

Felicity looked at Oliver, laughing. “I think Tommy Merlyn finally got the take-down he’s been needing to have.”

Oliver glanced at her, a little smile playing on his lips as she stared at the door where Tommy had disappeared.

“What?” Felicity asked, her eyes following his. “Why are you smiling?”

“Felicity… Tommy Merlyn completely forgot that he was busy talking with his best friend just so he could bicker with a girl then got the door literally slammed in his face and went back for more.”

Felicity gaped at him. “Oh my God… he’s growing up!”

“Finally,” Oliver breathed before pulling her in his arms again. “Now, where were we?”

“Oliver? Felicity? Are you ready?” Lindsey interrupted them, earning a growl from Oliver.

“Yes,” Felicity replied as she stiffened a laugh. “Come on, Mister Queen. You promised me a dance.”

 

 

“See? It’s not so bad,” Felicity murmured as she snuggled in his arms, her head above his heart and one hand discreetly rubbing one of his suspenders.

“Mmhmh,” he nodded, resting his cheek on the top of her head, his fingers softly stroking the naked skin of her back, right above the skirt. “It’s actually pretty amazing. No one interrupts us, I get to touch you and I can pretend my hand is slipping so I can cop a feel.”

Just then, she felt his hand squeeze her butt and Oliver growled, a low, rumbling sound that she heard echoing in his chest. He squeezed once more then eventually put his hand back in a more decent position.

Felicity chuckled as she lifted her head, tilting it back in a silent invitation. Oliver smiled softly before kissing her, gently and slowly, mirroring the pace of their feet.

“I think this is my favorite part,” Oliver murmured when their lips parted.

“Unfortunately, my feet can’t take it anymore and I’m gonna need a break.”

Oliver frowned. “Your shoes?”

“Yes. I barely broke them-” Felicity stopped mid-sentence when Oliver bent on one knee and raised her dress. “Hum, Oliver?”

“Put your hand on me to keep your balance,” he said as he gently grabbed her right foot.

“Oh my God, this feels amazing,” she groaned when both her feet were flat on the cold floor.

With a smug smile, Oliver stood up, gathering both shoes in one hand and holding them by the strap before pulling her in his arms again.

“You’re really gonna ace this whole husband thingy,” she mumbled as she circled his waist with her arms, flattening her hands on his back when he started that slow swaying motion again. They were so close to each other that she was positive not even a sheet of paper could have slipped between their bodies. He was warm, and strong and tall and she breathed in deeply, almost purring like a cat as she brushed her nose against the soft fabric of his shirt.

Oliver pressed a kiss on her head, then leaned in to whisper in her ear, “I fully plan to.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Felicity covered her shoulders with the thick afghan she had picked from the couch and made her way outside with a hot mug of coffee in hand.

It was the morning, somewhere in a small village in England. It was the fifth day of their honeymoon, and in two more days, they would leave their cozy little cottage and head to London. Then to Italy, and finally Greece.

Their wedding had been as magical as every girl hopes it would be. From the ceremony, to the reception with the speeches and their dance… everything had been absolutely perfect. And seeing a ring on Oliver’s finger was one of the most exhilarating feelings she had ever experienced.

She smiled when she saw Oliver sitting on a bench, enjoying the unusually warm weather. It was still chilly though, but dry, and the sun was shining bright.

“Coffee?” she offered as she sat on his lap.

With a gentle smile he took a sip of it, then gave her the mug back before shifting the blanket around her to make sure she would stay warm.

“You’ve been quiet lately. Is… Is there something on your mind or is it just the… phew the wedding is over, crazy how now I have time to think?” Felicity asked as she stroked his jaw.

Oliver shook his head with a little grin. “It’s a bit scary sometimes how well you read me.”

“Well, I think it’s good seeing as we’re married.” She stroked his left hand, her finger lingering on his wedding ring.

Oliver remained silent for a few seconds, and she let him, simply happy to enjoy the morning light with him.

“I…” he cleared his throat, then started again. “You don’t really need me anymore, Felicity.”

Felicity frowned. “Hum… what?”

“At work, I mean. You… you don’t need me anymore and… I’ve been thinking these past few months. A lot. I think… I think I’d like to do something else.”

Felicity smiled softly. “You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with Dig, the mayor and generally speaking… getting involved with the city.”

Oliver bit his lip. “Just before our wedding, the mayor confirmed that he wouldn’t run for reelection, not after his latest corruption scandal. I… I know it sounds crazy and I have no experience at all but… at least we both know I won’t sell this city for money and…”

“You want to run,” Felicity finished for him.

“I’m fully aware that I am in no position to be mayor or… I have no qualifications and… I don’t know, Felicity but… Starling needs someone that will put its interests above their own. Or at the very, very least, not use his position for profit. Walter talked to me at our rehearsal dinner... he knows people who think I would be an interesting candidate. At first I didn't... but... the more I think about it, the more the idea appeals to me.”

“Then you should do it. You should run for office.”

“You don’t think it’s insane?”

Felicity grinned, her hands playing with her mug of coffee. “More insane than a former secretary becoming CEO?”

“I also don’t want to drop my responsibilities on you.”

“You won’t. Oliver, I love what I do and… let’s be honest, I love it more than you do. You need to find something that gives you the same kind of purpose I found with Smoak Technologies. You and I… we’ll be fine.”

“I love working with you, hon. I really, really do.”

“But there is something else calling you, right?”

“I’m not sure where it’s going to lead. I might get my ass beaten. Hell, I’ll probably get my ass beaten. But I feel like I have to try. There are so many things I want to do to help Starling and you know it always frustrated me to be able to do so little. I want… I want our children to grow up in a better environment than I did. Safer. And the only way to do that is to try to get involved with the ones who hold the power. I won’t be as easily intimidated or convinced as the past mayors. I’m not running for power itself. I don’t need money, my wife is super wealthy. I don’t need to place friends in certain positions either.”

“Then we’ll sort it out once we’re back. Elections are in a year, right?”

“Yup.”

“That gives us enough time to make things right at Smoak Tech and start a campaign after our honeymoon.”

“You… You really don’t mind?” Oliver asked her again.

“No, Oliver. I’ll miss working with you. Yes, I really will. But if you feel the need to do something else, after everything you’ve done to support me, I can only stand by your side. It’s your turn to find your own way. You got thrown into the business world and never really… had the possibility to reconsider, not even after you came back. Maybe this is your chance?”

“I really made the right call by marrying you.”

“To be fair, it’s only been six days.”

Oliver chuckled, tightening his arms around her. They stayed silent for several long minutes, enjoying the utter calm around them.

Eventually, Felicity raised her head from his shoulder to seek his eyes. “Oliver, about what you said…”

“Hum, yes?”

“About… you know children.”

“We… haven’t talked about that in a while, have we?” he asked gently as he drank from their mug.

“No. I… I want to have you for myself for a little while. Just… you and me. I don’t mean… I don’t want you to think I keep pushing back some kind of deadline or-”

“Hey. We never had a deadline to begin with. So it would be hard for you to push it back,” he smiled, squeezing her hip reassuringly.

“It’s just… we just got married and… I want it to be just us at first. I want to go on vacation with you next summer. And you promised me a trip to New Orleans.”

“Since I just told you I plan to change careers and run a campaign for the next year or so… I think I can safely say that waiting a little longer to bring kids into the fold might be a good idea.”

“I know you’re very… enthusiastic about it.”

“Yes. I’m also very enthusiastic about my wife. I also don’t forget you’re five years younger than me, honey. So, yes if it was only up to me, I’d drag you into this cottage and have some hot, kinky breeding sex. But having children is never up to one person. And we have the time.”

“So… we’re good? We’re waiting a little longer?”

“Yes.” Oliver pecked her nose. “I think… we should definitely wait until after the elections for sure. Whatever the result is. Hum… OK shall we say we’ll wait until the seventh anniversary of the day we met? It’s in… fourteen, fifteen month?”

“You mean you want to celebrate it by impregnating me?” she snorted, picturing him crossing days on his calendar, writing a “knock up wifey” on their anniversary date.

“Yup,” he grinned proudly before sobering up. “But seriously… I mean we push the thought out of our heads, focus on us being married and able to have sex everywhere, anywhere, my probable campaign and then we just… see if you’re ready then?”

“I think it could be a good way to avoid the seven year itch,” Felicity nodded. “We’ll make sure to do as much as possible during these fourteen months.”

“When you say as much as possible, you mean sex, right?”

“Well, of course.”

“Then I’m totally down with waiting.”

 

 

**One year later**

“I know it’s a surprise for a lot of you to see me standing here tonight. I won’t lie. If the old me could be standing in this room, he’d be the most shocked,” Oliver said with a little smile. “I want to thank every single one of you for your support, or for the way you’ve challenged me during this past year. And yes, that includes the press. I decided to run because ever since I’ve been back… I’ve been trying to find a way to fix things. Fix what my father did. I’ve been trying to give back. But somehow it didn’t feel enough. I know I lack qualifications for the position. What I do not lack, though, is passion. Empathy. The will to listen and to make life better for all our citizens. Not just the wealthy ones. I want a city with fewer inequalities, where everyone will feel safe, and valued. Where kids have good prospects, no matter their background. Tonight, I want to focus on the future. I want us to remember the past, remember the mistakes made by the ones before us, remember the mistakes we made ourselves, and do better. For everyone. Thank you.”

Felicity beamed as she watched Oliver walking away from the stand, her heart filling with pride.

After one year of a hard, sometimes even brutal campaign, Oliver had just been elected mayor.

At first it hadn’t been easy. A 32 year-old with zero political qualifications running for mayor had most people snickering. But thanks to Walter and Moira’s advice and contacts, Oliver had been surrounded by an amazing team that had been able to show exactly how and why being so different from the usual candidates was exactly his main asset. People were tired of the same old crowd running the city, the so called elite, where scandals happened every fortnight. Oliver had been seen as the one who had tried to stop Malcolm Merlyn from escaping justice, something the inhabitants of Starling had never forgotten. A lot of groundwork had also been laid thanks to what he had put in place with Dig three years ago. People knew him, knew what he was trying to do for the Glades and he had been carried by them.

It was a gamble, a lot of people said. It might be the refreshing change the city needed or the last hit that would send it tumbling to the ground.

Felicity had no doubt it would be the former.

“May I ask a few questions to the mayor’s wife?” Thea asked innocently as she joined her. Felicity tore her eyes from Oliver who was answering a few reporters' questions and focused on her sister-in-law.

“Well… if you must,” Felicity grinned.

“I’m kidding, I don’t really care about the mayor’s wife's opinion. But I do care about the CEO of the year’s opinion on the new charming mayor.”

Felicity blushed as she took a small sip of water. To her big surprise, Chief Executive Magazine had selected her CEO of the year barely a couple weeks ago - quite an achievement for someone younger than thirty. “It’s Oliver’s night.”

“And he has dozens of reporters around him. Also, I’m serious. As a CEO, what do you think of Oliver as mayor?” Thea asked, raising her small recorder to get her answer.

Felicity observed the young woman, sensing she was serious.

Thea was still studying journalism at Columbia and was in the middle of her third year. 

“Are you writing a paper?”

“Yes. I’m trying to get an internship at Teen Vogue, and I have to show I can write about serious subjects as well.”

“Teen Vogue?”

“Yes. The website. They have remarkable editors and journalists. And I could work from wherever I want, including Starling.”

“I suppose this has nothing to do with the young man in the red hoodie?” Felicity asked mischievously. She knew Thea had started to date Roy, one of Dig’s former protégés, but the long distance relationship had been shaky at first. Thea still hadn’t introduced him officially to her family but Felicity knew it was mostly because she didn’t want to add pressure on what was, after all, a tricky situation. A long-distance relationship wasn’t easy but it was clear as day that the two were very much in love.

Thea shrugged innocently at her question. “I’d keep this quiet if I were you or I’m going to ask about what kind of shoes you’re wearing or when you are you finally gonna get knocked up by my dear brother.”

Felicity groaned, glaring at her. Thea was perfectly aware that she and Oliver had decided to wait after their wedding, but every now and then, she liked to use that knowledge to her advantage.

“So… what’s your opinion?” Thea asked sweetly again.

With a small shake of her head, Felicity answered her, then offered to introduce her to other businesswomen so she would have a more neutral approach for her article(,) then headed towards Dig and Lyla who had brought Saran with them.

“Our babysitter bailed out and we really didn’t want to miss this,” Lyla said as she hugged her.

“Well, she sure doesn’t seem to mind,” Felicity replied as she tickled her goddaughter’s cheek with her fingers. It wasn’t even eight in the evening anyway, and she knew Saran usually didn’t fall asleep until at least nine. Not to mention, it was Friday night and she could oversleep to her heart's content the next day. Saran giggled, hiding her face in her daddy’s neck. The little girl was in a very shy stage at the moment and was clinging to Dig constantly.

Dig moved Saran on his hip before asking, “Any idea how long it will last?”

“Not too long. Oliver prefers to hold a press conference tomorrow morning. Tonight was just the… usual speech and celebration but he wants to head back home soon.”

Lyla hailed a waiter and got glasses of champagne for the three of them. They were about to toast when Saran whined, grabbing her mom’s hand with a “peepee” that left little doubt to what she needed at the moment.

Lyla looked at her with a smile as she put her glass down on a high table next to them. “I better go right now. We’re potty training.” She picked up her daughter from Dig’s arms and they quickly disappeared in the crowd.

“So… how are you?” Felicity asked Dig in a soft, serious voice.

The trial for the shooting that had cost Andy’s life had finally happened a few weeks ago. The shooter had been declared guilty, sentenced to life, and even though it had felt like a relief for the families to see the killer brought to justice, it had been hard for Dig.

Oliver had been there for him and they had spent the bigger part of the night in a bar, forcing her to pick them up when they were too drunk to head back home alone.

The hangover they had the next day had probably been enough to convince them they were clearly too old for this kind of thing, and it had seemed like Dig had been able to finally properly say goodbye to his brother.

“I’m good. It feels… it was hard but now… that chapter is really closed. I can finally go to his grave and feel at peace. It’s a good feeling after all these years.”

“I’m glad,” she said as she gently squeezed his arm. She noticed Oliver was walking towards them and smiled when he stopped to press a kiss on her forehead.

“Dig. I’m so glad you came,” he said as he hugged his friend.

“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Congratulations, Mister Mayor.”

“It’s also thanks to you, you know.”

“Well… it was your idea at first to help the Glades. It’s coming full circle.”

“I just got the green light to leave, do you want to stop by for a small drink? I saw you had Saran with you, it might be more comfortable for her?”

“Great idea,” Lyla said as she joined them. “I’ll put her in her pajamas there so we’ll only have to slip her in her bed when we get home.”

Felicity and Oliver sometimes babysat her and they always had spare clothes as well as her toiletries, such as a toothbrush. The little girl was extremely easy to please and was in love with Pickle who, just like Winston had told them, was a big softie with little kids.

“Anyway, first things first: Congratulations Oliver. And may the force be with you,” Lyla laughed as she held her glass high, everyone mirroring her gesture before taking a sip.

Felicity coughed mid sip, making Oliver pat her back . “You OK, honey?”

“Yup. Just… wrong pipe,” she said sheepishly, grabbing a glass of water from a waiter and rinsing her throat. “I guess the shock of you understanding a Star Wars reference was too strong.”

 

 

 

***

 

“Bye bye!” Saran said as she waved at them. “Bye Pickee! Bye uncle ‘liver! Bye bye!”

Oliver laughed as he waved back at her, watching until the elevator doors closed on the little family. He walked back inside the apartment, Pickle by his side, and got rid of his shoes on the way to the kitchen.

“How can she get cuter every time I see her?” he asked Felicity as he helped her gather the few glasses lingering in the living-room.

“I think it’s her natural talent.”

“Well… just so you know, one day… I want one just like her. And Pickle agrees!”

Bending, he opened the dishwasher, loading it then adding detergent.

“I’m already working on it,” Felicity said quietly behind him.

“Mmhh?” he asked as he started a cycle. “You’re already working on what, honey?”

She remained silent and he glanced up at her, frowning when he saw her standing a few feet away, twisting the rings on her left finger.

She seemed… oddly nervous and… hopeful at the same time and he replayed the last words he had said, his heart suddenly in his throat. “You… you mean you’re ready? You’re ready to try?”

He couldn't help but glance towards the stairs leading to their bedroom, thinking that if she was ready, there was no need to wait a minute more.

Felicity grinned with a small, tiny shake of her head. “No. I mean… I’m really…  **really** already working on it.”

Oliver gulped. “I… I don’t…”

“Remember last month? I had to leave for five days, for New York?”

“Yes… and…”

“Well… we had sex that morning. I remember clearly because I had that nasty flu in the days before and… it was a nice little quickie before I left. I was in a hurry and I forgot to take my pills with me.”

“Felicity…” he breathed, still unsure if she was trying to tell him she wanted to stop the pill, or that she had stopped the pill, or that she hadn’t stopped the pill but it had malfunctioned or if he was completely misinterpreting what she was trying to say.

“I realized that in New York, of course,” she smiled with a shrug. “I knew it left me unprotected but I… I was in the bathroom, I had just gone through my purse and… I didn’t feel the need to run to the nearest drugstore, Oliver. That fear in my stomach I used to have before? It… it was gone.”

He looked at her, unable to find his voice as he remembered a similar conversation they had, also in a kitchen, three years ago.

_“I just want to make sure we don’t have to face an unplanned pregnancy on top of everything else. But one day, I know this might happen again and I won’t feel the need to run to the nearest drugstore.”_

“I… I wanted to give you a surprise for Christmas at first,” she continued when he remained silent, still battling with so many emotions and thoughts he wasn’t even sure he still knew his last name. “It would have been your gift, you know. My last pack of pills or something… something that would show I was ready for us to start trying for a family.”

“And…” he finally breathed, sensing there was more, but afraid to believe too much. Just the idea that Felicity could be… that maybe she was… it was already taking his breath away.

“Then I had to change my plans and instead of my pack of pills it was going to be the stick I had peed on, which I know sounds kinda gross but I also know you well enough to say that you would have wanted to see it with your own eyes. But you poured me a glass of wine tonight. And I drank of sip of champagne earlier, out of habit. Dig saw the face I made when you handed me the Bordeaux… I think he understood right away because he drank half of it for me. I can’t… I mean I don’t think I can keep it a secret any longer. We are expected for dinner at the mansion tomorrow and everybody knows I love my red wine. Oh God, I won’t be able to drink red wine for at least eight months,” she added with a little voice.

“Baby… I’m sorry but…” Oliver huffed out a breath, unable to keep the smile off his face because he could feel it, this wasn’t a false alarm, this wasn’t a simple talk. “You’re gonna have to say the words. God knows I love your babbling but… I really,  **really** need to hear you say the words.”

Felicity pinched her lips, nodding as her smile started to mirror his own. “I’m pregnant, Oliver.”

The next thing he knew he was crossing the kitchen and she was engulfed in his arms, his face buried in her hair, the three little words playing in his head over and over again. “I love you. I love you so much, Felicity.”

He felt a wetness on his neck and he pulled back to wipe the tears off her face, knowing some were about to spill from his eyes as well. Felicity offered him a small smile that he couldn’t help but kiss, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that they would soon be three after several years of hoping and patiently waiting.

“Please, say it again,” he murmured as he leaned back and pushed her hair back behind her ears.

She laughed, and he saw a little blush growing on her cheeks that made something melt inside of him.

Felicity, his wife, was pregnant with their first child. And he wasn't sure there was even a word to describe how he felt at the moment.

“I’m pregnant,” she repeated eventually in a small voice.

“How far-”

“Six weeks, according to Clear Blue. I have my first appointment in ten days. I wanted to go with you.”

Six weeks. It was just the beginning. Something tiny was slowly growing inside her and he felt his heart swell with so much love that he almost felt dizzy when he realized that in eight months or so, he would get to hold his child in his arms. A perfect little bundle of joy that would be just theirs, that they would have created out of love.

“Will we… will we see her?”

“Oliver, we don’t know if it’s a girl yet,” she chuckled. “I know I said I was working on a little Saran, but… I can’t exactly guarantee the results. Not to mention, that part was kinda your job."

He closed his eyes, laughing as well. “I know… sorry. I just… I’ve pictured a baby girl so many times. But you’re right. I just want to be sure that… they’re alright in there,” he added softly, putting his hand on her lower abdomen and trying very hard to not start bawling at the thought that their child was growing there. He had a feeling it would take him more than a few minutes to process that this was finally happening.

“And to answer your question, we will probably see a little… pea? Or something like that?”

“I can work with a pea,” he nodded enthusiastically. A pea, a bean,... no problem. As long as there was a little something he could see, and that everything was going well, that was all he needed.

“I don’t want to tell people until… things happen in the first trimester and…”

“We won’t, if you don’t want to.”

“You’re so weirdly accommodating, Mister Queen,” Felicity laughed.

Oliver huffed out a small, shaky laugh as he tightened his arms around her. “Mrs Queen, you just dropped the best news I have ever had in my entire life. Expect me to be weirdly accommodating for the next few months.”

“So you’re happy?” she whispered as she started to play with the buttons of his shirt. “I mean… I honestly didn’t think I would get pregnant like… right the second I didn’t take my pill. I figured it would take months. I mean that’s what I read so…”

“Felicity,” he breathed before cradling her face and kissing her softly. “I didn’t think I would ever be happier than when you said yes when I proposed. You… you just completely annihilated that. Happy doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel right now. You’re just… honey, we’re gonna have a baby,” he smiled, shaking his head as he huffed out a laugh. God, it felt good to say these words out loud. “I’m so full of love I feel like I’m going to explode. Love for you, for our… our mini-us.”

“Keep that in mind when I start waking you up in the middle of the night to get me marshmallow spread with vinegar onions or something.”

“Speaking of which, we should head to bed. You need to rest. I remember Dig told me that Lyla was constantly exhausted during her first trimester because of the placenta… something along those lines.”

Felicity stretched her arms above her head. “I won’t disagree. But I think I’m mostly tired because we’ve had a few busy weeks with the campaign ending.”

They closed all doors and lights, patted Pickle on the head while he made himself comfortable on his pillow then headed upstairs, Oliver hands never leaving Felicity.

“Oh, my boobs are gonna get bigger,” Felicity exclaimed suddenly after having brushed her teeth, palming her breasts. “I’ll finally know what it feels like to have big boobs!”

Oliver laughed. “Anything else you’re looking forward to? Wait… is your ass gonna get bigger too?”

“Oh… well, yeah probably. I’ll gain some weight so it’s pretty safe to say that-”

Oliver groaned, dropping his head against her shoulder. “Felicity, you gotta stop with the good news. I don’t think I can take much more.”

“Then I guess I shouldn’t tell you I also made an appointment with a real estate agent.”

“Ugh?”

“We’re going to need a house and that big ass garden you’ve been selling to Pickle for a year now.”

“Jesus Christ, woman, have mercy on me. I was just elected mayor.”

“And you’re going to be a father. I think your first year is going to be busy, Mayor Hottie.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I’m carrying our child, Oliver,” she said sweetly. “So I get a free pass, OK?”

“Fuck. You’re gonna use this all the time, right?” he asked, positively beaming as she slipped underneath the sheets.

“Yup.”

He lay down next to her, his hand automatically reaching for her stomach. She smiled at him, her eyes already sleepy and he realized that lately, she had fallen asleep much more quickly than usual.

Sure enough, it only took a few minutes for her breathing to even out and he was left staring at her, his fingers stroking the soft skin of her lower abdomen.

It had taken them a long time to get here. The road hadn’t been easy, but… what had mattered in the end was that they had been together. And a little one was about to join them.

His lips eventually brushed her cheek before he switched off the light and pulled her in his arms, the feeling of holding his entire world almost overwhelming as he thought back to that day when he had ended up alone, cold and hungry on a deserted island.

“Thank you for having waited for me,” he whispered in the quiet, dark room.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do have a bunch of things to say before you rush to the epilogue (please be patient lol).  
> So now you know what Oliver's legacy will be... or at least you have a clear idea lol. The epilogue will complete that, actually. It is actually also another reason why Smoak Technologies wasn't Smoak-Queen Tech. Oliver was going to be mayor and conflict of interest blablabla. I knew from the beginning that this would be where his path would lead him. When he came back, he was hell bent on trying to find who murdered his father and tried to murder him... but he also wanted the ones behind the project to pay for what they had done to other families and the city. Then... he kept on trying to help. He created the office with Dig, and if one day you feel like re-reading the story, you'll see that he's been trying to get involved with the mayor regularely. It was sthing that was calling to him. So yes, he has no experience and is an outsider, clearly, and he is aware of that. But the city never forgot that he tried to stop Malcolm merlyn, and that kind of things goes a long way when you want to show how different you are from the usual candidate. 
> 
> Also, they are starting a family (I can hear a collective sigh of omg finally). Keep in mind that they are still young (yes early thirties is young to me lol). They had all the time in the world and deserved to enjoy that time. They did <3 (yes lots of sex everywhere).
> 
> The song that plays when Felicity is walking down the aisle is a string version of Can't Help Falling In Love - which is actually the song I used for the chapter of their first kiss, back in HGW. It's actually how I found the title of STAMTB. One day the song was playing on the radio and giving me feels because it was such a big chapter for HGW and that line really... spoke to me. Later on, still in HGW, they watched the Bellagio fountains in Vegas and the song playing was one by Elvis and yup... I never stated it but it was the same one. It's not said but they both remembered it and that's why they chose it for their wedding. I used this version to get me in the mood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYrBh5uERvY  
> Their wedding dance now, I didn't specify a song. The one I have in mind is I won't Give Up by Jason Mraz if you want to know ;)
> 
> Felicity's wedding dress was a nightmare to find. I couldn't see Felicity with anything that wasn't form-fitted, with at least straps or sleeves and form fitting because of Da Booty, preferably with naked skin in the back (because to me that's her little thing). I found several I really liked but then I stumbled on one that was very different from the other ones and... call it crazy or not but I just *saw* her in that dress for STAMTB. Like I didn't need to check it afterwards, I could describe it easily. I could see her arms, her shoulders, the collarbones, everything flattering her perfectly. It's simple, and in my mind that was *the* dress. If you're curious: http://www.deerpearlflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Morilee-by-Madeline-Gardner-Blu-Wedding-Dresses-2017-Marlena-5506-1.jpg  
> http://www.deerpearlflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Morilee-by-Madeline-Gardner-Blu-Wedding-Dresses-2017-Marlena-5506-2.jpg  
> http://www.deerpearlflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Morilee-by-Madeline-Gardner-Blu-Wedding-Dresses-2017-Marlena-5506-3.jpg
> 
>  
> 
> As for the rest, I think the epilogue might answer a few more questions you might still have so, go on ;)


	52. Epilogue: You're Still The One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys (again)!  
> So this is finally it. The epilogue of Some Things Are Meant To Be. I hope it will answer all your questions and hopes and that the journey will be worth it ;)  
> Huge thank you to Debbie, mysticaldetectivepanda, for her incredible help and patience in the last year and a half and to Danka, for her support (even though she sometimes can be very stubborn -_-).  
> Big thank you to you as well, for following this story for so long (no matter when you joined). If you ever took the time to leave a comment, know how much it means to me and to all of you who’ve been there since the beginning or almost and still kept commenting or reaching out, you mean the world to me.  
> Song: You’re still the one - Shania Twain.

**"You're Still The One"**  


 

(When I first saw you, I saw love.  
And the first time you touched me, I felt love.  
And after all this time, you're still the one I love.)

Looks like we made it  
Look how far we've come, my baby  
We mighta took the long way  
We knew we'd get there someday

They said, "I bet they'll never make it."  
But just look at us holding on  
We're still together, still going strong

(you're still the one)  
You're still the one I run to  
The one that I belong to  
You're still the one I want for life  
(you're still the one)  
You're still the one that I love  
The only one I dream of  
You're still the one I kiss good night

Ain't nothing better  
We beat the odds together  
I'm glad we didn't listen  
Look at what we would be missing

They said, "I bet they'll never make it."  
But just look at us holding on  
We're still together still going strong

(you're still the one)  
You're still the one I run to  
The one that I belong to  
You're still the one I want for life  
(you're still the one)  
You're still the one that I love  
The only one I dream of  
You're still the one I kiss good night

You're still the one

(you're still the one)  
You're still the one I run to  
The one that I belong to  
You're still the one I want for life  
(you're still the one)  
You're still the one that I love  
The only one I dream of  
You're still the one I kiss good night

I'm so glad we made it  
Look how far we've come, my baby

 

 

 

Felicity sighed as she dropped her handbag on the floor, her jacket and heels joining it almost immediately. Pickle arrived to welcome her, tail wiggling and ears flat on his head, small whimpers of delight escaping him as if he hadn’t seen her in weeks.

“Hi there, buddy… where’s your little brother? Already asleep?” she murmured as she kneeled down to hug him properly, hiding her face in the thick fur of his neck.

The house was mostly silent, which wasn’t surprising seeing as it was already past eight in the evening. She had been held back at work longer than she would have prefered, and even though she always tried to make sure to be home early enough for dinner, sometimes there was little she could do.

With bare feet, she quietly made her way upstairs, smiling when she passed the pictures hanging on the wall.

The first one was of their wedding day. It wasn’t an official one, not like the one currently over the fireplace of their living room. No, this one had been taken by Victoria, their friend from Ivy Town. It was late at night, and Oliver was sprawled on a chair, the jacket of his tux long gone, his sleeves rolled up and his bowtie hanging loosely from his neck, the first button open. He was giving her a foot rub while she was sitting on a chair next to him, both their sides against the table where the glasses and empty bottles mixed with half-empty plates of food were a testimony to the long night they had had. She was smiling, her hair hanging much more loosely than it had a few hours earlier, her elbow resting on the table and her hand supporting her head as she was watching her husband with something close to adoration, the two of them gazing at each other like the world around them didn’t even exist. And, Felicity could still remember clear as day, that was exactly how she had felt.

The second one was the two of them standing up in front of this very house, Pickle by their side. She was heavily pregnant then and Oliver was behind her, his arms around her, one hand on her hip, another cradling her belly and he probably had the brightest smile she had ever seen on his face… until the next picture had been taken, two months later.

It was Oliver, sporting a black eyepatch and holding their newborn against his naked chest, a few hours after the delivery that had made her curse his ass to hell and back.

Another was her, laughing as she was lying on her back on a white blanket in their garden, holding up their child on straight arms while Pickle was keeping close guard on them, his entire body posture showing he was ready to step in the moment the baby slipped from her hands and that he was not approving of this foolery with the precious bundle of joy.

She had made it to the middle of the staircase when the sound of Oliver’s deep voice reached her. It brought little butterflies to her stomach, like it had been doing for thirteen years, and she tiptoed to the slightly open door leading to their son’s bedroom.

Discreetly, she cast a glance and saw Oliver in the small bed with their youngest while Lili, their daughter, was lying down on the floor and drawing something in her coloring book.

Smiling, she rested back against the wall, drinking them in.

Her family.

Jamie, named after Oliver’s grandfather James, was already in his pajamas, his hair obviously neatly washed with the way it was still mostly flat on his skull.

“I want a story,” he said as he snuggled underneath his duvet, Oliver arranging it around his small frame.

“Which one?”

“The one with you and mommy,” the little boy asked as he reached for his plush penguin and rubbed it against his cheek. He was a little over two and a half, and was an almost perfect mix of his parents. He had her natural brown hair, with Oliver’s deep blue eyes, his father’s jaw and his mother’s nose. Lili, who would be six years old in a few days, was much more of a carbon copy of her, but with her father’s eyes. She had also inherited Donna’s natural blonde hair, but the curls were clearly from Felicity.

“Ugh, Jamie,” Lili sighed. “You already know that story.”

“But I want to hear it again!”

Lili shook her head, glancing at her little brother before going back to her coloring book.

“If you know it so well, why don’t you tell him?” Oliver asked softly.

Lili looked up at him, apparently pondering his suggestion for a few seconds before nodding seriously and putting her pencil down. “Once upon a time, daddy worked in a big building and he needed someone to help him with the phone and stuff. One beautiful day, he met mommy and because she was so smart, he asked her to be his Girl Wednesday.”

Oliver chuckled. “It’s Friday, sweetheart.”

Lili looked at her father with a frown, and Felicity had to bite back a laugh at the way she almost glared at him for daring questioning her judgment.

Oliver cleared his throat, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “We say a Girl Friday, honey. Not a Girl Wednesday.” 

Lili narrowed her eyes. “Daddy… who’s telling the story?” 

“You are, honey.” 

“My story, my rules. And in my story, we say a Girl Wednesday because Wednesday is my favorite day of the week.” 

“That’s because Wednesday is Lili-Daddy day and you always get a chocolate chip cookie,” Jamie chimed in. “My day is Tuesday and I can have a peanut butter cup if I make sure to brush my teeth after because it could make mommy very sick.” 

Oliver shook his head, a small tender smile stretching his lips. “That’s all very true Jamie, but we should let Lili continue her story. With her rules.”

“Thank you,” Lili said, returning her attention to her drawing. “So, Mommy was working for daddy and they fought a lot because daddy didn’t know how to use a… a tax…”

“A fax machine,” Oliver offered. “We don’t really use that a lot anymore, but it is a bit like a printer.”

“Yes, a fax machine and then one day mommy got mad so she broke his coffee maker.” Lili paused, her eyes glancing up at her father before adding, “Violently.”

“Did you ground her, daddy?”

“Hum… no,” Oliver said as he muffled a chuckle. “Mommy had a good reason to break the coffee maker, even if it’s a bad thing to do.”

“And then daddy fell in love with her because she had pretty hair that shone in the sun.”

“Not… not just because of that.”

“Because she is really smart too!” Jamie intervened.

“That’s correct,” Oliver grinned as he rubbed his son’s hair.

“And because she is a really good friend and it’s more important to be a really good friend than to have nice hair,” Lili added. “Aunt Sara told me.”

“That’s right.”

Apparently satisfied that she had developed her mother’s assets to their fullest, Lili continued. “Then daddy and mommy went to play the mini golf and they sang a song and daddy realized he wanted to marry her and have a lot of babies with her.”

“Well, it didn’t exactly… but yes, it’s the general idea,” Oliver said, losing the battle with his smile.

“Because she plays well?”

“No, duh. Because of her hair, I told you!” Lili paused, then scrunched up her nose. “Also because of her butt but I don’t understand why you want to marry someone because of their butt.”

The smile slipped from Oliver’s face. “What?”

“I heard you tell mommy this morning. But you didn’t use a pretty word,” their daughter scolded him. “And you didn’t put a dollar in the bad words jar!”

Felicity leaned back against the wall, muffling her chuckle behind her hand as she remembered the way Oliver had all but groped her when she was making coffee, mumbling about her ass and how big of a part it had played in his decision to marry her. She hadn’t even noticed their daughter had been close enough to hear.

“I… I’ll do it,” Oliver replied sheepishly.

“Good. So daddy fell in love, mommy fell in love, and then they kissed, on the mouth, at Uncle Tommy’s party.”

“Eeewww.”

“Grownups kiss on the mouth a lot when they’re in love, Jamie. Aunt Dani told me.”

Felicity leaned in again, just in time to catch Oliver’s face as he tried to move the conversation away from kisses and being in love - something she had noted he would do more and more often ever since Lili had come back home a few months ago announcing proudly that she had a boyfriend and that she needed Felicity’s wedding dress because they were getting married the next day. Oliver had looked at Felicity in absolute panic, his face pale, murmuring that he thought he would have more time before pouring a glass of whisky and locking himself in his office for two hours. “So, what happened next, Lili?” he said, shifting on the bed until Jamie was more comfortably snuggled against him.

Lili paused in her drawing, obviously gathering her thoughts. “Then mommy had another job and you were a big dummy and mommy was mad at you.” Glaring at him, she added, “Again!”

“Was she mad like when I colored the walls in the kitchen?”

“More,” Oliver answered with a grin.

“More?” Jamie gasped. “Mommy was very, very, very mad then!”

Lili nodded. “Yes. But then Uncle Tommy talked to mommy to make sure she still loved you.”

“Did she still love you, daddy?”

“Yes, Jamie,” Oliver grinned. “And she forgave me because I apologized.”

“And also because you got a plant for her.”

“Mommy always smiles when you bring her flowers. She says you’re a general.”

“Not a general, a gentleman!”

“Yes, a gender man,” Jamie repeated with a small yawn. “What happened after?”

“Well… I think daddy kissed mommy.”

“Yup.”

“But then you went on a boat and on an island for a looooong time. Like Robinson Crusoe. And mommy thought you were gone forever. And she was very sad and she cried a lot and her heart was broken in… thousands and thousands of pieces.”

Felicity heard her son’s sniffle and his small voice broke her heart when he said, “I don’t like that part.”

“But he came back,” Lili said gently.

“Yes, Jamie. I came back and all was well.”

“And mommy still loved you and you still loved mommy. But you had your head in your butt.”

Oliver’s head snapped from his son to his daughter. “Wait, what?! Who told you that??”

Lili shrugged. “Uncle Tommy. He said you had your head in your butt. How did you do that, daddy?”

“Daddy can do everything,” Jamie chirped, his voice full of pride and admiration.

“Thank you, son,” Oliver said as he dropped a kiss on his forehead. “So, Lili… I still loved mommy and mommy still loved me.”

“Yup,” Lili nodded before sitting up and stretching her arms as wide as she could. “Thiiiiiiiis much.”

Oliver smiled softly, gazing down at her. “That’s about right.”

“So you made up. And you kissed. A lot. Aunt Thea told me.”

“We did, yes.”

“They still do!” Jamie added.

“We still do, yes.”

“And you decided to live together. You got Pickle. Mommy became the big boss. Daddy became the mayor. That means you sign a lot of papers and you cut ribbons, Uncle John told me. And also… that you do a lot of things for our neighbours, and not just help Mrs Fritz when her hip hurts.”

“And what does being a big boss mean?”

“Mommy tells you what to do. She has meetings and then she creates stuff that people build and then other people buy because they need them. And she has her old name on a biiiiiig building. Oh and she also signs papers too. But I don’t think she cuts ribbons. Only the mayor cuts ribbons, aunt Lyla told me,” Lili said as she climbed up on the bed, snuggling in her father’s arms as well. Felicity watched as Oliver’s face softened even more when he pressed a kiss on her head. “Also, one day, you asked her to marry you and mommy wore the beautiful dress she said I would have when I’m older and you had a big cake. And then you moved into a big house, this one, because mommy had ordered me on bee-day and I **really** needed a playroom.”

Felicity frowned, lost in her daughter’s story for the first time. Judging by Oliver’s confused face, she wasn’t the only one. “Bee-day?”

“Yes, with her computer.”

“Her compu...  do you mean ebay? Who told you that mommy ordered you on ebay?”

“Uncle Tommy.”

Oliver rolled his eyes, lightly shaking his head and Felicity knew there would be hell to pay during Sunday brunch seeing the amount of silly Tommy had apparently been feeding their children behind their backs.

“So, I arrived one day and you loved mommy even more although her hair was very messy. Oh… and you and mommy cried. But they were good tears, like when you took us to Disneyworld and I met Belle.”

“Hum… well yes,” Oliver chuckled, his eyes softening in the same way they always did whenever he would remember the days their children were born.

“Then we got Skype because you thought Pickle deserved a buddy. And then you started to make Jamie’s room and I helped you with the paint, daddy. I don’t remember it but I know because there is a picture of us on the wall. Oh and you also got a new car before Jamie was here because babies need a lot of stuff. They poop a lot but it’s not their fault. I know because Uncle Roy told me.”

“... they do, yes,” Oliver answered, hiding his laugh with a small cough.

“I don’t poop a lot!”

“It’s because you’re not a baby anymore,” Lili explained patiently. “Then mommy got reaaaally big and one day poof! Jamie was here and mommy wasn’t so big anymore. And you cried and mommy loved you even more.” Lili raised her head from Oliver’s chest, her eyes serious. “She told me.”

“And?” Oliver prompted her to continue, catching Felicity’s eyes as she discreetly walked closer to the door.

“And then we went to Disneyworld.”

“And after that?”

Lili frowned, obviously in deep reflexion. “I think she told you to take the garbage out.”

“Did mommy order me on bee-day too?”

Felicity couldn’t help but laugh out loud, earning gasps and loud squeals from her children as they finally saw her.

“Mommy!”

She finally walked into the room, catching Jamie who had stood up and was reaching for her with his arms straight. She pressed loud, wet kisses on his chubby cheeks before taking a deep breath, his scent washing over her like a calming balm.

“You should already be asleep, young man,” she said as she put him down.

“Lili was telling me a story,” he said just as he was about to slip back underneath the duvet.

“I heard that,” Felicity chuckled before hugging her daughter and pressing a hard kiss on her head while Oliver stood up from the bed.

“Hey,” he whispered, quickly leaning in for a small kiss.

“Eww.”

“Jamie,” they both said, their lips still brushing.

“You tuck him in while I take care of Lili?” Oliver said as she sat down on the bed.

“Yes. I’ll come read you a story in a few minutes, sweetheart.”

Oliver brushed a small kiss on Jamie’s forehead then picked up Lili, carrying her on his shoulder in a firefighter carry, which was her favorite ever since she had been a toddler. “Come on, young lady. Time to brush your teeth.”

The little girl’s giggles could be heard until they walked into the bathroom down the hall.

“So, young man. How was your day?” Felicity said in a soft voice as she started to lace her fingers through his hair.

“Granny tried to make cookies again,” he sighed.

Felicity winced, knowing she had inherited her disastrous skills in the kitchen from her mother. She had stopped trying to bake after Oliver’s birthday cake, almost a decade ago, and even though it wasn’t what he prefered to do in a kitchen, ever since Lili had turned two, he had learned recipes to make for her - and with her. Jamie wasn’t interested in the preparing part but more often than not she would walk in the kitchen and find Oliver and Lili making cookie dough, the little girl at first sitting on the counter, then standing on a small stool as she had grown up.

Jamie and she, on the other hand, were mostly happy to consume the finished product.

She listened as her son told her about his busy day, which involved watching his favorite cartoon in the morning, then a walk to the nearby park, as well as finger painting.

Donna had moved to Starling a few months after Lili’s birth. Felicity had bought her a house in Vegas at first, setting up an account for her but Donna loved to work and hadn’t wanted to stop. When she had become a grandmother though, the idea that Lili would grow and she would only get to see her a few times a year had caused her to change her mind. It had been a relief for Oliver and Felicity to have two grandmothers to take care of their daughter, and once she had started pre-school, Jamie had arrived and they had done the same with him.

Oliver and Felicity had moved into their house when Felicity was seven months pregnant. It was in a quiet, suburban area and had, as promised, a giant ass garden. They had adopted another dog two years later, a rescue of unknown breed, and Jamie and Lili had started to campaign for a cat as well a few weeks ago.

Knowing her husband, he would probably cave in before the kids went back to school.

She noticed Jamie’s voice started to slow down and she stood up, making sure he was properly covered and his plush penguin - his favorite - was near him, then left the room after turning on the small bed lamp on the night stand.

She quickly made her way to her daughter’s room next, who was reading her favorite book.

“Where’s dad?” Felicity asked as she sat down on the bed, getting comfortable against the headboard.

“He went to walk the dogs out.”

“Oh. That was a nice story you told Jamie.”

“Did you like it?”

“Yes. But… do you want to know a secret?” Felicity asked in a whisper, leaning closer to her daughter.

“Yes,” Lili murmured back with wide eyes.

“You didn’t finish the story.”

  


***

  


Oliver locked the doors then made his way upstairs. Passing Lili’s bedroom, he heard her giggling with Felicity and he smiled, not lingering and letting them enjoy their little mommy-daughter time. After stopping to make sure Jamie was sleeping, he quickly brushed his teeth, stripped down to his boxers then got into bed with a book.

Felicity had been pulling long days lately, and she was on the edge of signing a huge contract with Johnson and Johnson, one of the biggest medical companies in the world. It was only a matter of time before things finally slowed down. He had put the kids to bed three times this week already, and he knew it was weighing on her. The two of them always made sure their children, and in general their family, would remain a priority. But they were also both aware they had very demanding jobs and sometimes, one of them would get swamped. Oliver had been working from home a little more than usual to counterbalance Felicity’s absences and even though he didn’t like not seeing his wife as often as usual, he couldn’t deny that having his two children just to himself was also special - especially since he could spoil them rotten more freely. Felicity was the stern parent, to absolutely nobody’s surprise. He had a harder time but always make sure to follow her lead and not contradict her in front of them. When she wasn’t around though, it was much harder to stick to the rules, especially when Lili would look at him with puppy eyes or when Jamie would flatter him with words like “the best daddy in the world”.

Which was exactly how they had all ended up at the ice cream parlor after dinner tonight.

Not that he felt the need to share that bit of information with his wife, who was still side-eyeing him about the birthday cake he had allowed them to have for breakfast two months ago.

Although he was pretty sure it had more to do with the fact that she was planning to sneak it to the office and have it for her own breakfast than anything else.

The sound of Felicity’s soft steps reached him a few seconds before she appeared on the threshold of their bedroom and he smiled peacefully at the idea of having his wife just for himself for a little while.

“They’re both asleep,” Felicity said quietly as she closed the door behind her.

“Now, that’s what a husband likes to hear,” Oliver grinned as he put down his book.

Felicity huffed out a laugh, shaking her head. “I need a shower. Keep reading.”

He watched as she retreated to the bathroom, half-tempted to join her. Only the dark circles underneath her eyes stopped him and he forced himself to remain in bed. Tonight would be for cuddling, not a hot, steamy quickie in the shower.

Ever since Felicity had gotten pregnant with Lili, their sex-life had changed. At first, for the worst, when she had been hit with morning sickness that lasted all day and made her about as horny as a panda - which, he had found out the hard way, was not at all - but the blissful happiness he was literally swimming in ever since that night when she had told him the news had him perfectly content to look after her every other need instead.

That being said, he had missed her, terribly. Especially since it had literally happened all of a sudden. One night they had had some great, hot sex that had involved her bending over the couch then riding him in their bed, and the next morning he had woken up to the sound of her being sick in the bathroom.

Which had also been how he had ended up with the first of the infamous “Oliver’s injuries throughout Felicity’s pregnancy”.

But then the second trimester had hit. And… woah. He still got borderline giddy every time he would remember that stage, and he had lost count of the number of shirts Felicity had ruined because she didn’t have the patience to undo the buttons.

Once Lili had been born though… between the sleepless nights and their jobs, sex had taken the backseat, their bed representing blissful sleep more than anything else.

Then, juggling with a kid had meant no more getting freaky on the kitchen counter any time of the day. They still managed their hot, steamy sex session every now and then - sometimes at his office during lunch break or in the shower - but they had had to find a balance, which meant more slow, quiet love-making in their bed. And, somehow, it fitted them now. They were still very active in that aspect, the two of them still needing that connection, but it was different now.

And just as good.

  
  
  


Barely ten minutes later, she was back, wearing a pair of small shorts and a tank top. She climbed on the bed next to him with a little smile as she leaned in to drop a small kiss on his lips.

“We kissed for the first time thirteen years ago today,” she said softly, stroking his cheek.

“I know,” he murmured as he gazed down at her.

“I have loved you ever since.”

“I know.”

“Do you sometimes stop and think-”

“How far we’ve come?” he finished for her.

“Yes.”

Oliver turned them so they were both on their sides, face to face, his hand reaching to push back a strand of hair behind her ear. “Every day. I look at Lili or Jamie and… I remember the day I met you. I remember watching you through the glass in my office. Your little smile whenever you would catch me red handed. I see us in your old apartment, making that puzzle,” he said, nodding with his chin towards the puzzle that was hanging on their wall - one piece still missing since they hadn’t wanted to replace it. “I remember how I once thought I’d never see you again. How you fought for us and for me and stood by my side every single day. I think of all these people who snickered after the merger, saying either the company would crash or we would break up and it would be a disaster… the same people saying the exact same thing when I decided to run for mayor and then when I got elected. Then I see your name on the top of the building, I see the day I was re elected. I see our wedding day.”

Felicity smiled, nuzzling her face in his hand. “It wasn’t a smooth ride for sure.”

“No it wasn’t,” he chuckled. “I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.”

“Really? Even when you think about the sleepless nights when you had to prepare a speech and I was in the middle of my yearly budgets and one of the kids was teething?”

“Not a thing,” he repeated in a breath, touching his lips to hers.

“Good,” Felicity murmured, gazing at him. “How do you feel about starting over again?”

Oliver paused, leaning back to look at the little grin she was offering him and he couldn’t help but smile back. “Already tired of the whole CEO gig and wanna be my secretary again?”

“Executive assistant,” she corrected sternly. “And I was thinking about the sleepless nights bit, actually.”

Oliver’s breath caught in his throat. “You…”

“Mmhmh,” she nodded shyly. “Turns out it wasn’t just the stress. Seven weeks. I took a test this morning.”

He looked at her, feeling his jaw go slack with the surprise. They hadn’t been trying. Actually they had agreed to wait until Jamie’s third birthday so hopefully, he would already be going to preschool when Baby Number Three would join them.

And just like for Lili and James, Oliver felt the exact same wave of warmth spreading in his chest at the knowledge that he was going to be a father - again.

“Damn it, Felicity,” he eventually laughed as he pulled her against him, then rolled on his back so she was sprawled on top of him. “Are you ever gonna let me knock you up on purpose?”

“It happened with Jamie.”

“Baby, you told me you were stopping the pill, we tried like **once** and bam, pregnant! I barely had any fun!”

“It’s not my fault if your sperm is so efficient and my eggs so receptive!”

“OK, I’ll let that one go but now we have to consider having a fourth one. And this time, I don’t care how you do it, but I want the whole process to take more than one try.”

Felicity giggled. “What the hell?! We said we’d have three children, Oliver!”

“That was before I knew you’d keep on getting knocked up in the blink of an eye, Felicity! I want to have the time to really enjoy it, coach my guys and put pillows underneath your hips… the whole thing!”

“Oliver, we said three.”

He looked at her, seeing the little smile stretching her lips. “I think we need to reevaluate our initial contract. I am also willing to include a clause to specify the number of orgasms you are allowed to request for each try. And the position.”

He didn’t mention what they had talked about after Jamie was born. How Oliver had already told her he probably wouldn’t run for another term if their family grew. Their children were surrounded by love and family and despite their parents’ heavy jobs, never lacked for attention but Oliver knew that **he** would need more. Lili was growing up, a bit too fast to his liking, and he still wanted to make sure to have time just for her. And just for her little brother. And just for the little one who would soon be there. Starling City was now in a much, much better place than before. Things were not perfect, but corruption was no longer destroying the city, people had good, decent jobs, and it was becoming a place where everyone wanted to live. He had spent more than six years fixing the mistakes of the past generation and he had loved it. But as he watched Felicity, he knew that his next mission would be much, much more personal. Mayor Queen would become full-time dad in a year and a half.

Felicity bit her lips, her eyes shining full of laughter as she held his gaze, probably sensing where his thoughts had traveled. She eventually cleared her throat and looked at him seriously. “… we’ll negotiate the terms.”

_Oooh… I can assure you we will, Mrs Queen._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK… this is where we leave Oliver and Felicity, exactly thirteen years after their very first kiss. As you can see, Oliver’s legacy was being mayor… and yes also be a full-time dad. He will always be involved with the city though, through a charity or another and my own personal headcanon says he’ll be mayor again in the future, once the kids are older. He is/was a very beloved mayor ;)  
> Just one thing: that last line? It’s the same one as the last line of HGW’s first chapter… with one tiny difference ;)  
> Felicity and Oliver will only have 3 children in the end. For those interested in the how/why, know that I plan/hope to write one-shots. Not a sequel per se, more like out of order little stories that might feed my need to revisit them, and your wish for a bit more of them ;)  
> Dig and Lyla also have a son, by the way (see arrow writers? You can just *add* a kid, not erase one! WHAT A CONCEPT).  
> Roy and Thea are together, yes.  
> … As for Tommy and Daniela… I left it vague on purpose you guys. If you want to picture Tommy the eternal happy go lucky goofball and fun uncle, you can. If you want to see him with someone else, you can too (not Laurel though, sorry I refuse to let you believe that I CANT XD) but… yeah he and Daniela have a complicated story that didn’t stop with her walking away from him at Oliver and Felicity’s wedding ;)  
> Donna will meet a good man too. Who? No idea. My first thought is that it would be Felicity’s OB/GYN because that would be SO Donna to not see the big deal in dating a man who’d seen her daughter’s vajayjay (“honey he’s seen so many of these I’m sure he doesn’t even remember what yours looks like”). But that might be too much to write XD So again… until/unless I get the inspiration and write it, feel free to picture whoever you want in your head. (Quentin is still married btw XD).  
> I decided to name their daughter Lili because it’s my favorite girl name (technically Lily is my favorite girl name) but not only for that. Lili is also a mix of their names O*li*ver and Fe*li*city. I can totally see sappy Oliver thinking it’s the best idea ever. James, as I stated it, is because of Oliver’s grandfather (and also my favorite boy name. Thank you JK Rowling and Harry Potter). Jamie is just softer for a little boy and also will fit him more. Jamie will have his father’s soft heart and his mother’s introvert personality. Lili will have her mom stubbornness, sassiness and strong will and her father’s confidence. So yeah… that girl is about to rule the world. She will be the one taking over Felicity at Smoak Tech. So yes, Robert, sorry but… it’s not from father to son anymore but from mother to daughter <3  
> As for baby number 3, all I will say is that it’s a boy and… he’ll have Oliver’s charm and… well he will follow his dad’s footsteps a bit too much to his parents’ liking.  
> Oh and yes the list of Oliver’s injuries will probably be explained in a one-shot lol.  
> I hope this answers most of your questions. If you have more, don’t hesitate to ask, I’ll use some for one-shots ;)


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